If I had to choose a last meal, it would be Lemon Bars for appetizer, main, and dessert. You don’t even KNOW how fast I can finish off a pan of these bad boys; it’s embarrassing. There is just some thing incredibly bright and cheerful about them, from the crumbly-tender buttery shortbread crust, to the thick, pucker-up level of tart lemon flavor in the custard. PERFECTION GUYS. Easy to make, and a crowd favorite for Mother’s Day, baby or bridal showers, Easter, Thanksgiving, January blues, you name it. (Don’t invite me to your party, though. I will eat them ALL.) Originally published January 20, 2012.
Table of Contents
- Lemon Bars are my favorite dessert of all time forever and ever amen
- The shortbread crust of your dreams
- Let’s talk lemon custard
- The key to a Perfect Lemon Bar
- Lemon Bars recipe ingredients
- How to make lemon bars from scratch
- How to serve easy lemon bars
- How to store your leftover lemon bars
- Can lemon bars be frozen?
- Lemon bar frequently asked questions
- Other Lemon Recipes You’ll Love:
- Lemon Bars Recipe Recipe
- Ingredients
- Instructions
I was on my run this morning chatting with a friend on the phone. (And when I say “on a run” I really mean barely walk-jogging. Let’s be real, January got me like—) Suddenly a car speeding by on the 45 mph road slows to a near stop beside me.
“Just to let you know, there are a couple deer up there!” He calls, pointing ahead and looking very concerned.
You know those moments when your brain works way faster than your mouth? I thought of several different ways I could respond in this odd moment:
- “Oh wow, cool, a deer sighting!”
- “Oh gosh, thanks for the heads up, I’ll be sure not to run into them!” (??)
- “Watch out! Don’t hit them with your car while you are busy telling a random pedestrian you saw a deer!”
- “Are you worried they are going to…charge me or something?” Like, who exactly are you concerned for here? These aren’t like, ferocious moose we’re talking about. They are DEER, God’s most docile, flighty creature
In the end, I saw no deer at all. And now I’m wondering if I should have been checking my pockets to see if someone had come and grabbed my wallet during the exchange. Maybe it was an elaborate set up? “I’LL distract her, YOU grab the money” (Later, in the getaway car: “your genius diversion was to tell her there was a DEER?? WTF man?”)
Lemon Bars are my favorite dessert of all time forever and ever amen
The other day I casually mentioned to my friend Tawna that I made lemon bars. “Oh really?” she said. “I’ve never had a lemon bar.”
And then my brain EXPLODED.
Okay not really, but GAH!!! The thought of life without lemon bars. If I could only eat one dessert for the rest of my life, it would be this recipe for lemon bars, no lie. (Okay. I’m lying. If in some sick world I really did have to choose, I would flip a coin between these lemon bars and The Best Chocolate Cake I’ve Ever Had. And then I would do everything in my power to game the system to get both.)
(Tawna had never had lemon bars because she can’t have gluten. But good news! These lemon bars are SUPER easy to make gluten free. See the recipe notes! I made sure Tawna got to eat some of these, don’t worry. It’s my mission to share the gospel of the lemon bar. Are you a believer yet??)
I posted this recipe the first time just 3 months after starting my blog, in January of 2012 (dreary January needs lemon bars, don’t you think?) This is actually my THIRD time updating this recipe in the last 13 years. New record for me. Lemon Bars are a work of art that deserve to be lovingly revisited again and again. Quarterly, maybe. 😂
I wanted to update because the previous recipe insisted that you find yourself an 8×11 inch pan to get the ratios right. Which is annoying, because it’s an uncommon pan size. I want to be able to whip these up into a 9×13 pan, to serve a crowd. So, back to the kitchen I went. And voila! I made some other updates, mostly to do with the crust. I’m SO happy with how they turned out!!
Let me tell you all the details. I got some RULES. First up: the crust.
