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Lemon Bars cut on a white rectangle dish with a yellow napkin and fresh lemon nearby.
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5 from 3 votes

Lemon Bars

A perfectly balanced sweet and tart lemon curd is layered between a buttery shortbread crust and powdered sugar. This Lemon Bars recipe is simply the best!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Cool time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon bars, lemon curd, lemon dessert
Servings: 9 Bars
Calories: 507cal
Author: Amy Desrosiers
Cost: $3

Equipment

  • 8" x 8" baking dish
  • parchment paper
  • measuring cup
  • measuring spoons
  • Whisk
  • Zester
  • juicer
  • chef's knife
  • cutting board
  • Wooden Spoon

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest

Lemon filling

  • cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar For dusting cooled bars.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, mix softened butter, lemon zest, flour, and sugar. Dough will be thick and should spread nicely into the bottom of your parchment-lined pan.
  • Place pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crust is firm to the touch, and golden-brown in color.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk sugar, lemon juice, eggs, flour, and zest. Pour over baked crust, and return pan to the oven for an additional 25 minutes. Top layer will be thick, and center will be jiggly.
  • Cool bars in the pan for one hour before removing the parchment paper lined bars. See notes for cutting tips. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top of the cooled bars before serving.

Notes

Nutritional values may vary and are meant to be a guide. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 507cal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 752IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg