Lemon Bars

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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!

Lemon Bars dusted with powdered sugar.

These lemon bars, a favorite from my first cookbook, are everything you want in a lemon bar: a crisp, buttery shortbread crust topped with a rich, luscious lemon layer that’s perfectly tart and sweet. Bursting with bright citrus flavor from plenty of lemon juice and zest, they’re as vibrant as they are delicious.

The secret to that perfectly crisp crust? A pastry chef trick I love—adding a touch of cornstarch to the flour. With just eight ingredients, this lemon bar recipe is easy to make, and the bars keep and freeze beautifully, making them perfect for prepping ahead for any occasion, big or small.

“Simply the best lemon bars you’ll ever eat.”

Denise

What You’ll Need To Make Lemon Bars

ingredients for 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.
  • 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 bold 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

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.

adding pieces of butter to food processor

Mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 10 to 15 seconds.

crust blended to coarse meal in food processor

Sprinkle the mixture into a foil-lined, greased 9×13-in pan.

crust mixture in prepared pan

Press firmly with your fingers into an even layer, building up a thin edge around the sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes.

pressing mixture into pan to make crust

Bake the crust until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Lined baking dish with baked crust.

Make the filling by whisking the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and flour.

adding sugar, lemon, and flour to eggs for filling

Whisk well, making sure no lumps of flour remain.

whisked lemon filling in bowl

Pour the filling into the baked crust.

filling poured into baked crust

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.

baked 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.

lemon bars transferred to cutting board

Using a sharp knife, cut into squares or triangles, then dust with Confectioners’ sugar. Store the bars in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze for longer storage.

sliced lemon bars

Video Tutorial

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Luscious Lemon Bars

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!

Servings: 20 squares or 40 triangles
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 50 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes, plus several hours to cool

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

  1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Bake the crust until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Make the Filling

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and flour. Be sure no lumps of flour remain.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

Powered by Edamam

  • 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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Comments

  • This is BY FAR the best lemon bar recipe I know. I use a larger round dish and make it as a “tarte citron” and it’s always a success.

    • Love that idea!

  • I will never use another lemon square recipe! These consistently turn out great, and my family loves them.

  • Your recipe yielded the best lemon topping yet — silken texture, perfect sweet-tart flavours, and to-die-for gooey centre. The crust, unfortunately, came out all burnt beyond rescue. What could have gone wrong? Please help!

    • Hi Alka, I’m not sure what could’ve gone wrong here as this recipe is pretty predictable. Is there a chance you measured something incorrectly? Also, it could be that there was a problem with the oven temperature. Was the oven fully preheated before you put the squares in to bake?

      • Hi Jenn, pleased to report back that I didn’t give up on your marvellous recipe and tried another time. Turned out, it was the fluctuating oven temperature that was the culprit. And the lemon bars? Well, they turned out as luscious as the ones in the pix here! It’s five stars, really! Hope to try many more of your recipes. Cheers.

        • So glad they worked out- thanks for reporting back!

  • Can I use a glass baking dish?

    • Yes, that would be fine. Hope you enjoy!

  • These lemon bars are fantastic! I have tried several lemon bar recipes in search of the best one and I think I found it in this recipe. I made them for a card party and a friend told me they were the best thing she’s ever eaten! This has become my go to recipe for lemon bars.

  • Easy to follow directions, and the textures are absolutely perfect when you bite into them. Best lemon bars I’ve ever had! Friends loved them.

  • OMG These are candy. The crust is unreal. Will never use any recipe but this.

    • — Chris Letterman
    • Reply
  • I have made lemon bars many times, but like to try something new. These are easily the best lemon bars I have ever tasted, not to mention how easy they are to make.

  • Forgot to give the recipe a rating. Excellent flavor!

  • Excellent recipe. Love the crust especially.

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