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The Best Lemon Bars Recipe

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Sweet and sour pair together to make these the Best Lemon Bars for your tastebuds. They are the perfect treat for dessert.

Add this Lemon Cheesecake Cake and your dessert table will be full of lemon dessert goodness.

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The Best Lemon Bars - this easy dessert bar recipe has a great mix of sweet and sour making them truly the best.

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I’m not a big fan of sour things.  My kids think it is the funniest thing to try to trick me into eating sour patch kids or sour gummy worms.

They have gotten me a few times, but now I know better than to take candy from them.  Unless it is chocolate…then I grab it faster than they can take it back.

Since sour things tend to make me pucker just thinking about them, I usually avoid lemon desserts.   If you have been following along with my dessert journey here on the blog, you know that chocolate and peanut butter reign supreme.

But then I decided to give lemon another chance.  Last spring I branched out and made these Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars and realized that I do like lemon in small doses.  

Sweet and sour mix perfectly to create the best Lemon Bars. Great dessert recipe for spring or Easter.

Ok, so what I really realized is that I like cookies laced with lots of sugar and some lemon.  But hey, it was a start into the lemon dessert world that I had been avoiding.

Fast forward a year and I’m giving lemon another chance.  And I’m still liking it. I have decided that when life gives you lemons, you should definitely make lemon bars!

A few weeks ago I got a call from a girl from our new church. She runs a local bakery here in town, and her resident baker had left a few months ago.  

They had an order for lemon bars, and the current recipe in their folder was not working at all.  It turns out the former baker must have been tweaking things.

Sadly, I wasn’t much help for her that day.  BUT…it did get me motivated to buy some lemons and a zester and to work on some lemon squares in our kitchen.

A sweet shortbread crust and powdered sugar makes these the best Lemon Bars. Great dessert recipe.

After much research on easy lemon bars and looking at all my old recipes, I came up with a version of the Best Lemon Bars.  Now I realized that calling something the best is very relative.  Your best might not be my best and vice versa.

Since I’m a fan of sweetening my lemon to keep my cheeks from puckering up too much, I wanted the base to be more cookie like.

I had a feeling that the shortbread crust on these Salted Caramel Shortbread Squares would work, so I tweaked the base to fit an 8×8 pan.

How do you make the Best Lemon Bars?

  Crust: Mix together flour, powdered sugar, and butter until a soft dough forms. Press it into the bottom of a greased 8×8 pan. The rich buttery crust in these bars worked so well, that I’m pretty sure I will be changing up the original every time now. Bake the crust for 20 minutes.

Lemon Filling: Fresh lemon juice and zest will give you more lemon power in these easy lemon bars.  Also, the more zest you use will amp things up more. Add all the filling ingredients into a blender and give it a whirl. When the crust is done baking, pour the filling on top and bake it for another 25 minutes.

Powdered Sugar: Sprinkle the chilled lemon bars with a hefty dose of powdered sugar right before serving.

The Best Lemon Bars recipe - a sweet shortbread cookie crust gives a fun sweet twist to the tradition dessert bars.

Tips for the Best Lemon Bars:

Since I’m working my way into loving lemon, I only used 2 Tablespoons of zest in the lemon curd filling.   If you are a lemon lover, go for more! You could also add some zest to the crust if you wanted to give it more pucker.

One of my favorite tools is this little dusting wand.  It makes it so easy to dust these bars with of powdered sugar. Make sure to add the powdered sugar right before serving because it will soak into the homemade lemon bars the longer it sits out.

For someone who proclaims to not like lemon, I sure ate my fair share of these lemon squares.  Like I said, they are the Best Lemon Bars because I gave them a slightly sweeter twist. That’s how I roll around here.

Common Questions about Lemon Bars:

Do lemon squares freeze well?  Yes, after the bars cool completely, wrap them tightly in foil or plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month.  Thaw completely before serving.

