Easy Lemon Bars
If you’re looking for a bright, tangy, and irresistibly delicious dessert, these Easy Lemon Bars are the perfect choice. With a buttery shortbread crust and a creamy lemon filling, these bars are as refreshing as they are to make. Whether you are hosting a party, craving a midweek treat, or love citrus flavours, this recipe will quickly become a favourite in your dessert repertoire.
Why You’ll Love These Lemon Bars
- Simple ingredients: You will need quite a few lemons in this recipe but you likely already have everything else in your pantry and fridge.
- Quick to make: From start to finish, you can have these baked in under an hour. Just leave a few hours for them to cool afterwards. This is a great make-ahead recipe!
- Versatile: Perfect for bake sales, picnics, spring brunches, baby showers, bridal showers, or just because!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the crust:
- Butter: use unsalted, but if you don’t have unsalted, go ahead and use salted butter. Just omit the extra salt.
- Sugar: sweetener.
- Vanilla: flavour enhancer.
- Salt: helps bring out the flavours.
- All-purpose flour: all-purpose is all you need.
For the Lemon Filling:
- Sugar: sweetener and works with the eggs to set the filling.
- All-purpose flour: gives structure to the filling.
- Eggs: help set the filling.
- Lemon juice: use fresh lemon juice not bottled for the best flavour.
- Lemon Zest: extra lemon flavour.
For Garnish:
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven: to 350° F. Line a 13×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Make the Crust: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix 1 cup of melted butter, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add 2 cups of flour and stir until a crumbly dough forms. Press dough firmly into the pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Prepare the filling: Whisk seven eggs and 3 cups of sugar in a large bowl until blended. Add 1 cup of fresh lemon juice(you will need 4-8 lemons depending on how big they are) and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest until blended. Add 1/2 cup of flour and whisk until smooth and very well blended without overmixing.
- Bake the bars: Pour filling over warm crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes until set and no longer jiggly in the center. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Be careful not to overbake. Cool at room temperature for 1-2 hours, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Finish and Serve: Lift the parchment paper out of the pan and cut it into 18-20 squares using a sharp damp knife. Clean and rewet the knife after each cut. Dust tops with powdered sugar.
Tidbit: If you see a layer of air bubbles on the top, that’s normal! It’s the air from the eggs rising to the surface. Don’t worry, a dusting of confectioner’s sugar covers it right up!
Tips for the Perfect Lemon Bars
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice instead of bottled for the best flavour.
- Zest first: Always zest your lemons before juicing them- it’s much easier!
- Use a glass pan: glass is best when baking these lemon bars.
- Chill Before Slicing: Cooling the bars completely ensures clean, sharp slices.
Storing Lemon Bars
Store leftover lemon bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months- just thaw them in the fridge before serving.
These easy lemon bars perfectly balance tart and sweet, making them a hit with everyone. Whether you’re new to baking or a seasoned pro, this foolproof recipe will impress. Try them out and let the sunny flavour brighten your day!
If you’ve tried this lemon bar recipe, then don’t forget to leave a star rating and let me know in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Easy Lemon Bars
These easy lemon bars perfectly balance tart and sweet, making them a hit with everyone!
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup sugar granulated
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups flour all-purpose
Lemon Filling
- 3 cups sugar granulated
- ½ cup flour all-purpose
- 7 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice 4-8 lemons depending on size
- 2 tbsp lemon zest about four small lemons
Instructions
-
Preheat oven: to 350° F. Line a 13×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper for easy removal.
-
Make the Crust: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix 1 cup of melted butter, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add 2 cups of flour and stir until a crumbly dough forms. Press dough firmly into the pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
-
Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, whisk seven eggs and 3 cups of sugar until blended. Add 1 cup of fresh lemon juice(you will need 4-8 lemons depending on how big they are) and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest until blended. Add 1/2 cup of flour and whisk until smooth and very well blended without overmixing.
-
Bake the bars: Pour filling over warm crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning the pan halfway until set and no longer jiggly in the center. Be careful not to overbake. Cool at room temperature for 1-2 hours, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
-
Finish and Serve: Lift the parchment paper out of the pan and cut it into 18-20 squares. Clean and rewet the knife after each cut. Dust tops with powdered sugar.
Recipe Notes
Leftover lemon bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months—just thaw them in the fridge before serving.
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