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Nothing beats a lemon bar in the spring and summer! Bright and refreshing, these classic lemon bars have a buttery shortbread crust topped with a smooth and tangy lemon layer. They’re the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
Why You’ll Love These Lemon Bars
Buttery Shortbread – a simple buttery shortbread crust with some lemon zest for extra lemon flavor.
Sweet & Tart Lemon – the lemon layer has a perfectly sweet and tart flavor. If you love lemon, you’ll love these bars.
Refreshing – the bright lemon flavor makes for a refreshing dessert. I always serve these bars chilled, which makes them even more refreshing, especially on warm spring or summer days.
Simple – lemon bars only use lemons (zest & juice), sugar, salt, flour, butter, and eggs and they’re surprisingly easy to make!
Sunshiny – something about the bright, sunshiny, flavor of lemons just brings a smile to people’s faces. These bars add a bit of happiness to any occasion.
Ratio – the ratio of thin crust to thick lemon layer really allows the lemon flavor to shine.
Tips for Perfect Lemon Bars
Food Processor – If you don’t want to manually cut the butter into the flour mixture for the crust, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until crumbly.
Sifting – sifting the flour and sugar together before adding it to the lemon mixture helps prevent any lumps of flour.
Cook Time & Texture – there is a sweet spot when baking lemon bars where the finished lemon layer is smooth and silky. Undercooked, and the bars will be a bit soft and wet, but overcooked and they can become a bit firm. For a greater “sweet spot” window, we cook these bars at a lower temperature (325ºF). Remove the bars from the oven when the middle is set and no longer jiggles when you tap the pan.
Cooling – allow the lemon bars to cool completely before placing them in the fridge to chill. This helps them set.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Butter – adds flavor to the shortbread and creates the structure and texture of the crust.
Sugar – sweetens the shortbread and helps it brown. Balances the tartness of the lemon layer and helps create a smooth texture.
Salt – enhances the flavor.
Flour – structure of the shortbread and helps thicken the lemon layer.
Lemon Juice – provides bright and tangy flavor.
Lemon Zest – adds extra lemon flavor.
Eggs – provide the structure for the lemon layer.
FAQ
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, you can double this recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 baking pan.
Can I use bottled lemon juice?
Freshly squeezed lemon juice has a brighter and fresher flavor than bottled. Since these lemon bars are all about the lemon flavor, I highly recommend using freshly squeezed — the difference is worth it!
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes, these bars can be made in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to serve. If you choose to dust the bars with powdered sugar, wait to do so until serving. If you dust them before storing in the fridge, the sugar may melt into the lemon layer.
Can the lemon bars be frozen?
Yes. For best results, once the bars have chilled, place them in an air-tight container and freeze. Thaw in the fridge before dusting with powdered sugar and serving.
Equipment
A lemon zester or microplane work great for zesting the lemons and a handheld juicer makes squeezing lemons a breeze. A pastry cutter helps cut the butter into the flour mixture for the crust, you can also use forks or a food processor. Parchment paper makes removing the lemon bars from the pan super simple. If you’d like to dust the bars with powdered sugar, you may like a fine-mesh sieve or a powdered sugar shaker.
Classic Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 4 tbsp (57 g) butter, cold
- 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (75 g) flour
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
Lemon Layer
- 1/2 cup (115 g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (30 g) flour, sifted
- powdered sugar (optional) for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉ and line an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Making the Crust
- In a bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Mix until combined.
- Cut cold butter into small cubes and add to flour mixture.
- Using a pastry cutter*, cut the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. You'll know it's ready for the next step when the mixture sticks together when squeezed, but still looks crumbly. It should feel soft and sandy, but not sticky.
- Add mixture to the lined baking dish and press to form an even crust.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.
Making the Lemon Layer
- While the crust is baking, start to prepare the lemon layer: Whisk eggs in a bowl until the yolks and whites are fully blended and the mixture is smooth.
- Add the lemon juice and mix until combined.
- Add the sugar and flour and mix until combined. (To prevent lumps of flour, sift the sugar and flour together before adding.)
- When the crust has finished baking, pour the lemon mixture over the warm crust. Bake the bars for 20-22 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles.
- Allow the lemon bars to cool completely before placing in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
- Once completely chilled, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!These bars are best served chilled.
Notes
If you try out this recipe for lemon bars, I’d love to know what you think! Please leave a comment with a rating below and share a photo of your creation on Instagram using the hashtag #BrooksideKitchen and tag @BrooksideKitchen
