You only need 7 ingredients to make these lemon bars. The lemon curd filling is extra thick and creamy and sits on an irresistible buttery shortbread crust. Always bake lemon bars at a lower temperature to avoid over-baking. They’re simply the best lemon bars and are perfect for picnics, bake sales, spring brunches, baby showers, and bridal showers.
Today I’m teaching you how to make lemon bars. I love this lemon dessert recipe so much that I published it in my 1st cookbook, Sally’s Baking Addiction. These are the best lemon bars and I don’t use that statement lightly. After 1 taste, I’m confident you’ll agree. Everyone needs this recipe.
The process is pretty simple and I’m walking you through each step in the video tutorial below. Pick up some fresh citrus and let’s get baking. Spring is in the air!
Video Tutorial: Lemon Bars
These are classic lemon bars featuring a soft butter shortbread crust and a tangy sweet lemon curd filling that’s baked to the perfect consistency. The lemon layer is thick and substantial, not thin or flimsy like most other lemon bar recipes.
Only 7 Ingredients in these Lemon Bars
- Butter: Melted butter is the base of the shortbread crust.
- Sugar: Sugar sweetens the crust and lemon curd filling layers. Not only this, it works with the eggs to set up the lemon filling. If reduced, the filling will be too wet.
- Flour: Flour is also used in both layers. Like sugar, it gives structure to the lemon filling. These days, I add slightly more flour to the shortbread crust compared to my cookbook version. You can get away with 2 cups, but an extra 2 Tablespoons really helps solidify the foundation of the lemon bars.
- Vanilla Extract: I use 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract in the shortbread crust. Not many lemon bar recipes call for vanilla extract and I promise you it’s my best kept secret.
- Salt: Without salt, the crust would be too sweet.
- Eggs: Eggs are most of the structure. Without them, you have lemon soup!
- Lemon Juice: I highly recommend using lemon juice squeezed from fresh lemons. You can also use another citrus like blood orange, grapefruit, or lime juice. For extra flavor, add some fresh zest as well.
How to Make Lemon Bars in 5 Steps
- Prepare the crust: Mix all of the shortbread crust ingredients together, then press firmly into a 9×13-inch baking pan. Interested in a smaller batch? See my recipe note.
- Pre-bake: Pre-baking the crust guarantees it will hold up under the lemon layer.
- Prepare the filling: Whisk all of the filling ingredients together. No cooking on the stove!
- Bake: Pour the filling on the warm pre-baked crust, then bake for around 20 minutes or until the center is just about set. I slightly increased the baking temperature from my cookbook version. Either temperatures work, but 325°F is preferred.
- Cool: I usually cool the lemon bars for about 1 hour at room temperature, then stick the whole pan in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until relatively chilled. They’re wonderful cold and with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar on top!
Prepared in only 2 bowls and a baking pan, clean up is a breeze. These lemon bars win 1st place every time because they’re the perfect balance of tangy and sweet. In fact, I made them for my friend’s baby shower last weekend and they were the first dessert to disappear. And that’s saying a lot considering the competition: homemade chewy fudgy frosted brownies and adorable mini animal cracker cookies. 🙂
2 Guaranteed Tricks to Make the Best Lemon Bars
- Use a glass pan. Ceramic is fine, but glass is best. Do not use metal. I always detect a slight metallic flavor in the lemon bars when baked in metal pans.
- Use fresh juice. Store-bought bottles are convenient, but you miss out on a lot of flavor. You will definitely taste the difference! I have a super old citrus juicer, but I recently purchased this juicer for my mom and she loves it. Highly recommended.
White Air Bubbles on Top of Baked Lemon Bars
Do you notice air bubbles, perhaps even a white layer of air bubbles, on top of your baked lemon bars? That’s completely normal. It’s the air from the eggs rising to the surface. Some batches have it, some don’t. Regardless, the lemon bars taste the same and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar covers it right up!
Blood orange bars! See my recipe note about substituting flavors.
Want to kick it up a notch? Here are my lemon meringue pie and lemon cheesecake recipes.
Craving lots of texture with your bars? You’ll love my oatmeal lemon crumble bars.
Plenty of lemon recipes to love on my site including these lemon crinkle cookies and lemon thumbprint cookies! Regardless of what you choose, lemon desserts are always a great choice when looking for springtime or Easter dessert recipes.
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Lemon Bars
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
You only need 7 ingredients to make these lemon bars. The lemon curd filling is extra thick and creamy and sits on an irresistible butter shortbread crust. Always bake lemon bars at a lower temperature to avoid over-baking. See recipe notes for important tips. They’re simply the best lemon bars and are perfect for picnics, bake sales, spring brunches, baby showers, and bridal showers.
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
Lemon Filling
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest, optional
- optional: confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch glass baking pan (do not use metal) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
- Make the crust: Mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir to completely combine. The dough will be thick. Press firmly into prepared pan, making sure the layer of crust is nice and even. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the warm crust (not all the way through the crust). A new step I swear by, this helps the filling stick and holds the crust in place. Set aside until step 4.
