The Best Lemon Bar Recipe

Three classic lemon bars stacked on top of each other with a dusting of powdered sugar

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4.91 from 10 votes

This easy lemon bars recipe is made with a crisp shortbread crust and a filling that has an intense lemon flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: squares

Ingredients

For the crust:

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch salt

For the filling:

3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup all-purpose flour sifted
Powdered sugar for dusting

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
In a medium bowl, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt, and mix until just combined.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup all-purpose flour, Pinch salt
Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for about 13-14 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven.
While the crust is baking make the filling. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and flour until smooth and well combined.
3 large eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Pour the lemon mixture over the baked crust warm, spreading it out evenly. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 20-22 minutes, or until the filling is set and the edges are lightly golden brown.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan. Once cooled completely, dust the top with powdered sugar. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan, then slice into squares. Enjoy!
Powdered sugar

Notes

Pan size: this recipe is made for an 8x8 inch pan and yields 16 squares. To make a bigger batch, double everything and bake in a 9x13 inch pan, adding a few minutes to the bake time. For fewer servings, see my Small Batch Lemon Bars.

Nutrition