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, corn starch, 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 cup 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, corn starch, 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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Everyone just raves about these! I only had 1 Tbsp of lemon zest but turned out perfect!
I’ve been making lemon bars for years and this recipe, by far, is the best one I’ve found. I served them this past weekend at a backyard party and got many compliments. I followed the recipe exactly as written and froze them for about a week because I needed to make them in advance. Thawed them exactly as suggested and they were perfect. A nice thick flavorful lemon bar. Every recipe I’ve made from this site as been fail proof!
Hands down the best lemon bar recipe. My 14 YO son would gobble up the entire batch if I’d let him. The mix of salty, buttery, crunchy crust with sour and sweet lemon is… I’m speechless. Taking these bad boys to neighbors, friends and a batch for the fire station. Thanks!
Is there a reason why you specify a metal baking pan (mine is pyrex)?
Hi Linda, glass conducts heat differently than metal. If you’re using glass, 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!
Definitely the BEST lemon bar recipe. Thank you!
I would like to make these using limes instead of lemons. Would it be an equal amount of lime to lemon, and will it work the same way?
Hi Jill, Yes, you’d use the same amount of juice and zest. It will work in the same way but won’t have quite the zing that lemon provides. I’d love to hear how they turn out with lime!
I used whole wheat flour and they came out delicious, although maybe not as much of a pretty, brilliant yellow as you would with regular flour. I loved the cookie crust, it was delicious! Got great reviews from the neighbors. =)
Hi Jenn,
I just made this recipe and I am wondering if I did something wrong or if there might be an error in the recipe as it was revised and rewritten. I am not a novice baker and when I pulsed the ingredients for the crust together it never looked like coarse meal. My thought at the time was the volume of dry ingredients was too much for the amount of butter. And when the squares reached room temperature and I cut it, the crust was really dry.
If you have any thoughts on this matter, I would appreciate them. Thanks.
Hi Sally, I’m sorry you had a problem with the crust! The recipe has been used a lot since it’s been updated and I haven’t heard people that have struggled with the crust. Is there any chance you made a measurement error? Possibly too much flour or sugar or too little butter? Regardless, I’m sorry you had a problem with it!
Hi Jen, this recipe looks amazing! I only have a 9.5×14.5 inch pan though – would that work? Or is that way too big.
Hi Jahnavi, that will work but the bars will be pretty thin. Another option is using the foil overhang that the recipe calls for to make the pan a little smaller (with either an extra layer or just molding the foil a bit). Hope that helps!
Hello Jen, I’ve made these before and they are phenomenal!
I want to make these for guests but they are gluten free, can I simply substitute gf flour for regular all purpose flour? Would that work?
Thanks again, love love love all your recipes
Tamara
So glad you like them! Yes, I think these would work with gluten-free flour. Hope your guests enjoy!
Jenn, followed your directions explicitly and provided my family with a superb dessert last night. I will NO longer do box lemon bars. Your directions were easy to follow and liked all your photos. Sinply the best Lemon Bars!
Best lemon bars ever! So buttery and satisfying. Made this for my daughter’s birthday “cake” and she could not have been happier.
Jenn, thanks for the recipe! I’m anxious to try them and think I’ll plan ahead for Memorial Day and pop them in the freezer using your instructions below. Would it work to use a disposable heavy duty aluminum pan rather than the one suggested? I just don’t want to buy another pan. Thanks.
Sure, I think that should work. Enjoy!
Made this recipe exactly per recipe and they were amazing, best lemon bars I have ever had and my new favorite dessert
Hi Jenn,
I noticed that the half recipe for the lemon bars has the same measurement for the cornstarch as the full recipe. Is there a reason for that or should the half recipe be adjusted to 2 tablespoons? I always appreciate your wonderful recipes!
Hi Sheila, that’s intentional — I made that change when I updated the recipe. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
I’m going to make a half recipe but wanted to make sure that I should use the same measurement for the cornstarch as the full recipe? I was going to half everything until I read through the reviews and found this one.
I LOVE your recipes and can’t wait to take this to a family reunion!
So glad you like the recipes! Yes, when you halve the ingredients, you should halve the cornstarch as well. 🙂
This is my go-to recipe for lemon bars. I’ve been making them for a few years, and they always turn out so good. I get a lot of compliments. I just made them yesterday, and I had some leftover strawberry puree for a cake I made the week before. I decided to add it in, and they made delicious strawberry lemon bars. So good!
I forgot to put the crust back in the fridge before I put it in the oven do you think it’ll still be OK?
Yes I wouldn’t worry 😊
I followed the recipe exactly, and they turned out beautifully! So yummy!
Question…I am probably the only person alive who does NOT have a food processor! What is an alternative for mixing? Thanks.
Hi Margy, You can use two knives or your fingers to cut in the butter. Just make sure the butter is softened. Hope you enjoy!
This is an absolute favorite of my grandkids. I have made it many times for them and they continue to request it.
