This easy Lemon Bars recipe has just the right ratio of buttery shortbread crust and creamy lemon curd filling. They have the perfect creamy, sweet and tanginess that makes it hard to stop at just one.
I have so many favorite bar recipes, like these Key Lime Pie Bars, S'mores Bars, Butterfinger Bars, and White Texas Sheet Cake.
Why I love this recipe:
- Basic pantry ingredients: There are only a few ingredients needed to make these homemade lemon bars including flour, sugar, butter, lemon juice, salt, baking powder and eggs.
- Chewy shortbread crust: The best lemon bars are extra thick, soft and chewy, all made possible by the texture of the shortbread crust.
- Creamy lemon filling. The filling is perfectly sweet and creamy, with the perfect amount of lemon tartness.
How to make Lemon Bars:
Shortbread Crust: In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the flour and salt then mix on low speed, just until combined.
Press dough evenly into the bottom of an 8″ pan with parchment paper, or a greased dish. Bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven and set aside.
Make Filling: While the crust cools, make the lemon filling. Mix the lemon zest and sugar in a mixing bowl then add the lemon juice, flour, baking powder, and eggs. Mix until well combined and the sugar is dissolved then pour mixture over crust.
Bake lemon curd bars at 350 degrees for 35-40 more minutes, or until the filling has set. Remove from oven then allow to cool completely.
Serve: For truly the best lemon bars, dust the tops with powdered sugar before cutting and serving. Store in the refrigerator.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Make this old fashioned lemon squares recipe up to 2 days in advance. Allow to cool completely before covering and storing in the refrigerator.
To Freeze: Allow lemon squares to cool completely before covering and freezing for up to 3 months.
More Lemon Recipes:
- Lemon Mousse
- Lemon Cake
- Lemon Sour Cream Pie
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
- Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Lemon Raspberry Muffins
- Homemade Lemonade
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Recipe
Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust:
- 1/2 cup butter , room temp
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- dash of salt
Lemon Filling:
- 2 large lemons , zested
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of an 8'' pan with parchment paper, or grease with cooking spray and set aside.
- Shortbread Crust: In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed, just until combined.
- Bake Crust: Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Lemon filling: Mix lemon zest and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, flour, baking powder, and eggs. Mix until well combined and the sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture over the baked crust.
- Bake lemon bars at 350 degrees F for 35-40 more minutes, or until the filling has set. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar before cutting and serving. Store lemon bars in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe January 2019. Updated March 2024.
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Do you have to leave them to rest a bit before you serve?
I’m making this today for when my parents come over 🙂 Excited!
They will set up more as they rest, so I usually do. Enjoy!
Delicious…
I enjoy your recipes. Sooooo easy to read! Thank You so much for sharing your blog with us. Keep sharing!
I got several good comments from these. For me, though, they were way too sweet! Could have used half the sugar, and would have tasted more of the lemon. Next time I will try that.
I used two small lemons to zest. Very lemony. Crust is nice and short.
Winner!
what an amazing recipe, my total family members love them well and thank you so much for your delicious recipes.
What size baking pan ?
An 8” square, or you can double the recipe for a 9×13” pan.
Made these for Christmas and everyone agrees – they were the best lemon bars ever!!! Thank you! Can’t wait to make them again, although it is dangerous to have them in the house!
This is the same recipe my mother-in-law used to make and one of the few I’ve seen that uses baking powder in the filling. Instead of sprinkling powdered sugar over the bars, she’d make a glaze…1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 TBSP lemon juice, 1 tsp. Lemon zest and 1 TBSP melted butter. Spread it on the filling after it’s cooled. Try it. You’ll like it!
The glaze was delicious! and now I know how to make a glaze. The lemon bar recipe was easy and quick to make , very delicious and the glaze knocked it out of the park.
This was the most amazing recipe ever thank you, made the bar for a lunching and everyone really enjoy them.
Thanks so much Shirley!
Can you make and freeze these lemon bars ahead?
I haven’t personally tried freezing them, but I’ve read that you can freeze them for up to 1 month. 🙂