The shortbread crust of your dreams
Recently I went down the rabbit hole perfecting my Shortbread Cookies (have you made those yet??) I did a lot of research and testing to get the perfect crumbly, buttery texture. I applied what I learned to the shortbread crust on these lemon bars. I became (perhaps, ahem) a little obsessed with getting the texture JUST right (It’s not exactly the same as a stand-alone shortbread.) I want it crumbly but not so much that it falls apart when you pick it up. I want it buttery to the extreme. I want it to melt in your mouth.
The answer? Use all powdered sugar in the crust to give it that melt-y texture. Use cornstarch in place of a little bit of the flour to make it super tender. Use zest in the crust for ultimate flavor. Voila!! Now the top layer:
Let’s talk lemon custard
Here’s the thing guys. I don’t mess around when it comes to lemon bars. If I’m going to eat something citrusy, I want it citrus TO THE MAX. Don’t give me any of this wimpy “truck full of lemons driving by” business. (who remembers the La Croix meme? 😂) I want that lemon in my FACE.
Fun fact about me: I inherited this weird trait from my dad, that whenever we eat something extremely tart, it makes our faces sweat. Just our faces, it’s so odd. I have no idea if there is a specific name for this phenomenon, but rest assured: I can barely eat these lemon bars after a while because they are so overwhelming. After stealing tiny bite number 95 from the pan, you will find me hopping around the kitchen, frantically waving at my face. Worth it every time.
This recipe was developed to be TART. If that’s not your thing, if you just want regular run-of-the-mill lemon bars, then follow the recipe notes to add more sugar to the custard layer. That’s the only change you have to make! Easy peasy.
The other thing that makes the custard layer more perfect than other recipes: there’s more of it. I want LOTS of lemon custard on top of my delightfully tender shortbread. It’s the perfect ratio! I love it!
The key to a Perfect Lemon Bar
Here are my rules for perfect lemon bars:
- A THICK, buttery shortbread crust
- More lemon custard than usual. This recipe calls for more volume of ingredients in the lemon layer than the average recipe (6 eggs rather than 4, over 1 cup of lemon juice rather than a 1/2 cup)
- Use ONLY powdered sugar in the crust to make it super tender, giving it that “dissolve on your tongue” texture
- Use cornstarch in the crust, again, to make it tender
- Use a TON of lemon zest in the custard layer. That’s where all the flavor is, and the only way to get that “punch” of lemon in your bars.
- Buy yourself a microplane grater to get the finest zest. There are not a lot of less-common kitchen tools I insist on, but this is one of them.
- Use a ton of lemon juice. If you plan to make lemon bars more than once in your life, another uncommon kitchen tool that makes the process way more fun is an electric citrus juicer. They are not too expensive, and save you from the monotony of juicing a zillion lemons by hand. (Heaven forbid you have a hangnail or a paper cut! agh!)
- An uncommon opinion: chill these bars completely, then let them rest on the counter for 30-60 minutes before serving. I like my lemon bars cold, but not SO cold that I can’t taste the flavors. More on this below.
- When slicing your lemon bars, cut off and discard the very edges of the pan. And when I say “discard,” I mean discard them directly into your mouth. I’m not saying they aren’t good enough to eat by yours truly. But if I’m slicing up these bars to bring to an event and I want every piece to be amazing, I cut off the edges. The center pieces are the best, for sure. The edges get slightly over cooked as a natural result of baking long enough to cook the center, and can taste rather gummy. It’s not that big of a deal, just a small detail and my own preference.
- Don’t halve the recipe to bake in a square size pan. Will it work? Yes, of course. But referencing the point above: the very outer edge of lemon bars are not that great, by nature. So by the time you make a square pan of lemon bars, then cut off the edges, you’re left with not that much left. And this might be totally ok with you, come to think of it. I have a hard time accepting other people’s level of restraint sometimes, especially when it comes to lemon bars! DON’T YOU WANT TO EAT THEM ALL??
