Bright Fresh Lemon Bars (Printable)

Zesty lemon bars with buttery shortbread crust and tangy citrus filling, perfect for warm-weather gatherings.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Shortbread Crust

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Lemon Filling

05 - 4 large eggs
06 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)
09 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
10 - Powdered sugar for dusting

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt, mixing until combined and a crumbly dough forms.
03 - Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
04 - While the crust bakes, whisk together the eggs and sugar in a separate bowl until well blended. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, then stir in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
05 - Remove the crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325°F. Pour the lemon filling evenly over the hot crust. Return to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the center is set and no longer jiggles when gently shaken.
06 - Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out, then cut into 12 squares. Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The shortbread crust comes together in one bowl with no fancy equipment needed, which means you can have these bars in the oven before your coffee finishes brewing.
  • That filling hits a sweet sour balance that makes people close their eyes on the first bite, and it sets up perfectly every single time.
02 -
  • Pouring the filling over a hot crust is not a mistake, it is the method, because the warmth helps the filling begin setting immediately and prevents a soggy layer between crust and topping.
  • Do not rush the cooling step or the bars will fall apart into a mess that still tastes good but looks like a crime scene.
03 -
  • Run your knife under hot water and wipe it dry between each cut for bakery-perfect edges that make people think you bought them instead of baked them.
  • Dusting the powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve gives you an even, professional looking layer instead of clumpy patches.

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