Description
These easy zesty lemon bars feature a buttery, crumbly shortbread crust paired with a bright, tangy lemon filling. Perfect for a quick summer dessert that’s refreshing and crowd-pleasing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour (King Arthur recommended)
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar (for crust)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅔ cup (160ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar (for filling)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour (for filling)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy lifting.
- Make the crust: In a medium bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer or whisk until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add salt and gradually mix in the flour until just combined. The dough should be crumbly but hold together when pressed.
- Press the crust dough evenly into the prepared pan using fingers or the bottom of a glass. Bake for 18-20 minutes until edges are golden but center is still pale.
- Prepare the lemon filling: Whisk together eggs and granulated sugar in a large bowl until smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and flour, whisking until just combined.
- Remove crust from oven and immediately pour lemon filling over the hot crust. Return to oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes until filling is set around edges but slightly jiggly in center.
- Cool lemon bars at room temperature for about 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to firm up.
- Use parchment paper overhang to lift bars from pan. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and cut into squares or rectangles using a sharp knife dipped in hot water between cuts.
Notes
Use fresh lemons for best flavor; bottled lemon juice can be used with a teaspoon of vinegar added to brighten taste. Keep butter softened but not melted for crumbly crust. Chill bars overnight for best slicing and flavor. Avoid overbaking filling; it should jiggle slightly when done. Tent crust with foil if browning too fast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lemon bar (approxi
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 90
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 3
Keywords: lemon bars, lemon dessert, shortbread crust, summer dessert, easy lemon bars, zesty lemon bars, crumbly crust, quick dessert