Description
Zesty Lemon Bars bring sunshine right to your kitchen table with just a few simple ingredients and minimal effort. Creamy, tart filling nestled on a buttery shortbread crust makes this classic dessert a total crowd-pleaser that disappears faster than you can slice it.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter
- ½ cup white sugar
Filling Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine 2 cups flour, 1 cup softened butter, and ½ cup sugar in a mixing bowl. Blend the ingredients until they create a cohesive dough.
- Transfer the dough into an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish. Press firmly and evenly across the bottom to create a uniform crust.
- Place the crust in a 350°F oven and bake for exactly 15 minutes until the edges turn a light golden color.
- In a separate bowl, mix 1 ½ cups sugar with ¼ cup flour until well combined.
- Crack 4 eggs into the sugar-flour mixture. Pour in ½ cup fresh lemon juice from 2 squeezed lemons.
- Whisk the ingredients thoroughly until the filling becomes completely smooth with no lumps.
- Carefully pour the lemon filling over the hot baked crust, ensuring an even distribution across the surface.
- Return the dish to the 350°F oven and bake an additional 20 minutes. The center should remain slightly wobbly when gently shaken.
- Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely inside the baking dish. This helps the filling set properly.
- Once cooled, slice into square portions and optionally dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for the crust to ensure smooth, easy mixing and a tender texture.
- Zest the lemons before juicing to capture maximum citrus flavor and brightness in the filling.
- Line the baking dish with parchment paper for easy removal and clean cutting of the bars.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend in both the crust and filling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 291 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg