Lemon Bars
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Perfect for potlucks, picnics, or just a quiet afternoon tea, these lemon bars with a buttery shortbread crust and luscious lemon filling are as pretty as they are delicious!
One of my favorites from my first cookbook, these lemon bars stand out for a couple of reasons. First, there’s the crust: a crisp, buttery shortbread enhanced by a little pastry chef trick I love—mixing a touch of cornstarch with the flour. This small tweak, along with the mixing method, gives the base a wonderfully crisp texture, providing the perfect contrast to the rich, luscious lemon layer above.
Then comes the lemon topping itself: tart yet sweet, and bursting with bright, citrusy flavors from plenty of lemon juice and zest. It is truly luscious! These bars are not only easy to whip up with just eight ingredients but also keep beautifully, so you can definitely prepare them ahead of time for any event, big or small.
Table of Contents
“Simply the best lemon bars you’ll ever eat.”
What You’ll Need To Make Lemon Bars
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure to the crust, and also thickens the lemon topping, helping it set once baked.
- Cornstarch: Gives the crust a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Confectioners’ sugar: Sweetens the crust while also contributing to its crisp texture. Also used to dust the finished bars for decoration and added sweetness.
- Butter: Adds richness and flakiness to the crust, giving it a shortbread-like texture and flavor.
- Eggs: The base of the topping, giving it structure and richness.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the lemon layer and balances the tartness of the lemon juice.
- Lemon zest: Provides a strong, aromatic lemon flavor that enhances the tartness and freshness of the topping. Be sure to zest only the yellow part of the lemon skin and leave the white pith behind, as it’s bitter.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice: Adds the essential tart lemon flavor to the topping.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make The Crust
Place the flour, cornstarch, salt and Confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.
Mix for 15 seconds to blend, then toss in the cold butter.
Mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 10 to 15 seconds.
Sprinkle the mixture into a foil-lined, greased 9×13-in pan.
Press firmly with your fingers into an even layer, building up a thin 3/4-inch edge around the sides (this keeps the filling from spilling beneath the crust).
Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes.
Bake the crust until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 2: Make The Filling
Start by whisking the eggs in a large bowl.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and flour.
Whisk well, making sure no lumps of flour remain.
Pour the filling into the baked crust.
Step 3: Bake & Cool
Return the pan to the oven and bake another 30 to 35 minutes, or until the topping is set and firm. Let the bars cool on a rack to room temperature; it will take several hours.
Step 4: Cut the Lemon Bars
Use the foil overhang to lift the baked square out of pan and onto a cutting board. Carefully loosen the foil from the edges of the crust.
Using a sharp knife, cut into squares or triangles.
Use a fine sieve to dust the squares with Confectioners’ sugar. Store the bars in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve chilled or room temperature.
Video Tutorial
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely, lemon bars can be made up to 2 days ahead of time (and leftovers will keep nicely for up to 5 days). You can store them either before or after cutting; however, they can be a bit sticky, so it’s generally easier to store them before cutting into individual bars. Once they’re fully set and chilled, wrap them well or place them in an airtight container to maintain their freshness and prevent them from absorbing any unwanted fridge odors.
Yes, lemon bars freeze beautifully—they are even good frozen! To freeze the bars, let them cool completely and freeze the batch whole, covered tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, for up to three months. (The cut bars can also be frozen in a single layer.) Before serving, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Cut the bars and then sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Yes, you can easily substitute lemon with lime to make lime bars. This swap will give your bars a tropical, slightly different flavor. For a more nuanced taste, consider using half lemon and half lime juice.
Leftover lemon bars should be stored in an airtight container in a single layer in the refrigerator. You may need to dust them with confectioners’ sugar before serving again.
No, I wouldn’t recommend using bottled lemon juice, as fresh is key for that bright, tart flavor. Plus, you need the zest anyway, so using fresh lemons is absolutely essential.
