by Diana Rattray
Lemon bars are a delightful dessert with a blissful combination of tangy sweet filling and crunchy, buttery shortbread. Their flavor and texture is irresistible!
This recipe makes a small batch for an 8-inch baking pan. I use my food processor to make the crust, but you can also work the ingredients together with your fingers or a pastry cutter.
How to Make Lemon Bars
Crust: A buttery shortbread crust is made with a simple combination of butter, flour, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and vanilla.
- Heat the oven to 350 F and spray an 8-inch baking pan with baking spray.
- Process the shortbread ingredients in a food processor until crumbs are formed. Press the crumbs over the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Partially bake the crust in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until browned around the edges.
- While the crust bakes, make the filling.
Filling: Eggs, fresh lemon juice and zest, flour, and sugar.
- You’ll need 3 to 4 lemons. Zest the lemons and then juice them to make 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice.
- Whisk the eggs, zest, and juice together. Whisk in the sugar and flour until smooth.
- Remove the hot crust from the oven and pour the lemon mixture over it.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes longer, until the filling is set.
How To Store Lemon Bars
Store the bars in the fridge and enjoy within 4 to 5 days.
PrintLemon Bars
Try this mouthwatering lemon bars recipe with a buttery shortbread crust. Tangy, sweet, and absolutely delicious!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cool Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 16 squares 1x
- Category: Desserts, Lemons
- Method: Bake
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
For the Filling
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 44 grams
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 F and spray an 8-inch baking pan with baking spray.
- Process the crust ingredients in the bowl of a food processor until crumbs are formed. It will take a minute or so to form the clumpy dough.
- Press the crumbs in the prepared baking pan.
- Partially bake the crust for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Whisk the eggs with the lemon zest, juice, granulated sugar, and 1/3 cup of flour.
- Pour the filling over the hot crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the filling is set.
- Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely.
- To serve, cut the cooled bars into squares and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
