Easy Lemon Bars
- PREP 30min
- COOK 55min
- TOTAL 1hrs 25min
These easy lemon bars have the most delicious shortbread crust and a creamy, tart lemon topping. Making the crust with melted butter is much easier than softened butter, which is common in other recipes. Don’t skip chilling the crust before baking, it really helps keep the crust crisp and crunchy.
You Will Need
Shortbread Crust
12 tablespoons (170g) salted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
Lemon Topping
1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons (25g) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
4 large eggs
3/4 cup (180ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 4 to 5 lemons
2 tablespoons powdered sugar for sifting tops of bars
Directions
Make Crust
Line a straight-sided 13×9-inch metal baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. (This will help when removing the cooled bars from the pan.) Lightly coat the sides of the foil, but not the bottom, with non-stick cooking spray or extra melted butter to prevent the lemon topping from sticking.
In a medium bowl, use a spatula to stir and press the sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, and vanilla extract together until moist and fragrant. Stir in the flour and melted butter until a crumbly, stiff dough forms.
Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan (it may not look like enough dough at first, but it will cover the bottom nicely). Prick the dough with a fork all over to prevent air bubbles while baking.
Freeze dough for 5 minutes or until firm (or refrigerate for 30 minutes).
While the crust chills, position an oven rack near the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C).
Bake the shortbread crust until lightly golden brown and set, 25 to 30 minutes.
Make Lemon Bars
While the crust bakes, stir the sugar, flour, salt, and 2 teaspoons of lemon zest. Whisk in the eggs until smooth, then whisk in the lemon juice.
Once the crust has baked, pour the lemon topping over the hot crust. Return the pan to the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake until the topping is set in the center and it no longer wiggles when the pan is moved, 20 to 25 minutes.
Set the pan on a cooling rack and cool until the lemon bars are firm and the bottom of the pan is no longer warm, about 1 hour. (You can speed this up by placing the bars into the refrigerator once the pan is no longer hot).
Once cooled, use the foil overhang to carefully lift the bars from the pan and place them on a cutting board. Peel away the foil, then cut the bars into 16 or 32 small bars. Sift the powdered sugar over the bars.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Place the cooled and cut lemon bars in an airtight container lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for up to one week. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Butter: I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted. For unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt to the crust.
- Measuring your flour: Fluff the flour in its container, then gently scoop it into your measuring cup until slightly mounded. Level off the top with a knife for accurate measuring. For even more accuracy, use a scale and measure the flour by weight (in grams).
- Crust recipe inspired by Fine Cooking’s shortbread crust.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.