- Make the filling: Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, then the lemon juice and lemon zest (if using) until completely combined.
- Pour filling over warm crust. Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles. (Give the pan a light tap with an oven mitt to test.) Remove bars from the oven and cool completely at room temperature. I usually cool them for about 2 hours at room temperature, then stick in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until pretty chilled. I recommend serving chilled.
- Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares before serving. For neat squares, wipe the knife clean between each cut. Cover and store leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezing Instructions: Lemon bars can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. Cut the cooled bars (without confectioners’ sugar topping) into squares, then place onto a baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour. Individually wrap each bar in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place into a large bag or freezer container to freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator, then dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Glass Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Silicone Spatula | Silicone Whisk | Juicer | Fine Mesh Sieve
- Halve the Recipe: Halve each of the ingredients to yield around 12 squares in a 9-inch square baking pan. Same oven temperature. Bake the crust for 16-18 minutes and the bars for 20 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles.
- Sifting: More often than not, the flour doesn’t fully incorporate into the lemon filling unless it’s sifted with the sugar. As directed in the recipe, sift the two together before adding the eggs and lemon juice. I don’t always do this (and didn’t even do it in the video above!) but it’s preferred to avoid any flour lumps. If you have a sifter, it’s worth using. If you forget, it’s not a huge deal. Here is my favorite sifter. You use it again to dust the lemon bars with confectioners’ sugar.
- Lemon Juice: For exceptional taste, I highly recommend fresh lemon juice. Here is a wonderful inexpensive juicer if you don’t have one. Or use another fresh-squeezed citrus like grapefruit, blood orange, lime, or regular orange. You can slightly reduce the sugar if using a sweeter citrus. I recommend no less than 1 and 2/3 cup granulated sugar in the filling as it’s needed for structure.
- Room Temperature: Bringing the eggs and lemon juice to room temperature helps them mix easier into the flour and sugar. However, I never notice a taste or texture difference when using cold. Room temperature or cold, use whichever!
Reader Comments and Reviews
I am wondering if store purchase lemon curd will work in a pinch?
Hi Lynne, unfortunately lemon curd is a bit too loose to use as the lemon layer for these lemon bars. We recommend following this recipe instead.
Delicious! My husband wanted these for his birthday and our son is dairy free. Worked great with vegan butter in the base – texture, measurements and bake time the same. Thank you!
These were so delicious. At first glance I was scared I overcooked them but they were perfect! I changed one thing though and added the zest from almost all of the lemons. they were delightfully tart and everyone loved them!
These are the best recipe! One question: when I make these, the powdered sugar eventually dissolves on the top. This is even after I chill them. They still taste good regardless. So more of an aesthetic thing. Any suggestions?
Hi Kathy, you can wait to lightly dust until just before serving to ensure the powdered sugar stays put. So glad you love these!
These were amazing!!!! The best recipe I’ve ever had. And it is okay if you don’t fill up the cup of fresh lemon juice by a little bit because the flavor will already be very strong
I made these today I prefer the crust where you use powdered sugar and cut the butter in with pastry cutter. My family did not care for crust and thought the bars were too tart.
First time baking this so I followed it to a t. I halved the recipe just to make sure and I used a glass pan however, my bars tasted WAAAAY to sour and it tasted metallic
Easy and great for something fast and tasty
How far in advance can you make the lemon bars without freezing?
Hi Amy, you can cover and store the lemon bars for up to a week.
If I wanted to make strawberry lemon bars, how much pulverized strawberry should I add and Should I keep the amount of Lemon juice and sugar the same. Or is this just an awful idea? I love your recipes and completely trust your judgement so please tell me if this is an awful plan.
– Jamie
Hi Jamie! We haven’t tested a strawberry lemon bar, so can’t say for sure how it would go. We do have a recipe for Lemon Strawberry Crumb Bars that you might be interested in.
Can powdered sugar be used in place of the granulated sugar specifically for the filling?
These look delicious and am excited to try them out!
Hi Corina! For best results, we recommend sticking with granulated in the filling. Enjoy!
They seemed to come out well. I chilled them overnight, cut them up, and brought them into my office. I tried one before I left and they were perfect. But when I got there, the bars had become a sticky, gooey mess and stuck together. They still tasted good, but I’m not sure why they didn’t hold their structure. I want to make them again, but only if they can stay individual squares and not collapse. Any idea why this happened?
Hi Katie! Lemon bars are best kept cold and served chilled. Could you transport them in a cooler (ice chest) next time? Thank you so much for giving these lemon bars a try!
Wow! This was so good, and so easy. Not like making lemon curd is hard, but this tastes just like I made lemon curd, and I didn’t even have to. I’m super happy with this, and will be making it often.
I’ve been using the same recipe for lemon bars for more than 20 years. A recipe handed down from a family friend. I was in a rush this Easter and decided to use your online recipe. This recipe was exceptional! The lemon curd is so bright and creamy, the crust is rich and buttery, and the ratio is perfection! I have thrown out my old recipe and updated my recipe book with yours. Thanks!