Do lemon bars need to be refrigerated?  The lemon filling is basically a custard, so if you are not serving them the same day, they need to be stored in the refrigerator. However, if you are serving them at a party, they will be fine at room temperature for a few hours.

How long do lemon bars last?  It really depends on who is eating them. Around certain people, they will be gone in a day.  But if you keep them in the fridge, they should keep for up to four days.

How do you cut lemon bars neatly?  Line your pan with foil or parchment paper, so you can lift the bars out easily when they are cooled. Cool the bars to room temperature, then refrigerate until firm. Use a sharp knife that has been dampened in warm water to make clean cuts.

Adding a sweet shortbread cookie crust makes these the best Lemon Bars. Great dessert recipe for spring or Easter parties.

Looking for more lemon desserts?

Easy Lemon Cheesecake Danish – lemon curd and fresh fruit make these little pastries so pretty and delicious

Lemon Cream Fruit Dip – this easy two ingredient dip is perfect for dipping all the fresh fruit in

Lemon Coconut Cupcakes – a pocket of lemon filling and sweet lemon coconut frosting makes these cupcakes disappear in a hurry

Strawberry Lemon Snack Cake – sweet cake topped with homemade strawberry filling and lemon glaze

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Yield: 16 bars

The Best Lemon Bars

The Best Lemon Bars

A sweet cookie crust gives the Best Lemon Bars the perfect balance of sweet and sour.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened

For the Filling

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
  • 2 eggs
  • powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray.
  2. Mix the flour, powdered sugar, and butter together until a soft dough forms.
  3. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
  4. While the crust is baking, pour the filling ingredients into the blender and pulse until light and frothy.
  5. Pour onto the hot crust and bake for another 25 minutes. Remove and let cool completely. They will set up as they cool.
  6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar right before serving. Makes 16 bars.

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© Jocelyn @ Inside BruCrew Life
Cuisine: American / Category: Brownies & Bars
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Comments

  3. Mir says

    I’m also PB and chocolate all the way, but then sometimes I’ll have a lemon dessert and be freshly surprised by how amazing it is! And these are so vibrant. Gotta try them, especially with that thick shortbread crust!

    Reply

  10. Abby says

    Hi! These look delicious, I just have one question, may be silly, but is it best to use freshly squeezed juice or would I be able to use bottled lemon juice?

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      You can use either. I had bottled lemon juice in my fridge, so that’s what I used for these. I think fresh squeezed might give it a little more sour flavor…but I haven’t tried it that way, so I’m not sure.

      Reply

  11. Angie says

    Hi Jocelyn –

    I Just put the filling in the crust and set the timer in my oven. Your pictures look wonderful! Should be a perfect Easter dessert 🙂

    One question, the filling didn’t ever get very “frothy,” so it was very liquid-y when I poured it into the crust. Is that normal? Just a little concerned that the liquid won’t cook down enough. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      Hi, Angie. Yes, the lemon mixture is very liquidy when you pour it on the crust, but after baking it will set up. Just make sure you left enough time for it to chill. I hope you like them!

      Reply

  12. Patricia says

    Hi Jocelyn-First of all, I enjoy looking at your website & trying the recipes. I have a very good lemon bar recipe too for a 9×13 pan but I am planning on trying yours….but I am going to use real lemons. Just a note for those that want to use real lemons, 1 medium lemon = 3 TBS of juice. 1/2 cup = 8 TBS…and the juice should be strained before using it. Oh, a room temp lemon will give you more juice too.

    Anyway, I have a question…I’m assuming that I just dump all the filling ingredients together & beat until light & frothy. After pouring on the hot crust and bake some more 20-25 min….what should it look like after 20 min? Am I looking for a little jiggle in the middle? And if there isn’t…bake 5 min more? I know you said the bars will set up as they cool. Please reply. Thanks so much.

