Description
Lemon bars bring sunshine to your dessert plate with a silky smooth filling and buttery crust that melts right into your taste buds. Zesty citrus and sweet shortbread create a perfect balance that makes these treats disappear faster than you can slice them.
Ingredients
Scale
Base:
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ⅔ cup confectioners sugar
- 1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Finishing:
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Prepare a 9×13 inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Apply a thin butter layer to help the paper stick securely.
- Combine 1 ¾ cups flour, ⅔ cup confectioners sugar, and ¾ tsp salt in a food processor. Pulse 12 tablespoons butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
- Press the crust mixture evenly across the pan bottom, creating a slight ½-inch upward edge. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the crust for 22 minutes until it turns light golden brown.
- Whisk 4 large eggs, 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons lemon zest in a medium bowl. Incorporate 3 tablespoons flour and ⅛ teaspoon salt.
- Mix ⅔ cup lemon juice, ¼ cup whole milk, and 2 tablespoons melted butter into the egg mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Pour the lemon filling over the hot crust.
- Bake for 20 minutes, checking that the filling feels firm when gently touched.
- Cool the pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Lift the bars out using parchment paper edges.
- Transfer to a cutting board and slice into desired serving sizes.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is cold when making the crust for the best flaky texture and easy blending in the food processor.
- Zesting lemons requires a gentle touch to avoid the bitter white pith, so use only the bright yellow outer layer of the skin.
- Chilling the crust helps prevent shrinkage and creates a more stable base for your tangy lemon bars.
- When cutting the bars, use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts for neat, precise squares that showcase the creamy filling.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 235 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg