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With just the right amount of lemon goodness, these lemon bars have the perfect combination of sweetness and tartness along with the perfect creamy texture. A delicious lemon curd filling on a buttery shortbread crust.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe originally came from a childhood friend’s mother in Wisconsin over 50 years ago. It is the recipe my mother always made and it is the one I always make. I have made this recipe hundred’s of times. Through the years I have tried an endless number of recipes and this one still comes out on top.
You have to have just the right texture for a perfect bar, not too gooey, not too dry. It must also has to have the right amount of lemon, not too sweet and not to tart. This one has the perfect amount of lemon flavor.
Ingredients Needed
- Lemons. Always use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. Never use the stuff in the bottle!
- Butter. I use a cold, salted butter. If you are using unsalted butter just add in 1/4 tsp additional salt.
- Flour. Use unbleached all purpose flour.
- Sugar. The recipe uses a combination of powdered and granulated sugar. Using powdered sugar gives the shortbread crust a great light texture. You will need a little additional powdered sugar for dusting.
- Eggs
- Baking Powder
How to Make Lemon Bars
Shortbread Crust
- Mix together butter, 1 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of powdered sugar using a fork, pastry blender or a food processor. This will make a dry crumbly mixture. A food processor will give you a more delicate crumb.
- Press dough into the bottom of an 8 x8 baking pan. Line pan with parchment paper for easy removal. Press down the shortbread crust with your hand or the bottom of a glass or measuring cup.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes, until lightly golden brown around the edges.
Filling
- Mix together sugar, 2 Tbsp flour and baking powder in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or use an electric mixer.
- Add in eggs, juice of one lemon (about 2 Tbsp.) and the zest from the lemon and whisk together.
- Pour the lemon filling over baked warm crust and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F or until edges are golden brown and mixture is set.
Lemon Glaze
- Mix together 3/4 cup powdered sugar with 2 Tbsp lemon juice or enough to make glaze soft enough to drizzle over lemon bars while they are still warm.
- Cool and cut. They are best eaten within 24 hours if not refrigerated.
Tip from Leigh Anne
- Lemon bars may seem slightly underdone when you remove them from the oven but they will set up as they cool and as they chill.
- You can also blend the crust together in a food processor for a more delicate crumb.
- Be sure and compress down the shortbread crust in the pan using your. hand or the bottom of a glass or measuring cup.
- Glaze the bars while they are still warm. Instead of glaze, you can sprinkle them with powdered sugar when they are cooled if you prefer or you can glaze and sprinkle!
- Allow them to cool completely before cutting. You will get a cleaner slice. To speed the cooling process I will sometimes put them in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! They are so delicious you are going to want to double it! Use a 9×13 inch pan if you are doubling it. Bake time should be the same.
Two of my favorite tools when working with lemons are this lemon juicer and a microplaner for zesting. When zesting a lemon only remove the outer lemon layer, not the inner white layer which is bitter.
Lemon bars are best eaten fresh within 24 hours but they do freeze really well. I have been known to eat them frozen straight out of the freezer. Be sure to let the bars cool completely before freezing. You can freeze them whole by removing them from the pan and wrapping the entire amount in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. You can freeze individual bars by wrapping them each in plastic wrap and foil. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then dust with powdered sugar before serving.
My favorite way to cut any kind of bar cookie is with a plastic disposable knife. You get a nice clean cut. Lemon bars can be a little gooey in the middle and the plastic knife works great.
I also have a small batch version of these amazing lemon bars! They are the perfect amount for 2-4 people.
Check out more great lemon recipes:
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The Best Lemon Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter cold
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 lemon zest and juice (about 2 Tbsp juice)
Lemon Glaze
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice or enough to get proper consistency for drizzling
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cut together butter, 1 cup flour and 1/4 cup powdered sugar and press into 8 x 8 pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Mix together sugar, 2 Tbsp flour and baking powder
- Add in eggs, juice of one lemon (about 2 Tbsp.) and the zest from the lemon.
- Pour this mixture over baked crust and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees or until edges are golden brown and mixture is set.
Glaze
- Mix together 3/4 cup powdered sugar with 2 Tbsp lemon juice or enough to make glaze soft enough to drizzle over lemon bars while they are still warm.
- Cool and cut.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
Darlene says
It tastes fabulous but my center is always soggy
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
you may need to cook it a bit longer.
Chris says
I made your 8X8 batch. You’ve got this down, yum! I’m making a 9X13 batch for our church on Easter. Everyone loved the small batch! Thanks for this wonderful treat!
Keith Lutz says
I made these for a large group. I tripled the recipe in an 11×17 pan. Be sure to line your pan with parchment. That make them much easier to handle. Not too sweet if you don’t overdo the glaze.
Laura says
I also have tried other lemon bars, and I have to say these are the best.
Thank you.
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
I am so glad! I love it when people agree with me!!:)
Colleen Hicks says
Finally a “best” recipe that really is the best! Positively addictive. Thank you for sharing.
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
So glad you agree with me!!