This recipe is one of my family’s favorite! It is absolutely delicious. The one issue I have and don’t know how to fix is the crumbling of the crust when I cut it. What do I do wrong? I didn’t change anything to the recipe, I make it over and over again, I know the measurements by heart already. 😄
Hi Daciana, Glad you like this. I know you said you follow the recipe precisely but do you refrigerate the crust before baking it?
My crust has always turned out well, even though I put it straight into the oven without refrigerating it. Jenn, I was wondering, what does refrigeration/freezing do after pressing the crust into pan and before cooking?
Glad these turn out nicely for you! Chilling the crust just makes it a bit more tender and flaky.
These were soooo yummy!! I used parchment paper and did increase the lemon juice to 1 cup and close to 1 cup of flour in the filling. Used a scant 2 3/4 cup sugar. When I used the parchment, some of the butter did melt through to the pan below when I removed it to cut into bars. I might try the foil next time, not that they weren’t buttery melt in your mouth delicious with the parchment, but because well…why not have more calories? This is my go to recipe for lemon bars from now on.
Made these last night, they are delicious but I’d make the following changes: less sugar (original 300g, lower to 250g) and more lemon juice (original 5tbsp, increase to 8tbsp) for the filling, and more salt (original 1tsp, increase maybe to 1.5 tsp?) for the crust.
I’ll def. make again!
I used 2 ½ cups sugar instead of 3 for the filling, perfection!!
Best lemon bars ever!
It doesn’t tell you the temperature to cook this at
Hi Barb, the oven should be set to 350°F/175°C.
Was having friends for dinner. A heavy pasta was my main course so I wanted a lighter dessert. I have a lemon tree in my backyard that has an over abundance of Meyer Lemons. I made these and the comments were..”The best lemon bars I ever had” from every dinner guest. They said usually lemon bars are either too tart or too sweet. I did modify the recipe. I used 1 Cup of Lemon Juice and 3 T. of Lemon Zest.
Absolutely delicious.
The crust was so easy and the filling so flavorful. Thank you for this recipe!
Jennifer, I just made your recipe for lemon squares, using a 9 x 9″ pan. I did cut down on sugar as I live with a person who is diabetic. They taste wonderful but I only get half the height as those in your photos. What could I be doing wrong? BTW I am so fond of your website and recipes. Thank you kindly. Jan Horn
Hi Jan, You mentioned that you use a 9-inch square pan. Did you use the old/smaller version of the recipe that I refer to on the page?
Fantastic Lemon Bars! I did a glaze instead of dusting with sugar. I forgot to spray the foil but there was enough butter in the shortbread that the foil didn’t stick. These are a definite do again!
I have been meaning to make this recipe on your site forever. It just so happened that I had a lot of lemons sitting around yesterday and wow! That crust was delicious and the filling incredible. I was a little worried because of some of the reviews saying it was too sweet but I used a full 3 cups of sugar and it still had the perfect amount of tartness. I’m thinking some of these people didn’t actually measure out the lemon juice and just went by the number of lemons you list. I used 7 seedless lemons in the end for 1 cup of juice. I can’t recall how many lemons for the zest but it was at least 2-3. Anyways, even my 15 year old daughter loves these bars!
Taste is terrific but the foil liner was a nightmare! Wish I had listened to my instincts and used parchment. Not sure I can salvage them to look beautiful for my special occasion. Such a shame. Makes recipe hard to rate. Five stars for taste but presentation and execution only 1.
THESE ARE THE BEST LEMON BARS EVER! I have tried to find a lemon bar recipe that is as good as my mom used to make and everything seemed to be very bland. The recommendation of using fresh lemons is on point! So good! I can’t stop eating them! I add a few drops of yellow food coloring to the filling so that they look as good as they taste! Another great recipe from this site!
The oven temperature must be wrong and the measurements are off
… I don’t know why it has a high review.
Yikes! They are in the oven for the final bake but I just realized I forgot to put the crust in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking! What will happen? Do I need to get more supplies and start over? Thanks!
PS…Jenn, so sorry about CC’s rude comment. Some people……..!
Hi Tory, No need to start over — it should be fine. 🙂
These lemon bars are too damn sweet. It’s like eating a bag of sugar? 600g of sugar in the filling for gods sake! Who the hell eats that much sugar. Do not follow this horrible recipe with the fake reviews from her friends. Would give negative 10 stars if possible but the system is forcing me to give at least 1 star so take your diabetic star and enjoy.
I have given Jenn so many positive reviews on her recipes – they are AMAZING! And I only WISH she was a friend!
When I make these I always cut back the sugar. I only use 2 cups instead of three. You can modify recipes instead of bashing and being narrow minded!! The people reviewing are not her friends. They are people who have made the recipes she’s published. No need for the negativity and rudeness!
This recipe says 1-3/4 cup of flour for the crust, but the cookbook says 3/4 cup flour. Which is it?
Thank you!
Hi Denise, sorry for any confusion. The recipe on the blog makes essentially double the amount of the one in the cookbook. Depending upon how much you want to make, just follow the recipe in the cookbook or the one the blog. Hope that clarifies!
