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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Way too sweet, the tanginess of the lemon is lost. Just compared it to another similar recipe I’ve used before and this has a while cup more sugar. Won’t make this one again.
I am preparing to make the lemon bars, however in the pictures they are shown in bread pans (5” X 9”) but the written recipe calls for a 13” X 9” pan. Can you clarify please?
I am not going to rate the recipe as I didn’t make it yet.
Hi Robert, these should be made in a 13” X 9” pan. Hope you enjoy!
I love lemon desserts – the tartness should be in balance with the sweetness. I found these bars way too sweet. The recipe calls for four cups of sugar – I cut it down to three and it was still unpleasantly sweet.
Hi Jenn,
I am to make a “lemon pie” for my grandson’s 11th birthday (his request). I have an old recipe for lemon meringue pie, where the lemon filling is cooked on the stove top, but I would like to use the filling in your lemon bars for the pie, and use a graham cracker crust. Would that work in terms of quantity, as well as texture? I think your lemon bars might be a better contrast of sweet/tart for a young palate, and we do not care for the lemon fillings that have sweetened condensed milk in them. Any thoughts or input would be appreciated. Thank you, Doreen
Hi Doreen, I think the filling will work from a texture standpoint, and assuming you’re using a store-bought graham cracker crust, I’d cut the filling in half. Hope that helps!
Thank you! I intend to use the graham cracker crust that was used in the lemon meringue pie here on the site. I enjoy baking and your site has given me wonderful new recipes to work with.
Thanks again!
I used a different crust as we prefer a less crisp one. Like your filling but WAY too much sugar. Lemon squares need more tartness than this. Cut sugar, tasting as I added, to slightly less than 2 cups.
this seems like a silly question but in this recipe is it 1 and 3/4 cup of flour or just 3/4 of a cup of flour?
Hi Susan, It’s 1 cup plus 3/4 cup. Hope you enjoy!
Made these for the 4th time today. My 5 yo daughter is crazy about them, I love them too
My 76 year old mother is an excellent cook but had never actually made lemon squares until two days ago when she pulled your cookbook (autographed copy I got her when it came out, natch) off the shelf and got to work. We were out for a social distancing walk with her yesterday after which she shared your beautiful bars. They looked just as pretty as your pictures and all of us raved–the lemon flavor was bright and super flavorful and the crust was divine–rich, savory, delicious. This picky group all decided they were the best lemon bars we had ever had. Thank you, Jenn! All during our walk, my Mom raved about your book, the pictures in it and she agreed with me that you are the best teacher we could ever hope to have–instructions and end product were spot on and perfect! Thanks Again!
That makes me so happy to hear — thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
if i were to make this again, i would reduce the amount of sugar in the lemon filling (it is incredibly sweet), probably by about 1/4-1/2 of a cup. also, do yourself a favor and bake this on parchment paper. the foil was a real hassle even thought i greased it down.
how long should you let it cool before cutting it?
Hi Pam, Let them cool until they reach room temperature (which will take several hours). Hope you enjoy!
The best lemon bars ever!