The BEST Lemon Bars
These Easy Lemon Bars have a buttery shortbread crust with a deliciously sweet and tart layer of silky lemon curd baked on top! Dust them with a generous sprinkle of powdered sugar for a beautiful finish and you've got a dessert bar that is party ready in no time!
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time40 minutes mins
Cooling Time1 hour hr
Total Time2 hours hrs
Course: Brownies and bars
Cuisine: American
Servings: 18 -24 bars
Calories: 306kcal
Crust
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (219g)
- 1 cup salted butter (227g)
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar (83g)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar (500g)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (63g)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 8 large egg yolks
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13" pan with a parchment paper sling.
In a food processor, add the flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, salt, and butter. Pulse until the butter is cut in really well, then press the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes until just barely starting to brown around the edges.
While crust bakes, prepare the lemon filling by whisking together the sugar, flour, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and eggs, whisking well until combined.
Pour the filling over the crust, then decrease oven heat by 25 degrees to 325 degrees F and bake for another 22-26 minutes until the lemon bars are set and no longer jiggling in the center. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Dust with powdered sugar, then cut into squares. Store in fridge until ready to serve.
- Smaller Batch: You can halve the recipe and bake in an 8- or 9-inch square pan if you only want 9-12 lemon bars. You can decrease the baking time for the filling to about 20 minutes if you decide to take this approach.
Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 425IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg