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Lemon Bars

By: Author Marsha

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18 Comments

Categories Brownies & Bars, Spring

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Lemon Bars – A deliciously crispy, buttery shortbread crust topped with a creamy, sweet and tangy lemon filling!

A stack of three thick lemon bars dusted with icing sugar on a baking tray.

Don’t you just love lemon dessert recipes? They’re so bright and full of flavour, and they remind me of Spring/Summer time. Because I’m craving warmer weather and tangy lemon dessert, today I bring you these irresistible Lemon Bars!

Overhead shot of thick lemon bars dusted with icing sugar on a baking tray with lemon slices.
A stack of three lemon bars dusted with icing sugar on a baking tray with lemon slices.

Ingredients for Lemon Bars:

For the shortbread crust

  • unsalted butter
  • plain/all-purpose flour
  • caster/granulated sugar
  • salt

For the lemon filling

  • large eggs
  • fresh lemon juice and zest
  • caster/granulated sugar
  • plain/all-purpose flour

These Lemon Bars are absolutely delicious. They have a very simple crispy, buttery shortbread crust, and a creamy, zesty lemon filling. They’re super easy to throw together, and are baked in no time at all. 15 minutes for the crust, and a further 30 minutes with the filling.

Allow to cool completely, dust with a little icing sugar, and you’re done! I like to refrigerate my bars overnight for neater slices.

Two thick lemon bars dusted with icing sugar served overlapped on a small white plate with lemon slices.
Two lemon bars dusted with icing sugar served on a small white plate with a fork and lemon slices.
Lemon Bars - A deliciously crispy, buttery shortbread crust topped with a creamy, sweet and tangy lemon filling! #lemonbars #lemonrecipes #summerrecipes

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Yield: 16 bars

Lemon Bars

A stack of three thick lemon bars dusted with icing sugar on a baking tray.

A deliciously crispy, buttery shortbread crust topped with a creamy, sweet and tangy lemon filling!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the Base

  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (250g) plain/all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (100g) caster/granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Filling

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup (240ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice - about 6 - 7 lemons
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest, optional - about 2 lemons
  • 2 and 1/4 cups (450g) caster/granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (125g) plain/all-purpose flour

Instructions

For the Base

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line a 9x13-inch baking tray with foil and grease with baking spray or butter. Set aside.
  2. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat together the butter, flour, sugar, and salt until a crumbly dough forms. Press the mixture into the prepared baking tray, and bake for 15 - 20 minutes until lightly golden.

For the filling

  1. Whisk together the eggs, lemon juice, zest, sugar, and flour. Pour over the hot baked crust, and bake for an additional 30 - 35 minutes until the filling is set.
  2. Allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar, then slice and serve.
  3. I like to refrigerate my bars for a few hours or overnight for neater slices.

Notes

Lemon bars can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days. They also freeze well for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

You can half this recipe to bake in an 8x8-inch square pan.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16 bars

Serving Size:

1 bar
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 265Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 66mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

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© Marsha Cook
Category: Brownies & Bars

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Dayna Lynn Cosby

Tuesday 17th of September 2019

Baking my lemon bars right now! I hope that they turn out! My first time making lemon bars!

Marsha

Tuesday 17th of September 2019

Let me know how they turn out - enjoy!

Tina Pham

Saturday 1st of June 2019

Hi Marsha, these lemon bars are so simple to put together and taste so delicious. I love the tartness of lemon enough to only use half of the sugar in the recipe. The next thing I know is that I am in lemon heaven. Not recommended if anyone can't eat very sour bars. Thanks for sharing.

Jacqui

Monday 3rd of July 2017

Hi Marsha, I can't wait to try out this recipe and thank you for putting in all the conversions for Brits and Europeans x

Marsha

Monday 3rd of July 2017

You're very welcome! Enjoy! :)

Demeter | Beaming Baker

Thursday 30th of March 2017

Yes, I totally do! There's just something about lemon that really lightens up a dessert in the most enjoyable way! :) It's sweet, it's tart, it's just dessert bliss. These bars look gorgeous, Marsha! Hope you and your family have an amazing weekend! Pinned, of course. xo

Marsha

Thursday 30th of March 2017

Thanks, Demeter! You too! :) xo

Kari

Tuesday 28th of March 2017

Yum! Those look so soft and scrumptious!

Marsha

Tuesday 28th of March 2017

Thanks, Kari!

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