Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Course: Bars, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1

Servings: bars

Calories: 204kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

These lemon bars with shortbread crust are thick, creamy, and bursting with bright, zesty lemon flavor. The buttery shortbread base adds a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, while the smooth lemon filling strikes the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Simple to make and bakery-worthy, these homemade lemon bars are ideal for holidays, potlucks, or a cozy weekend dessert.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
9x13 Baking Pan
Hand Mixer (optional)

Ingredients

For the Shortbread Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup salted butter room temperature and cut into cubes (2 sticks)

For the Lemon Filling

4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup lemon juice (from 1-2 lemons)
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder *
Powdered sugar optional, for topping

Instructions

For the Shortbread Crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
Mix together the flour and powdered sugar in a large bowl.
2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup powdered sugar
Using your fingers, cut the butter into the mixture until it clings together and is crumbly.
1 cup salted butter
Press the crust mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until just turning golden.
While the crust bakes, make the filling.

For the Lemon Filling

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer or whisk to beat together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. (If you love lemon, feel free to use a little more juice!)
4 large eggs, 2 cups granulated sugar, ⅓ cup lemon juice
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder.
½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
Stir this mixture into the egg mixture. (This mixture will be very runny.)
Once you’ve brought the crust out of the oven, pour this egg mixture over the hot baked crust and immediately place the pan back into the oven to bake for 25 minutes, or until just lightly golden brown on the edges.
Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool before cutting and serving.
Lightly dust them with icing sugar to make them look extra fancy.
Powdered sugar

Video

Notes

*It's important to use aluminum-free baking powder specifically, as aluminum can react with the lemon juice, adding an unpleasant metallic taste to your bars.

Tips:

If you don't have any parchment paper, I recommend using a glass or ceramic baking pan, as metal can impart a metallic taste. You can also avoid using metal utensils by using a silicone whisk.
If your crust looks too dry or crumbly before baking, add 1–2 teaspoons of melted butter and mix again. It should just hold together when pressed between your fingers.
Use room-temperature eggs and lemon juice if you can. These will combine more easily with the other ingredients, but if you use cold, it won't affect the taste or texture.
To get the highest yield from your lemon(s), microwave it for 10 seconds before cutting and squeezing.
For extra lemon punch, stir in 1 tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest with the sugar. It infuses more citrus oils for a brighter flavor.
To tell when the bars are done baking, give the baking pan a bit of a jiggle– the bars should jiggle just a little bit, like cheesecake or jello, but still be fairly set. If they are too jiggly and seem liquid-y, they aren’t done yet, so keep baking. The crust edges will also be slightly golden brown.
If your bars crack on top, it likely means they were overbaked– either too long, at too high of a temperature, or both. 350°F is perfect for this recipe, so just keep an eye on them and don’t let them cook too long.
Let the bars cool completely before cutting them. For clean slices, dip a knife in warm water and dry it off before each cut.
Once your pan gets to room temperature, you might even want to pop it into the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Make-Ahead: These bars keep well for several days in the fridge, so they're a great make-ahead treat. Just wait to dust with powdered sugar until right before serving, as it can dissolve when left to sit.

Storage: Store lemon bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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