Lemon Bars recipe ingredients
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
- butter
- granulated sugar
- flour
- cornstarch
- kosher salt
- lemons
- eggs
- powdered sugar
How to make lemon bars from scratch
Let’s make the crust! Start by adding the dry ingredients to a large bowl. We’re adding a full 1/4 cup of cornstarch:
I know this picture shows granulated sugar in there. I tested this many different ways and only got photos of some. But we’re actually using all powdered sugar in the crust! Don’t forget that zest in there! It’s not necessary, but it’s so good :)
Last thing, add in the COLD butter:
Use a pastry cutter to cut it in and make it looks like a shaggy, dry dough. It won’t come together and it looks too flour-y. TRUSSSST
Press the flour-butter mixture into the pan. Do a good job! Toss it in the freezer or fridge for several minutes while you preheat the oven. DON’T skip this chill step!! It’s so important for getting crust the right texture!
Here is the baked crust. Look at all those gorgeous craggy holes! That’s how you know this shortbread is going to be soft and tender and easy to bite through.
Now let’s get down to business. It’s lemon time!
We are adding two full tablespoons of lemon zest to these bars! I know zesting is a pain but that’s where most of that zingy flavor comes in. Don’t skip it! Get yourself a microplane grater!
The other tool that I love for lemon bars is my electric juicer. It makes juicing a ton of lemons soooo fast and easy. And it’s not too pricey! If you have the space to store it, snag one up.
Because we need over a cup of lemon juice for these bad boys. Boom:
Then, get mixing with a whisk, or electric beaters. Here is what it looks like when it’s NOT mixed all the way. Do you see the egg proteins sticking to the whisk? Keep beating until they don’t do that (or if you have a stubborn one, pull it out.)
This photo here is not showing egg protein; it’s the 2 tablespoons of zest sticking to the whisk. We want that! Scrape it off when you are done beating, and use a spatula to fold it into your custard mixture.
Pour it into the pan over the baked crust:
And it’s ready for the oven right away!
Let cool a bit, then cover and refrigerate. Don’t forget to dust with powdered sugar before serving!!
Here’s one of my photos from when I originally posted this back in 2012. I was soooooo proud of it. *pinches cheek of former self*
And here is a photo from the SECOND time I shot these lemon bars, back in 2017 I think:
It’s really fun for me to see how my photography style has changed over the years!
How to serve easy lemon bars
I love serving lemon squares at occasions where many lemon lovers will be present. And by lemon lovers, I do mean adult women. There is just SOMETHING about lemon bars that ladies love.
My son Truman is 11 and absolutely loves these lemon bars, more than he loves most desserts, so it’s not an exclusionary rule of course. But if you want your lemon squares to disappear, take them to a baby shower, a book club, or a girls night in. You’ll get top marks :)
How to store your leftover lemon bars
Lemon bars should be stored, covered, in the fridge. Now here’s my secret: I don’t serve these IMMEDIATELY after taking them out of the fridge. I do insist on cold lemon bars; they must be chilled completely before serving. But I like to let them rest out of the fridge, just on the counter, for at least 30-45 minutes.
This is for the crust. The crust is mostly butter, and butter in the fridge is pretty hard (as you know from that moment that you have a hot piece of toast and only cold butter to meagerly scrape across it 😂 life’s hard, right.) If you let the butter (or the shortbread crust of your lemon bars) sit out at room temperature for a few minutes, it’s softer, easier to bite through, and you are actually able to TASTE the buttery flavor, rather than just tasting “cold.”
Can lemon bars be frozen?
Yes! Lemon bars freeze really well for up to three months. You can freeze the whole pan or freeze individual lemon bars. They are basically still amazing straight out of the freezer, so if you are trying to keep yourself from eating them all…the freezer may not be your best strategy. Haha.
Lemon bar frequently asked questions
Yes! Or at least a couple hours. The lemony filling in these bars is a baked custard with egg in it, so you’ll want to make sure any leftovers are covered well and kept in the refrigerator.
Well, that’s a great question because they definitely should NOT taste metallic! I had to do some research on this one, and it turns out that sometimes the citric acid in the lemon juice actually reacts with the metals in the cookware you’re using: aluminum in particular. I definitely recommend cooking these bars in a glass pan!! If you need to use metal, stick with stainless steel, and line the pan with parchment paper for good measure.
