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Close-up of stacked homemade lemon bars on a cutting board, dusted heavily with powdered sugar and showing thick lemon filling over a buttery shortbread crust.
Summer Dempsey

The Best Old-Fashioned Lemon Bars

Buttery, bright, and perfectly sweet, these classic lemon bars feature a thick, tangy lemon filling layered over a rich shortbread crust and finished with a generous dusting of powdered sugar. An easy, old-fashioned dessert that’s perfect for spring, holidays, or anytime you’re craving something fresh and citrusy.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 9 squares
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330

Ingredients
  

For the Crust:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 TBS fresh lemon zest (add extra if desired)
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
For Topping:
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • 9x9 Baking Pan

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth.
  3. Add flour and salt. Mix just until combined.
  4. Press dough evenly into prepared pan.
  5. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until lightly golden.
  6. While crust bakes, mix lemon zest into sugar until fragrant.
  7. Whisk in eggs until smooth.
  8. Add lemon juice, flour, and salt. Whisk gently until combined.
  9. Pour filling over hot crust.
  10. Return to oven and bake 20–25 minutes, until center is set (very slight giggle in the middle).
  11. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours.
  12. Dust with powdered sugar and slice.

Notes

• Room temperature eggs matter. They blend more smoothly into the lemon filling and help prevent streaking or overmixing.
• Do not overbake. The center should still have a very slight jiggle when you remove the pan from the oven. The bars will continue to set as they cool.
• Cool completely before slicing. For the cleanest cuts, chill the bars for at least 2 hours before slicing and wipe your knife clean between cuts.
• Line your pan with parchment. Leave an overhang so you can lift the bars out easily without damaging the crust.
• Use fresh lemon juice. Bottled juice will not give the same bright, fresh flavor