The Best Lemon Bars
If you’re looking for the best Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust, this one is it. Easy cookie crust with a sweet and tangy lemon filling and lemon glaze, topped with powdered sugar!
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All lemon bars are NOT created equal. If you’re here looking for the secret to the best lemon bars, you’ve come to the right place.
For years I have tried DOZENS of lemon bar recipes, and they all vary in consistency and taste, tart, sweetness, moisture and dryness.
What I love most about a lemon bar, is a buttery shortbread crust with a sweet, tart lemon topping. I’m open to glazes and powdered sugar.
Today’s recipe has been made in my kitchen at least a dozen times over the past year. I’m finally getting around to sharing it. Why did I wait?
Well, every time I attempted to take pictures they turned out so bad. Apparently I’m not good at photographing lemon bars. Even today’s pictures are blah….but since I use my own website as a recipe box, it was time to document my favorite recipe for lemon bars!
This recipe came from Leigh Anne over at Your Home Based Mom. She says it’s been in her family for 50 years, and I can see why!! It’s amazing. What makes it amazing? Let’s break it down!
How to make Perfect Lemon Bars
Start by lining an 8 x 8 inch (or 9″ square pan) with foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, cut together the cold butter, all-purpose flour, and powdered sugar. Mixture may be crumbly. Press into bottom of prepared baking dish.
Bake crust in oven for about 15 minutes.
While crust is baking, make the lemon filling. Combine granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Remove crust from oven and immediately pour mixture over the baked crust. Return baking pan to oven for an additional 20 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.
Remove bars from oven. To make glaze, whisk together powdered sugar with lemon juice. Drizzle over warm bars. Cool completely then refrigerate for about 2 hours.
When chilled, remove from pan by lifting the foil (or parchment) and cut into squares. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!
What you need to make Easy Lemon Bars
8 inch square baking dish
parchment paper or foil
Unsalted butter
All-purpose flour
Powdered sugar
Granulated sugar
Baking powder
Eggs
3 lemons
Lemon Dessert recipes
If you’re looking for some of the best, flavorful, crowd-pleasing lemon desserts, I’ve got you covered.
Lemon Cheesecake Bars top the list of favorite lemon treats. With layers of cookie crust, lemon cheesecake and lemon cookie bars this is one of the most delicious desserts ever, you won’t be able to stop eating these!
Creamy, delicious Lemon Cheesecake has the perfect consistency and is topped with a homemade Lemon Curd!
Imagine if a snickerdoodle cookie combined with a lemon. That’s what these soft and chewy Lemon Crinkle Cookies taste like! The perfect flavor combination!
Lemon Hand Pies: flaky, baked hand pies with a sweet lemon filling! Don’t forget the dusting of powdered sugar on top!
Lemon in Savory Dishes
You’ll love this tangy, Lemon Garlic Pasta as a side dish with your favorite chicken or fish! Or enjoy it as your main entree in under 30 minutes!
Cozy up to this Harvest Salad recipe with it’s delicious Lemon Poppy Seed dressing. You’ll love the flavors of apples, pears, cashews, and swiss cheese in this hearty salad recipe!
Creamy Lemon Hummus is a fresh snack alternative to heavy dips. One bite of this hummus will keep you coming back for more!!
Tips for making Perfect Lemon Bars every time
Chill your lemon bars. For best results, lemon bars have an enhanced lemon flavor when chilled, plus it let’s them firm up some so they are easier to cut.
Speaking of cutting, the filling in lemon bars can be a little finicky when cutting. If you want PERFECT lemon squares, pop the bars in the freezer for half an hour before slicing.
Help! My powdered sugar has absorbed into my lemon bars. No fear. This happens. First, wait until the bars have cooled and chilled before adding your powdered sugar. It’s best to sprinkle generously right before serving. But, if it absorbs again, just add more powdered sugar, you can’t go wrong!
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The Best Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 powdered sugar
For the filling:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest (about 1 lemon worth)
For the topping:
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8 inch (or 9" square pan) with foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, cut together the cold butter, all-purpose flour, and powdered sugar. Mixture may be crumbly. Press into bottom of prepared baking dish.
- Bake crust in oven for about 15 minutes.
- While crust is baking, make the lemon filling. Combine granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Remove crust from oven and immediately pour mixture over the baked crust. Return baking pan to oven for an additional 20 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.
- Remove bars from oven. To make glaze, whisk together powdered sugar with lemon juice. Drizzle over warm bars. Cool completely then refrigerate for about 2 hours.
- When chilled, remove from pan by lifting the foil (or parchment) and cut into squares. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!
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Lemon bars are one of my favorites and these look like perfection!
This is my favorite Dessert, thank you for sharing!
Can this recipe be easily doubled for a 9×13 pan?
Yes! I’ve done it several times! My only suggestion would be NOT to double the glaze. The original recipes makes a sufficient amount to cover the 13×9. Just double the bars part 🙂
I have been craving all the lemon lately and these totally hit the spot!
I am over here drooling over these amazing looking Lemon Bars. I am sure they taste as good as they look.
These are my absolute favorite! You are spot on about chilling them first. So much easier to cut!
These are amazing!!!
These are the best lemon bars ever! So delicious!
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I am assuming that the 1/4 powdered sugar for the crust is 1/4 cup. Is this correct?
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How do they freeze I wonder.
They get a little soft and gooey in the freezer. It’s possible, but they don’t have the best texture after thawing,.
These truly are the best lemon bars! Perfectly sweet and tart at the same time! I highly recommend.
Love this recipe thank you!
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Please include nutritional facts with your recipes. I have family members who need to keep track of sugar and sodium Thanks
Im looking for a recipe where lemon bar crust is somewhat soft and moist and not hard or crunchy….if that make sense. What is the texture of the bars like? Moisture?