This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
My BEST Lemon Bars recipe is a classic with shortbread crust and a creamy lemon filling! These easy lemon bars makes the perfect batch with a thick crust and perfect lemon filling. This is a great make-ahead dessert bar for picnics, BBQs and potlucks – it’s seriously, the best lemon bars recipe!
The BEST Lemon Bars Ever!
Oh, how I love a shortbread crust topped with tart lemon filling. It just says summer and picnics and potlucks to me! This lemon squares recipe is one of my favorite lemon desserts!
One of the most famous recipes is Ina Garten’s but I’ve got news – this recipe is better than Ina Garten’s lemon bars. My recipe is easier to make with less waiting time, which means you’ll be slicing these sweet treats before you know it.
The balance of crust to filling is perfect in these bars and the lemon filling sets up perfectly every time. No runny lemon bars. Once cooled the bars slice beautifully. All they need is a dusting of powdered sugar.
Ingredients Needed
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for the crust, make sure it’s softened.
- Flour: I always use All-Purpose Flour.
- Sugar: I love using powdered sugar in shortbread and granulated sugar in the lemon square filling.
- Lemon: You’ll need FRESH lemon juice and lemon zest! The lemon zest is where most of that lemon flavor comes from!
- Eggs: Be sure to buy large eggs.
How to Make Lemon Bars
- The first thing that sets these bars apart is the crust. It’s a simple buttery shortbread crust that is easy to make. Many recipes have you bake the crust in a large baking dish, but I prefer a smaller 9×9” square one. That way you get thick lemon bars.
- You don’t have to chill the dough – just mix it up, press it into the pan and bake it. No waiting! All you do is cream butter with an electric mixer until it’s smooth. Add powdered sugar, all pupose flour, and salt and mix slowly until the dough is crumbly but sticks together when you squeeze it.
- Press it into prepared baking pan and bake it for 13 minutes or until it turns lightly golden around the edges.
- While the crust is baking, make the lemon curd filling by whisking the eggs and then add the sugar, lemon zest, salt and lemon juice in a medium bowl and whisk again. Once the crust is done baking, pour the filling over it while it’s still hot. You don’t have to wait for it to cool!
- Bake the bars for 15 to 18 minutes or until the lemon filling is no longer liquid in the center and the bars are lightly golden on top.
- Cool the bars completely before slicing and serving. I like to dust them with powdered sugar!
Expert Tips for Lemon Bars
- Accurately measure your ingredients! This one thing can make a huge difference in your lemon bars. Using the spoon and level method to measure the powdered sugar and the flour will ensure you have the right amount in your recipe.
- Keep an eye on the bars while they bake. You want to pull them out of the oven when they are set in the middle and just lightly golden on top.
- Don’t skip lining the baking dish with parchment paper or foil. This will make it really easy to lift the bars out in one piece before you slice them.
- Lemon bars will hold up well at room temperature for several hours, but you will want to store them in the refrigerator after that to keep the filling from spoiling.
- Lemon bars will keep for up to four days in the refrigerator or you can put them in the freezer for up to a month. We love to freeze lemon bars when lemons are in season!
- You can also use a food processor to make the curst – just pulse all the ingredients together until crumbly.
- It is best to make lemon bars in a metal pan so the crust cooks and the filling sets. Glass pans do not conduct heat as well as metal.
Lemon Bars FAQ
Yes, store these in the refrigerator after slicing.
Yes you can! Freeze these for up to 3 months.
These are perfect made up to 2 days ahead of time. Don’t dust with powdered sugar until before serving – it will dissolve.
The best way to cut them cleanly is to remove the entire slab from the pan using the parchment or foil. Then spray the knife with some nonstick cooking spray, and wipe it clean between cuts.
Yes! It’s really easy to make lime bars with this recipe – same recipe, but use lime or key lime juice and zest.
Lemon Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup (57g) powdered sugar
- 2 cups (248g) all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 medium lemon
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup (118ml) fresh lemon juice from about 4 medium lemons
- Powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 or an 8×8 pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the crust by creaming the butter with a hand or a stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment) until smooth. Add powdered sugar, flour, and salt and mix slowly until the mixture is crumbly but sticks together when you press it between your fingers. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 13 minutes, or until it just starts to get a light golden brown around the edges.
- While the crust is baking, whisk the eggs until beaten. Whisk in the sugar, lemon zest, salt, and lemon juice. Pour over hot crust, then continue to bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the mixture is no longer liquid in the center and it’s lightly golden brown on top.
- Cool completely before removing from pan. Remove foil, then dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve, dusting with more powdered sugar as desired.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- I recommend a stand mixer for the crust if you have one, if not, a hand mixer will work but it will take a bit of time to get it mixed. Make sure the mixture sticks together when you press it into the pan – and make sure it’s pressed very well into a solid crust so there are no holes.
- Keep an eye on the bars while they bake. You want to pull them out of the oven when they are set in the middle and just lightly golden on top.
- Don’t skip lining the baking dish with parchment paper or foil. This will make it really easy to lift the bars out in one piece before you slice them.
- If your kitchen is warm, you can place the cooled bars (in the baking dish) in the refrigerator so they firm up. This will make it easier to get clean slices.
- Lemon bars will hold up well at room temperature for several hours, but you will want to store them in the refrigerator after that to keep the filling from spoiling.
- Lemon bars will keep for up to four days in the refrigerator or you can freeze them for up to a month.
Recipe Nutrition
Favorite Lemon Bar Recipes
The BEST Lemon Bars have a creamy, sweet and tart lemon filling with a thicker than usual shortbread crust. It makes the perfect ratio and texture!
Loved this recipe. however, I feel if you are baking in an 8×8 you will need to bake longer on the crust and filling since the crust will be a little thicker and filling more fuller than a 9×9 so I’m wondering if some bakers are no thinking about this. It took my crust an extra 8 minutes to brown and an extra 10 for the filling but otherwise it was delicious!
Loved this recipe. however I feel if you are baking in an 8×8 you will need to bake longer on the crust and filling since the crust will be a little thicker and filling more fuller than a 9×9 so I’m wondering if some bakers are no thinking about this. It took my crust an extra 8 minutes to brown and an extra 10 for the filling but otherwise it was delicious!
I’m not clear how some bakers get excellent results and others have disastrous results. I can only assume it has to do with our ovens.
I tried this recipe because I am a crust lover, and the thick crust intrigued me. I encountered problems: a.) the dough never crumbled. b.) @ 45 minutes, the dough still was not a light golden brown. c.) Went ahead and added the filling. It took over an hour to set.
That is so strange. Can you answer a few questions for me:
Did you use a hand or a stand mixer?
What brand butter and flour did you use?
Do you use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven temperature is correct?
Featured In
Rate This Recipe
Recipe Ratings without Comment