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      Thank you so much for the lemon tips. And the bars won’t have much of a jiggle after 20-25 minutes, they just won’t be able to be cut into bars until cooled.

      Reply

  13. rosie says

    how many lemons dose it take to make the 2 tablespoons of zest, i used 4 large and one small and it didnt seem to come to almost 1 tablespoon, and one more qustion i beat my filling for 15 min and it frothed but not like meringue, hope to hear from you soon

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      I usually can get about 1 Tablespoon zest from one large lemon. The filling will get bubbly and frothy and that’s it. It isn’t supposed to get like a meringue. It thickens when it bakes. I hope you enjoy the bars!

      Reply

  14. Marissa says

    Truth be told, I’m all about the pucker…love sour patch kids. ? So these beauties captured my attention immediately…I love sour, but I love buttery shortbread style cookies too – this looks like their perfect marriage / ratio of each! Also love how simple the recipe is…thank you!

    Reply

  17. Anissa says

    Hi, just made these!! Great recipe, but one question, if I am making them today and not serving until tomorrow, do I store out or in the refrigerator until we eat them tomorrow?
    Thanks for sharing????

    Reply

  20. Kelli Kane says

    I’m so glad you posted these lemon bars! My mom used to make lemon bars when I was a kid but when she died the recipe died with her 🙁 These are EXACTLY like she used to make! I’m making some in her memory tonight!

    Reply

  22. Rosemarie says

    Thank you for this recipe. They are delicious. I wonder if a substitute for the butter can be used, like Earth Balance? I know butter always tastes better. But, I’m lactose intolerant and also wanting to limit the saturated fat.

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      I haven’t tried it with anything but butter. A lot of those butter substitutes have a lot of water content in them, so it can affect the end results of your baked goods. Keep me posted if you try it with anything else.

      Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      I honestly have never tried gluten-free flour, so I’m not sure. I have heard that most of the new gluten free products are easily interchangeable though. If you try it, please let me know know how it works.

      Reply

  24. Lori says

    Do I need to use a blender or can I use a hand mixer? I know it might be a silly question but I just wanted to make sure. Thanks

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      There are no silly questions. A hand mixer will work just as well. Just make sure to mix it long enough to be frothy. It won’t be thick, but it should be somewhat foamy. I hope you enjoy the bars! They are a favorite here!

      Reply

  27. Kathy says

    I would like to make these for my granddaughter’s wedding shower. (Her theme is lemons). How do I convert this recipe for a 9×13 pan? Bake time?

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      Double the ingredients and bake them in a 9×13 pan. The baking time should still be about the same time, but you may need to bake the lemon filling part an additional 5 minutes. I hope that helps. Congratulations to your granddaughter!!!!

      Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      I have honestly never tried making these with an egg replacement, so I’m not really sure. If you try it, please keep me posted on how they turn out and what you used.

      Reply

  32. Stephansuch says

    This is exactly what I want a lemon bar to taste like! And the ratios of crust-to-curd are perfect. I was surprised at how tangy it was after I read that you added lots of sugar to help offset this. It’s very tangy and I only added half the rind. I did use almost all fresh lemon juice but also a bit of lemon concentrate (preserves juice). So even though the curd is actually thinner than the crust, it’s perfect because it’s so tangy, but not too much to me. There is plenty of crust to off-set this. And the crust texture is what I searched so hard for. A soft coffee shop style bar crust. I’m not a fan of the chewy shortbread crust that is so popular right now, although I like shortbread. By the way, my dough was crumbs, so I added a tad of milk to bring it together into a sticky dough. That seemed to be necessary, although I have pressed crumble-type dough into a baking dish on a few occasions. Maybe that’s why I didn’t like those other crusts as much. I might have needed to add moisture then too. I like a lemon bar crust that is more like already softened chewing gum in the mouth, rather than a fresh stiff gum that you just slipped in your mouth. I know, weird analogy.

    This recipe is going on my record.

    Thank you!

    Reply

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