Lemon Bars

Ooey, gooey Lemon Bars are a classic dessert everyone knows and loves!

They’re the perfect balance of sweet and tart with a huge burst of citrus flavor… and this is hands down our favorite recipe.

It starts with a thick, buttery shortbread crust, topped with a gooey, creamy, lemony layer and finished off with a healthy dose of powdered sugar. It’s the recipe my grandma made, the recipe I grew up on, and the recipe my kids now can’t get enough of.

If you love lemon desserts as much as we do, you have to give these bars a try! They’re guaranteed to become a favorite!

Every summer, for years on end, we hosted a HUGE birthday party for our girls. We’d invite friends and family and neighbors… and it would be an all day event… and believe me when I say the food was front and center.

I’d spend days in advance menu planning and shopping and prepping, and would usually end up serving both lunch and dinner to whoever was willing to stay.

And when it came to desserts? I definitely didn’t skimp. There were always cupcakes and cookies and my mom’s strawberry pie… and to round things out, these Lemon Bars. They’re my grandma’s recipe, and always a crowd favorite, and believe me when I say there were never leftovers.

Because who can resist a delicious shortbread crust topped with lemony deliciousness?? Definitely not me! The truth is we ALL need a go to lemon bar recipe, and once you try this one? You’ll be hooked. Just wait and see.

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🍋 Ingredients

You can’t go wrong with any recipe that’s made with less than 10 ingredients. Especially when those ingredients are most likely already in your kitchen!

I used unsalted butter, but you can just as easily substitute salted butter and omit the extra salt. Just be sure you bring it to room temperature first so it will mix well with the other ingredients.

For the lemon juice – if you can, use fresh squeezed lemon juice. It will make all the difference! If not, bottled lemon juice will also yield delicious results.

• 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 c. powdered sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/4 c. flour
•  1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 c. lemon juice

⏲ Baking

These bars are incredibly easy to make, and I love the fact that you can prepare the filling as the crust is baking. Be sure to press the crust firmly into the pan to avoid cracking and crumbling.

When preparing the filling, it’s important to beat the mixture thoroughly (about 2 minutes) before pouring it over the cooled crust. You’ll also want to make sure the filling is golden brown and set before removing it from the oven.

Finally, be sure to cool the bars completely in the fridge before attempting to cut them. You want to give the filling a chance to firm up!

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and powdered sugar.
3. Cut in butter and blend with a pastry blender or fork until it resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Spread in a greased 9×13 inch pan, pressing firmly.
5. Bake at 350° for 18-20 min. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
6. In a separate mixing bowl, beat eggs well.
7. Add flour, sugar, and baking powder and continue beating.
8. Add lemon juice and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
9. Pour mixture over cooled crust in pan.
10. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, until center is set and top is golden brown.
11. Cool slightly, then transfer to refrigerator to set and cool completely.
12. Remove from refrigerator and sprinkle with powdered sugar; cut into squares.

🍊 Recipe variations

• Substitute cookie crumbs such as Nilla Wafers or vanilla sandwich cookies for the graham cracker crumbs.
• Use key lime juice or orange juice instead of lemon juice
• Add fresh blueberries for Blueberry Lemon Bars
• Top with cherry pie filling for Cherry Lemon Bars
• Drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze
• Add some grated lemon zest into the filling mixture before baking
• Top with fresh strawberries or raspberries

📍 Tips

• Use fresh squeezed lemon juice!
• Soften butter to room temperature before mixing crust ingredients
• Be sure crust is pressed firmly into the pan before baking
• Err on the side of over-baking, and cover with foil if necessary to prevent over-browning.
• Cool completely in the refrigerator before cutting.

🌡 Storing

The best way to store leftovers is to cut them into bars and transfer them to an airtight container with a lid. They can be stored at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

🧁 Related recipes

• Lemon Cupcakes
• Layers of Lemony Love
• Lemon Mousse
• Lemon Pie Cheesecake Dip
• Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bites
• Lemon Curd
• Lemon Berry Cheesecake Parfaits
• Lemon Raspberry Meltaways