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Perfect for potlucks, picnics, or just a quiet afternoon tea, these lemon bars with a buttery shortbread crust and luscious lemon filling are as pretty as they are delicious!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Confectioners' sugar, plus more to decorate finished bars
- 2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
For the Lemon Topping
- 6 large eggs
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (be sure to zest the lemons before juicing)
- ⅔ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 5 to 6 lemons
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cover a 9x13-in metal baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil (see note below). Push the foil neatly into the corners and up the sides of the pan, using two pieces if necessary to ensure that the foil overlaps all edges (the overhang will help removal from the pan). Spray the foiled pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the flour, cornstarch, salt, and Confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and mix for a few seconds. Add the butter and mix to blend until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 10 to 15 seconds. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer, building up a thin ¾-inch edge around the sides (this keeps the filling from spilling beneath the crust). Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes.
- Bake the crust until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
Make the Filling
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and flour. Be sure no lumps of flour remain.
- When the crust is ready, give lemon mixture a quick final stir and then pour over top. Immediately return the pan to the oven and bake another 30 to 35 minutes, or until the topping is set and firm. Let the bars cool on a rack to room temperature; it will take several hours.
- To cut, use the foil overhang to lift the baked square out of pan and onto a cutting board. Carefully loosen the foil from the edges of the crust, using a knife if necessary. Using a sharp knife, cut into squares or triangles. Use a fine sieve to dust the squares with Confectioners' sugar. Store the bars in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve chilled or room temperature.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. After they are completely cooled, freeze the batch whole, covered tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap. Before serving, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Cut the bars and then sprinkle with Confectioners’ sugar before serving.
- Note: Be sure to use heavy-duty aluminum foil; regular aluminum foil may stick. Parchment paper can also be used to line the pan.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (20 servings)
- Serving size: 1 large square
- Calories: 306
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Sugar: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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As much as I love sweets, I found these lemon bars to be way too sweet. Not sure if it was the amount of sugar used or the lemons. I won’t be making these again, but I am interested in trying that lemon pudding cake recipe…
These are the very best lemon bars by far ! I followed the directions other than I used a glass pan and lined with heavy duty aluminum foil. It worked out just fine. My husband who isn’t a huge fan of Lemon Bars loved them. My daughter who is a chef and by trade and who loves everything Lemon, loved them…. I will post a picture on instagram tomorrow. I ordered the cookbook so I can make the cinnamon bread and soft rolls next.
So glad these were a hit (and thanks for your support with the cookbook)! ❤️
I have only one word to describe these lemon bars: wow! I am incredibly impressed with this recipe! The bars came out perfect even though I did several minor mistakes in the process, haha. The pictures and video really helped me to visualize how all the steps should look and that really helped with fixing the things I messed up. Thank you Jenn for this wonderful recipe! These will definitely now be one of my go to desserts!
THE WORST lemon bars I’ve ever made. The whole process was off…from the beginning. The butter to dry ingredients ration in the blender was waayyy off and it would not get crumbly let alone mix! It took 45 minutes (NOT 15-20) to get the crust lightly browned. The wet mixture was too much. There was soooo much of it that it took 1 hour and 30 minutes to bake (NOT 30-35)!!! Probably the worst instruction of all was to use tin foil!!! I sprayed the crap out of it, but when I took it out of the oven, let it cool….IT STUCK. I was so upset. It ruined the entire desert and I had to throw it out.
Will I get diabetes after a bite of this lemon bar. The worst cake I ever made. Too sweet (who puts 0,6 kg of suggar in a cake?!), the crust too buttery and wasn’t crumbly. Thr measures are totally wrong. Don’t know who likes this. I am sad of the good farm eggs I spent on this cake. Six of them… And the work that came into the zest and lemon juice. For throwing it in the trash. Sorry, but I am very dissapointed.
HI SANDRA,
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOUR COMMENT. I WILL NEVER MAKE IT AGAIN!!!
Nikki, the recipe calls for using a food processor not a blender. That may have contributed to your disaster, or perhaps your overall attitude? Nevertheless, you have not discouraged me and I intend to try these. I have Jenn’s cookbook and every single recipe I have tried works perfectly if followed.
