Bright Fresh Lemon Bars (Print View)

Zesty lemon bars with buttery shortbread crust and tangy citrus filling, ready in just 50 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Shortbread Crust

01 - 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, melted
02 - 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Lemon Filling

05 - 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
07 - 4 large eggs
08 - 2/3 cup (160 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)
09 - Zest of 2 lemons

→ Topping

10 - Powdered sugar, for dusting

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine 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 18–20 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. Remove from the oven but keep the crust in the pan.
04 - While the crust bakes, whisk together granulated sugar and flour in a bowl. Add the eggs, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk until smooth and fully combined.
05 - Pour the lemon filling evenly over the warm pre-baked crust. Return to the oven and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the center is set and only slightly jiggles when gently shaken.
06 - Let the bars cool completely in the pan 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 you never have to wait for anything to soften.
  • That filling sets into a glossy, sliceable layer that balances sweet and tart perfectly without any fussy techniques.
  • They look effortlessly beautiful with just a snowfall of powdered sugar, no decorating skills required.
02 -
  • Patient cooling is everything because cutting warm lemon bars will give you a gooey mess instead of clean squares.
  • Adding the filling to a warm crust actually helps it begin setting evenly and prevents a soggy bottom layer.
03 -
  • Roll the lemons firmly on the counter before juicing them and you will get nearly twice as much liquid from each one.
  • For extra tang that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite, add the zest of one more lemon to the filling.

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