I appreciate you clearing that up. They came out delicious. My mom prides herself on her lemon bars. She liked yours so much, she asked for the recipe
I’ve made these lemon bars before and they’re wonderful. I’m planning on making them again today for a special occasion. Lemon bars have a lot of sugar, but it’s really easy to just leave sugar out instead of leaving an angry rant. Many of us regularly leave great reviews on Jenn’s recipes because they’re amazing, despite having no personal connection to her. There’s something wrong with you if you think it’s okay to include a personal attack on someone on their website.
These Lemon Bars are so heavenly, that you can hear harp music as they melt in your mouth. The shortbread crust is perfection. Since I don’t like overly sweet desserts, I followed the readers’ advice and limited the sugar to 2.5 cups. Next time, I’ll add all three cups. And, there will be a next time…. This recipe is a winner.
Phenomenal recipe! I have made per the recipe exactly, and also using a couple of combinations of citrus both zest, and juice. Lemon, and lime, and lemon, and orange. All have been delicious, and an absolute favorite of my husband who is a chef.
My attempts at other recipes falled, or fell very short.
This recipe is a game-changer!
Made the recipe and it worked out beautifully. I personally like tart lemon squares so cut the sugar to 2 cups. My husband and I agreed that 3 cups would have been too sweet for our taste.
This is the best lemon bar recipe so far; I’ve made Ina Garten’s lemon bar recipe for years thinking that was the best but this one has a much better crust and texture. I cut back the sugar to 2.5 cups instead of 3 and they’re still sweet. Initially I took the foil lining thing for granted but I realized it makes cutting SO much easier! These come out perfect every time and my family & friends can’t get enough of them. Thank you for the recipe, @onceuponachef!!
Can i cut the sugar from 3 cups to 1-1/2? thank you!
Hi Beth, you can cut the sugar back but I wouldn’t recommend cutting it by that much — I’d suggest reducing it by no more than 1/2 cup. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn.
I’ve cut back the sugar by 1 cup. Still turns out amazing!!
I have a bad history making lemon desserts, but this turned out exactly how the description said it should. Perfect for a summer day!
These are amazing! The shortbread crust is buttery and flavorful. The lemon filling is light and refreshing. Well balanced and spot on.
Amazing! I made these for a soccer banquet last night and they turned out so delicious!! Really, everything about them was perfect. I know I will be making these again!!
These bars are perfection. I love that there’s a lot of lemon curd for the filling. I will definitely be making these again! My whole family loved them.
I’ve made these several times and everyone loves them. I would like to know if I can use fresh lime juice in place of the lemon juice for a new twist. If so, would it be an even exchange and would anything else need to be modified (ie amount of sugar). Thanks so much!
Hi Jill, I do think it would work without any modifications. Please LMK how it turns out!
Thanks for the speedy response Jenn! I’m making them this weekend and will let you know how everyone feels about the lime version.
In your My Recipes Videos which includes Luscious Lemon Bars, I noticed that you use a small food processor to make your pie crust. It appears that you press down on the top to activate it. Would you tell me the make and model and if you like it? I made your Luscious Lemon Bars and they are yummy! Tonight I’m making your Shepherd’s Pie. Thank you!
Hi Janette, Unfortunately, I no longer have that one and I don’t recall the make/model. I’m sorry!
No problem..if you no longer have it, you probably wouldn’t have recommended it anyway!
I’ll stick with my big food processor. Your Shepherd’s Pie that I made recently was delicious. I had never made Shepherd’s Pie and I’m glad it was your recipe for my first endeavor. We loved it and I think my little granddaughters are going to love it, too.
These are the best lemon bars! Perfect combination of sweet and tart. The crust is awesome. I brought these and Jenn’s cheesecake bars to a picnic and both were a big hit. Thanks once again for your delicious recipes Jenn. I followed the recipes to the letter and always read your helpful notes.
What do you think about a bit of lemon zest in the crust as well?
Sure, Leslie, that’s perfectly fine. Hope you enjoy!
What would the proportions be for your lemon bars if I use an 8×8 pan. How long would i cook it for?
Hi Carol, if you’re interested in making this in an 8 x 8-inch pan, right above the final picture of the lemon bars, look for a link to the old version of the recipe (which was made in a 9 x 9- inch pan). You can use those measurements and baking time. Just keep in mind it will take a tiny bit longer in that pan as it will be a slightly thicker mixture. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
These lemon bars are amazing. I’ve made them for Easter for a few years now and they are a new tradition for us!
Would it be possible to substitute lime juice for the lemon juice?
Thx. so much.
Love your recipes!
Hi Kathy, I haven’t tried it, but I think lime should work here. You may also want to consider my Key Lime Pie recipe. Hope you enjoy whatever you make!
Can I put it in the fridge to make the cooling process faster?
Hi Karanpreet, Sure — I’d let them cool a little on the counter and then you can pop them in the fridge. Hope you enjoy!
Just made these lemon bars and they are delicious. Easy to get a clean cut (after they cool). I did decrease the sugar to 2 1/2 cups.