Go Back
–+ servings
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

The Best Lemon Bars

I'm not afraid to say that these are The Best Lemon Bars you'll ever make. With a sweet, smooth, and bright filling all stacked on top of a buttery crust, these little bars pack a lot of WOW.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time55 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24
Calories: 190kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Ingredients

For Crust

  • 1 cup butter unsalted, cold cut in small pieces
  • 1/2 cup sugar granulated
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For Lemon Filling

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar granulated
  • 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoon lemon zest from 2 lemons
  • 3/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven: Start by preheating the oven to 350 F degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Make the crust: In the bowl of  your food processor add all the crust ingredients and pulse a few times until it starts to form into a ball. Press this evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Use your hands if needed to flatten it out over the entire surface. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the edges start to brown slightly.
  • Make filling: Whisk together all the filling ingredients. Pour over cooled crust.
  • Bake lemon bars: Transfer the baking pan back to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes or until the custard appears to be set. Let it cool at room temperature.
  • Serve: Cool completely before cutting it into slices. Dust with icing sugar before serving. If time permits, chill them for a couple hours before slicing and serving.

Notes

Once chilled, slice the bars and store them in an airtight container, using parchment paper or wax paper to keep the stacks separate. They’ll last in the fridge like this for up to 3 days.
The great thing is that these bars also freeze well! They can last up to 2 months in the freezer if stored in an airtight container. When you want to serve, just thaw overnight in the refrigerator and you're ready to eat!

Nutrition

Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 3.6mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.7mg