Perfect Lemon Bars

A block of lemon bars on a cutting board. Some are cut into small squares.

These lemon bars really are perfect. Lemon shortbread crust encasing a rich and super-tangy lemon curd filling that slices well and melts in your mouth. You are going to love this classic springtime dessert bar!

Course Cookies and Bars

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings -48 depending on how you cut them

Calories 113kcal

Author Jennifer Field

Ingredients

For the Crust

226 grams unsalted butter 8 oz or 2 sticks
108 grams granulated sugar 3.8 oz or 1/2 cup
½ teaspoon kosher salt I use Morton's
269 grams all-purpose flour 9.5 oz or 2 cups measured by spoon and sweep method
zest of 1 large lemon

For the Lemon Filling

410 grams granulated sugar 14.5 oz or 2 cups
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
43 grams all-purpose flour 4 Tablespoons
4 large eggs
2 egg yolks
zest of 4 large lemons
226 grams lemon juice 8 oz or 1 cup, measured after straining out the seeds and pulp

For Topping

30 grams sugar snow or powdered sugar about 1/4 cup
¼ teaspoon whole lemon powder optional

Instructions

Prep

Line a 9" x 13" pan with parchment. Set aside.
Zest 5 large lemons. Zest from 1 will go into the crust and the rest will go into the filling
Juice as many zested lemons as it takes to get 1 cup/8 oz of juice. Strain the juice to remove pulp and seeds before weighing. For me, it took 4 1/2 large, juicy lemons.
Whisk the sugar snow or powdered sugar together with the lemon powder, if using.
Set a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350F.
To Make the Crust
Heat butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl until very soft. It's fine if it's a little melted too, about 30-45 seconds.
Add the salt and mash together well with a wooden spoon.
Add the zest and sugar and mix together until smooth and creamy.
Add the flour and start mixing everything together with a spoon. When that gets a little hard to do, use your hand to work all the flour in so you have a smooth dough.

To Line the Pan

Break the dough up into pieces and scatter them into your prepared pan.
Press the dough into the bottom of the pan and about 3/4" up the sides all around.
Once you "rough in" the dough with your fingers, use your palms to press it in smoothly. It'll take a bit of finessing, so keep at it.
Bake for 20 minutes.

To Make the Filling

Wipe out the bowl you used to make the dough, and add the sugar, flour, and salt.
Whisk thoroughly to combine.
Add the whole eggs and egg yolks and whisk well until smooth.
Add the zest and juice and whisk for a good 30-45 seconds to make sure the juice is completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

To Bake and Finish

Once the crust is done, re-whisk the filling if it has been sitting for a few minutes.
Pull the rack with the pan on it out, and then carefully pour in the filling.
Carefully push the rack back into place, close the oven door, and bake for 20-22 minutes.
You'll know the filling is done when it doesn't slosh or even wiggle much when you jog the pan. The top will fill a little sticky but won't be wet.
Remove to a cooling rack. If using sugar snow to top your lemon bars, go ahead and sift it over now. Let the bars cool for about an hour on the counter and then a couple more in the fridge.
If using powdered sugar, sift it over right before slicing to serve.
Store leftovers in the fridge, well covered, for up to 5 days.

Notes

To make slightly less-rich lemon squares, use 6 whole eggs rather than 4 eggs and 2 yolks.

To make sturdier bars for sending in lunchboxes, increase the flour to 6 Tablespoons and decrease the sugar by 1/4 cup.

Tips and Tricks

Fill the crust with filling while it’s on the oven rack. This minimizes the chance you’ll have any filling sloshing over the sides and seeping under the crust.

For easy removal and cutting, line your baking pan with parchment. It will make it easier to lift the bars out to cut on a cutting board.

For topping your bars, I recommend using sugar snow over powdered sugar. Since it’s non-melting, you can sift on a thin layer straight out of the oven and it will last as long as the bars do.

Do lemon bars need to be refrigerated?

They do. They are very egg-heavy, and even with all the acid in the lemon juice and sugar in the bars, it’s still much safer to keep them in the refrigerator. They’ll keep fine, tightly covered, for up to 5 days.

Can you freeze lemon bars?

Yes, you can. I have some frozen right now simply to save me from myself! Wrap them in plastic wrap and then either wrap them well in foil or put them in a zip-top freezer bag, making sure to press out all the air before sealing. They will keep just fine for up to 3 months. Thaw in the freezer overnight.

What’s the best way to cut them?

To make the cleanest cuts, once cooled completely, use the parchment overhang to lift the entire “block” of lemon bar out of the pan and place it on a cutting board. Use a sharp kitchen knife–I use an 8″ chef knife to cut straight down. Wipe the blade between each cut. For the most precise cuts, run the knife blade under hot running water and then wipe it dry before cutting.

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