I did a raspberry streusel topping and it came out fantastic. When the bake was almost done I took it out and put on the struesel. Switched oven to broil and let it heat up before putting it back in to finish. Thanks! This may be a new Easter tradition dessert!
These lemon bars are the best I have ever made and tasted!! Thank you for the amazing recipe and with side notes too!
I know this is a bit after the fact but anyone reading this, here’s how to fix the butter issue that I’ve seen. Melted butter works just fine in this recipe but you want it barely melted. If you get the butter too hot it will dissolve the sugar instead of combining with it. I have a cookie recipe that I discovered this same situation. If you accidentally get it too hot just let it set on your counter until it cools, about 5-10 mins. I microwaved my butter until it had a few cold chunks and then mixed it together. This allowed it to be melted but not hot. The shortbread turned out perfectly and yours will too. Great recipe!
Fingers crossed! Trying this today and I browned the crust a little too long! Didn’t hear the buzzer to praying it comes out okay. Excited to try them.
Came out great – very good! Will be making theses again.
I cut the vanilla extract in half and added a teaspoon of lemon extract.
Otherwise followed the recipe and it is great!
could the shortbread crust be used for strawberry or peach shortcake
These are my daughter’s (and mine) favorite lemon squares. Thank you for an easy and delicious recipe! We mostly make it as written and sometimes I add lemon peel into the crust. Once we had a firmer “film” on top of the squares and I wonder if I just over baked them?
Hi! This recipe is delicious. Definitely has great lemon flavor that pairs wonderfully with the shortbread crust! I can’t wait to try with other citrus! Is there a way to keep the powdered sugar from absorbing into the lemon? Or is it best to just dust the sugar right before serving? Thank you!
Hi Kacie, we’re so glad you enjoyed these lemon bars! As the lemon bars cool, the powdered sugar shouldn’t dissolve into the bars as much — feel free to add this sugar after the bars are cool next time or right before serving as you mention.
Wow! Wow! I made these bars with fresh lemons from my friend’s tree in AZ. I made two pans within a week to share with friends. They came out perfect every time and the flavor between the yummy shortbread crust and the tangy lemon filling….all I can say is WOW! Best lemon bar recipe by far.
These came out perfect and delicious. The ratio of lemon curd to crust is just right. I followed the recipe exactly, including using the fork on the crust and had no problem, just the best lemon bars I’ve made or eaten. They are super easy to make. I had a few Meyer lemons so I mixed 1/2 Meyer and 1/2 regular lemons and it didn’t disappoint. The crust has a nice crunch and I’m thinking of using it on with some other fillings. Thank-you so much for sharing.
This recipe is definitely a keeper. Perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess, crust compliments flavor of lemon layer and is sturdy but not too hard. That the lusciousness is accomplished with ease and a few on hand ingredients is a bonus. Loved the lemon, going to try lime and orange. Thank you for sharing, this recipe made my day!
I have made lemon a few times and always loved them but had never pricked the shortbread with a fork and thought I would try it this time since it was recommendaded.
It ended up inverting my lemon bars so that there is no shortbread, just a weird bad crust and lemon bar at the bottom! It is such a waste of ingredients, I am heartbroken.
If anyone makes this recipe, I would recommend NOT pricking the shortbread crust with a fork.
Another “to die for” recipe! These are the best! But then again,I think you blue berry scones and blue berry bread are the best too!
Thank you Sally!
I have made this twice, the second time i was SUPER careful to follow the directions exactly. Both times the crust FLOATED to the top and the filling was undercooked underneath. What am i doing wrong.???
Hi Brianna! Usually when the bars end up inverted it’s because we either over-baked the crust or let it cool for too long. We have, however, found an easy trick to help prevent this. If you ever want to try this recipe again, use a fork to poke holes into the warm crust after you take it out of the oven. This helps the topping stick to it and holds the crust in place (below the filling). Hope this is helpful!
I made this recipe over a year ago and again yesterday and find that it’s very easy to follow! However, the lemon filling has an eggy taste to it which is a little off putting. I totally forgot about this when I made them last time, but am thinking next time I will try with 1 or 2 less eggs. Otherwise very tasty!
Every time I’ve made this recipe it does not disappoint! These are the best lemons bars I’ve ever made/eaten! I plan on making them again tomorrow, but one of my friends is gluten free. Is the short break crust gluten free?
Hi Maya, the all-purpose flour in the shortbread crust (and the filling) contains gluten, but you can certainly give it a try with an all-purpose gluten-free flour (like Bob’s Red Mill or Cup4Cup) instead. Let us know if you give it a try!
Rating based on the filling only! My original comment was too long so here’s the basics. I halved the filling recipe, I used 2 egg yolks +2 whole eggs. I was hesitant to use flour, but I did. It was divine! Can’t wait to make this complete recipe!
I have made these twice now because they are sooooo yummy and easy to throw together! These lemon bars will be perfect for Easter Brunch!