The most likely culprit is not baking the crust long enough. You want to bake until it is golden brown and matte all the way across (not at all shiny), making sure it has enough time in the oven to develop a nice golden crust on the top to protect from the custard layer. Another important part of forming that layer is making sure the crust cools at least most of the way before adding filling on top. If you capture steam in the crust, it could make it fall apart later.
Other Lemon Recipes You’ll Love:
Are you a lemon lover like me?? I seriously can’t get enough. Lemon has got to be one of the best fruits known to man. Here are some other desserts starring the queen of citrus!
- Glazed Lemon Loaf Recipe >> lemony to the max, with a super tender crumb
- Lemon Curd Sugar Cookie Sandwich >> only true lemon lovers need apply
- Meyer Lemon Tart >> have you tried Meyer lemons yet? They are a little sweeter and more orange-y than a regular lemon and have such amazing flavor. Try this one out!
- Lemon Lush Dessert >> perfect for summer, this is smooth, light, and luxurious.
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies with Lemon Frosting >> these are SO LEMONY! I love them.
- The Best Lemon Curd >> no lie, guys. Put this in the Lemon Curd Sugar Cookie Sandwich!
- Lemon Cake with Lemon Frosting >> it’s one of my favorite cakes!
- Lemon Bar Muddy Buddies from Lemon Tree Dwelling
- Lemon Crumble Bars from House of Yumm
- Lemon Ice Box Pie from Life, Love, and Sugar
Lemon Bars Recipe
Equipment
- Microplane grater the finest lemon zest you will ever make. essential
- electric citrus juice this thing is a game changer for citrus desserts
- mesh strainer for dusting powdered sugar
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour*, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, use half the amount of table salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, the zest of one lemon
- 1 cup butter, COLD (2 sticks)
For the custard:
- 6 large eggs
- 2 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar*
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, use half the amount of table salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest , about 6-8 lemons. More zest=more tart.
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 6-8 medium lemons
- powdered sugar, for dusting the finished lemon bars
Instructions
- For the crust: Line a 9×13 inch glass or ceramic pan with parchment paper, or spray the sides of the pan with nonstick spray or rub with butter.
- In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients: 1 and 3/4 cup flour (Make sure you use a spoon to add the flour to your measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. You don't want to pack your flour.) Add 1/4 cup cornstarch, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and the zest from 1 lemon, using a microplane grater. Whisk it all together.
- Use a pastry cutter (or a butter knife) to cut the butter into the flour. Keep pressing the butter through the pastry cutter (or keep cutting the butter with the knife) until all the pieces are about the size of a pea or slightly larger. See photos.
- Press the butter and flour mixture into the 9×13 inch pan. Use a measuring cup to pack it in. The mixture will seem dry and powdery, that's okay! Pack it in and tightly as you can.
- Freeze the pan for about 20 minutes, or chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Cold butter hitting a hot oven is what makes your shortbread crust flaky and tender!
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while your unbaked crust chills.
- Bake the crust at 350 for about 24-25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the top of the crust no longer looks shiny. Don't leave it in too long, you want to take it out when the center is still pale on top (but completely matte). There will be little craggy holes in your crust, totally normal. They are air pockets (how you know the shortbread is flaky!)
- Let the crust cool completely, or almost completely, while you make the lemon custard. You can put the crust in the fridge or freezer if you want, to speed this up.
- For the lemon custard: In a large bowl or stand mixer, add all the remaining ingredients: 6 eggs, 2 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar,* 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, and 1 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
- Beat the mixture together thoroughly for about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Use your whisk attachment if you have a stand mixer, or just use beaters if you have a hand mixer. Make sure the eggs are totally mixed in. If you lift the beater and keep coming up with solid white egg proteins, keep mixing. (If you see a few stubborn ones, you can just pick them out.)
- Pour the lemon custard mixture over the cooled shortbread crust.
