Bright Fresh Lemon Bars (Printer-friendly)
Zesty lemon bars on a buttery shortbread base, bursting with fresh citrus flavor and topped with powdered sugar.
# What you'll need:
→ Shortbread Crust
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Lemon Filling
05 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 4 large eggs
08 - 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)
09 - Zest of 2 lemons
→ Topping
10 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt. Stir until a soft dough forms. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
03 - Bake the crust for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven but keep the crust in the pan.
04 - While the crust bakes, whisk together the granulated sugar and flour in a large bowl. Add the eggs, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk until the mixture is completely smooth and well combined.
05 - Pour the lemon filling evenly over the warm pre-baked crust. Return to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the center is set and only slightly jiggles when gently shaken.
06 - Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Once fully cooled, lift the slab out using the parchment overhang, slice into 12 bars, and dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The shortbread crust comes together in one bowl with melted butter so there is no fussy pastry work involved.
- That lemon filling sets into a perfectly sliceable layer with a tang that hits you just right.
- They look like they came from a bakery but honestly the whole thing takes less than an hour.
02 -
- Patience during the cooling step is non negotiable because cutting warm lemon bars will give you a sticky, collapsed mess instead of clean edges.
- The filling will continue to set as it cools so do not panic if it looks slightly underdone when you pull it from the oven.
- Refrigerating the bars for an hour before slicing makes the cleanest cuts you have ever seen.
03 -
- Rolling a lemon firmly on the counter before juicing releases significantly more liquid than just cutting it open cold.
- Strain your lemon filling through a fine mesh sieve before pouring to catch any stray egg shells or stubborn flour lumps.