Hi,
I’m out of powdered sugar but want to try these. Would granulated not work well in the crust? Or do you have any substitution ideas? Thanks!!
Hi Bridget, I actually think granulated sugar would work in the crust. Hope you enjoy!
You can make powdered sugar in your food processor, same amount of sugar called for with 1 tsp. of cornstarch and blend it for 2 min., then add the rest of the crust ingredients.
1. You were supposed to use a processor and not a blender. They will give you different results. My crust came out just fine. It was lightly browned at 20 minutes, as well. I have no clue what you’re talking about when it comes to the filling. It was a perfect amount, and mine was set in 30 minutes. I could have even done 28 minutes probably. Did you use the pan size she suggested, or a smaller one? Maybe there’s something wrong with your oven. I’m pretty sure there is. You should take a chill pill and not have a heart attack over lemon bars.
The top of my bar came out very cake like. What did I do wrong? I thought I followed the steps thoroughly
Hi Emily, It’s normal for these to have a very thin cakey “film” on top, but they shouldn’t really be cakey. It sounds likes perhaps they were a little overbaked.
Can you use a glass baking dish?
Hi Danielle, It’s fine to use a glass baking dish. I’d reduce the temperature to 325°F when pre-baking the crust, but increase it to 350°F when you bake the bars. Hope you enjoy!
Can you make the crust by hand or with a stand mixer if you don’t have a food processor?
Yes, you can definitely make it by hand. Hope you enjoy!
Have you changed the bake time on this recipe? Unfortunately, I only baked for 29 minutes but it was so overcooked, tasted like egg.. I have an oven thermometer too.
Hi Cat, sorry you had a problem with these! I did change the recipe about a year ago to yield double the amount. Along with that, I increased the baking time from 20 – 25 minutes to 30 – 35 minutes. I’m wondering if perhaps you used the original recipe (in terms of ingredient amounts) but the timing from the new recipe?
Made these for my husband for his birthday and they came out perfect! I was worried because my crust didn’t look quite right with the initial bake but once it was completely done with the filling it was golden brown and the filling set nicely. Admittedly I couldn’t wait more than 2 hours to cut them so they fell apart a little, but that was just lack of patience
Hi Jenn,
Do you know why my bars would turn out so sweet? We have a Meyer lemon tree and have used these lemons for everything. I’m testing my second batch and I fear that the filling is, again, going to be way too sweet. I’ve made them before and there’s never been an issue whether the filling was your recipe (I always use your crust recipe!) or my mother-in-law’s. Thanks for any insight you can give!
Katie
So strange that you’ve made these before and haven’t found them to be too sweet. If you haven’t made any other changes to the recipe, do you think that the lemons you currently have on your tree could just be a bit sweeter?
That’s what my MIL said too! I adjusted the sugar, rind, and juice ratio and they were perfect the second time 🙂
So glad! 🙂
what did you change the ratio to and what was the main difference?
My daughter in law made these and gave me a plateful. They were incredibly wonderful with Sooo much delicious sweet lemon taste. I haven’t had a lemon treat like this since my mother’s lemon meringue pie.
Barbara
I have never made lemon bars, because I have never found a recipe in which I had confidence. Wow, was this recipe ever worth the wait. Unlike another reviewer who faulted the chef, I’m one who also uses common sense when I bake. particularly when it comes to recipes using lemons. I never know how tart a lemon will be, so I squeeze more lemon juice than the recipe calls for and then I just add what the recipe calls for and taste. Today I added a little more, until it was as tart as I wanted it. I couldn’t believe that it came out to perfection, looking exactly like the picture. And tasting divine Thanks, Jen. You are old reliable!!
Glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
I followed the recipe exactly as written. Another winner recipe. The recipe for the lemon bars was super easy and very delicious. Thank you Jen! Because of you everyone thinks I’m the greatest chef! I’m very fussy about the chefs I follow. You are my top chef. I love your cookbook too.
💓