- Bake the lemon custard for an additional 30-35 minutes in the preheated oven. The edges should be set, while the center can still be a little wiggly (just a little). The center should not be sloshy or look liquid-y. The very edges may need to get very dark, even slightly burned looking, to get the center as set as it needs to be. The bars will firm up as they cool.
- Let cool for 20-30 minutes on a wire rack.
- Chill. Cover the bars with plastic wrap (don't let it touch the top) and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours until they are very cold all the way through. This is not just because we like cold lemon bars; it's also the final step to help the custard set up and not be too-liquidy.
- Let rest, if you have time. I prefer to eat lemon bars about 30 minutes out of the fridge.
- Slice the lemon bars. Use a sharp chef's knife, and wipe the knife between each cut. I prefer to cut off the very edges of the lemon bars and feed them to myself (or my kids :) For guests, I serve the center pieces. Lemon bars don't have to be cut into big pieces. They are quite rich and a little goes a long way. (I prefer to cut them into small squares and then eat 5,000 at a time, but that's just me.)
- Dust with powdered sugar right before serving. Add powdered sugar to a sieve and shake it over the lemon bars, then transfer to a serving platter. Don't bother doing this ahead of time, because it will just seep into the custard and you won't see it. The powdered sugar should be dusted on last minute.
- Store any leftovers covered in the fridge. They will keep for several days! Not that I would know!
- Freezing: You can totally freeze lemon bars, amazing right? Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
THE ORIGINAL RECIPE: I have a request from long-time readers to provide the previous recipe as it has appeared on the blog for the last 12 years! It’s mostly the same, but fits this recipe fits in an 8×11 inch pan:
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour OR a gluten-free blend (I used Bob’s Red Mill), spooned and leveled
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or a few shakes more, to taste)
- zest of one lemon
For the custard
- 1 and 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour OR a gluten-free blend (I used Bob’s Red Mill), spooned and leveled
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 medium lemons)
- 4 large eggs
- zest of 2-3 lemons (more zest=more tart. I add tons.)
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- For the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8×11 inch pan by lining it with parchment paper or spraying with nonstick spray. Or you could use foil, make sure you spray it with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl (or stand-mixer), beat together softened butter with 1/2 cup sugar, salt and zest.
- Add 2 cups flour, either all-purpose or a gluten-free blend. Make sure you use a scoop or spoon to place the flour in your measuring cup, then level it off. You don’t want to pack your flour.
- Beat in the flour. It won’t come together in a ball probably, but you want to get big clumps that are sticking together. Make sure the butter and flour are incorporated.
- Press into the bottom of the prepared 8×11 inch pan. Wet your fingers a little if the dough sticks to your hands.
- Bake at 350 for 24-26 minutes, or until golden around the edges.
For the Custard:
- In a bowl (or using stand mixer), whisk together the remaining 1 and 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons flour. You can use the unwashed bowl you just used for the crust, but only if you scrape it out pretty well. You don’t want clumps in your custard.
- After whisking the flour and sugar, whisk in the lemon juice, eggs, and zest.
- When the crust is done, pour the custard over the top. You don’t have to wait for the crust to cool.
- Bake for an additional 26-28 minutes in the preheated oven. The edges should be set with the center still a little wiggly (just a little). The bars will firm up as they cool.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until they are cold, then dust with powdered sugar right before serving. Don’t bother doing it before because it will just seep into the custard and you won’t see it.
- Store covered in the fridge.
I made these yesterday. They really are the best!!! I find many other recipes to be thin, runny, and sad. These bars were firm and thick, something you could really sink your teeth into.
Yes yes yes! I’m so happy you made them Laura! I too have had many a sad runny lemon bar. No more!
aww, congrats to Sarah! These lemon bars are gorgeous!!
KAREN! I am obsessed with finding the perfect lemon bar. I’ve (unfortunately) eaten way too many that just aren’t right and even have an egg-y quality to the custard. Yuck. I can’t deal. So I am PUMPED to try your version. I know they’ll be perfect! Cheers to Sarah and her babe!
I was obsessed too back in 2012! Until I came up with this version from all the recipes I tried!! I hope you love it Liz, you have to let me know how it goes if you get a chance to make it!
Lemon squares!!! It has been ages since I’ve had a lemony dessert and for the life of me I can’t think of a reason, especially considering I could probably eat an entire lemon meringue pie to myself. Yours look so perfect, and it’s so nice to see that the Bob’s AP you used worked so well!
I could probably eat an entire lemon meringue pie too, Christine. We must be kindred spirits. :) Or at least well on our way to getting diabetes.
i DID go on a lemon bar diet after you left the rest at my house this weekend and it was GLORIOUS! I’m glad I have you to answer my late-night “omg how do you organize baby clothes” calls and talk me down from the ledge! I think this lil’ cheesebaby will be super well dressed, but only because of my mama;) Thank you for making and SHARING WITH ME IRL these amazing lemon squares for my virtual baby shower! I must say that once again, your dessert was one of the top crowd choices…
I was on a lemon bar diet too because I made these again after your party so that I could shoot them, and then there I was with an entire pan of bars and nothing to do but shove them in my face. Life is so hard.
I believe that these are the best- they look incredible! I LOVE lemon bars :) Pinning!
Thank you Medha! You are so sweet!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS LEMON BARS! 100% going to make these soon, for myself. No sharing.
Seriously though. Sharing is totes overrated.
ANYTHING lemon. It’s like my kryptonite. I desperately want these. Also? Sarah is a.ma.zing. I love her.
I’m so glad I know how to defeat you now Amy. I WILL DESTROY YOU. One lemon bar at a time.
(I didn’t like the fact that I just weirdly left a Facebook comment on your post accidentally, so am re-posting here)
I am such a bad blogger friend. I want to make a comment about how lovely your new blog layout is, but I haven’t been reading around the blogosphere in so long that this is probably like a year-old layout update.
…
IT STILL LOOKS BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Couldn’t resist. Also, these lemon bars. HOW HAD YOUR FRIEND NEVER HAD A LEMON BAR?! Thank the heaven she has you to enlighten/bake for her. She is a lucky duck. And now I want a lemon bar, thanks.
Aw thank you Erika!! My sister in law designed it, she is so talented. And the reason Tawna hadn’t had a lemon bar is because she has Celiac’s. She tried to bake her own but they didn’t work out. TRAGIC. so i fixed it. next im tackling donuts, she told me the only ones she’s had were frozen gf donuts that you microwave. shudder. wish me luck…I’m gonna need it.
Since your subbing stuff Karen, can you come up with a way to make these taste amazing with no carbs and no sugar? It’s really difficult reading all your delicious recipes, but knowing that i can’t make them and then stuff my face like when I was 30 and still keep my girlish figure. Getting old is the pits . . . I’m imagining eating these but it’s not the same. . .
Oh yeah sure Kris I’ll get right to work on that. Be sure to stay on my good side, because you will want to be on my A-list when I make billions for finding the solution to life’s greatest problem: why can’t I eat whatever I want?
Yum! Lemon bars make me thing of spring :). I can’t even imagine not being able to eat gluten.
Me too Laura! Just what I need for the gloomy weather we’ve been having around here! :)
How many lemons would you say that you used? I have so many fond memories of lemon bar eating…with my grandmother; at a bakery in Amish country in Pennsylvania; with you…oh no wait, that was lemon slurp.
Hmmm I think I used 3 or 4 very large lemons. Just buy a few, and if it’s not quite enough you could throw in a few squirts of refrigerated lemon juice to make up for it. Long live lemon slurp!!
Can you fill us in on the “center layer of leftovers”? It sounds yummy! (smirk)
It’s in the last picture, can’t you see it? Little bits of rice and chicken in between the crust and custard? Yum.
(I’m totally lying)
My husband does the exact same excessive shopping thing, which is why I try not to send him to the store often.
I want to make them at your house just to watch your face sweat Karen!