These Lemon Bars are the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, with a buttery shortbread crust, and a smooth citrusy, lemon filling. They’re bright refreshing, and totally irresistible. This is the recipe your grandma wishes she had, and you’ll never need another!
These Lemon Bars are the perfect spring dessert. Perfect for serving at a baby shower, bridal shower, Easter brunch, potluck picnic, or whenever you need a weekend treat and you love lemon desserts.
Don’t miss our other lemon favorites, like Lemon Crinkle Cookies, Copy Cat Starbucks Lemon Loaf, or Lemon Sheet Cake!
Why you’ll love THESE lemon bars!
- Perfect Balance of Flavors: The tart lemon filling pairs so nicely with the buttery and flakey crust (plus a little powdered sugar on top!)
- Easy to Make: One of the easiest desserts out there, and only take about 10 minutes of work!
- Great for Every Occasion: Perfect for potlucks, parties, or an every day treat! You’ll never regret making a batch of these!
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Lemon Bar Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- all purpose flour – we will use this for the crust and the filling
- unsalted butter – I always use unsalted butter in baking, if using salted, skip the extra added salt in the shortbread crust
- powdered sugar – I love using powdered sugar in my shortbread to keep it extra soft and tender
- salt – this always helps balance the flavor in baked goods
- granulated sugar – for sweetening the lemon curd topping
- eggs – they provide structure and creaminess for the lemon topping, I know its a lot of eggs, but don’t skip!
- fresh lemon juice – the key ingredients, so you don’t want to skimp and use bottled juice here.
- fresh lemon zest – adds a little extra oomph to the lemon flavor!
How to make the best lemon bars?
Step 1: Make the Shortbread Crust. Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl for a couple of minutes. Add in the flour and salt and mix together until the mixture is a coarse crumbly mixture, then keep mixing as it starts to become a dough.
Step 2: Bake the Shortbread. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a lined baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden. Press the top all over with a fork.
Step 3: Make the Lemon Filling. Mix together the sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl using a fork. Press the lemon zest into the sugar to help release the oils. Add in the flour and salt, and whisk them together. Add in the eggs, lemon juice and mix until well combined.
Step 4: Bake the Bars. Pour the filling over the top of the warm crust. Continue baking the bars until the center is mostly set, and no longer jiggly. Let the bars cool for a few minutes, sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar. Then let them cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, then transfer to the fridge to chill for 2 hours.
Tips and Tricks:
- Use Fresh Lemons: You need fresh lemons for the lemon zest and lemon juice to get the right bright and tangy flavor in every bite.
- Line your Pan: Line your pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment you can use foil in a pinch. This will make it so much easier to lift the bars out of the pan, and get clean slices.
- Chill: I actually love the flavor of the bars chilled, but chilling them before slicing also helps cut the squares with clean edges. Also, wipe the knife in between slices to help keep the squares extra neat.
- Half the Recipe: The the recipe in half and bake in a 8 or 9 inch square pan instead. The bars will only likely be done a couple minutes faster, so watch for a golden color, and when the center no longer jiggles.
Storage Instructions
Store the bars in an airtight container for up to 5 or 6 days. You can also freeze the bars by freezing them on a lined baking pan for 1 hour. Then wrap each frozen bar in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 or 4 months. Thaw in the fridge, and dust with confectioners sugar before serving.
These bars are a great make ahead dessert because they actually taste better after chilling, so make them the day before you event and store them in the fridge until enjoying, and voila – no stress on the day of your party.
These Lemon Bars are one of my favorite citrus desserts – sweet, tangy, and perfectly delicious. They’re a classic treat that everyone loves, and everyone will be asking you for the recipe!
More Citrus Favorites
Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Crust:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (divided)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 14 TBS unsalted butter (melted)
For the Lemon Topping:
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 6 TBS all purpose flour
- 2 TBS lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Equipment
Instructions
For the Shortbread Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl. 2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp salt
- Add in the melted butter and stir until completely combined. 14 TBS unsalted butter
- Press in the bottom of the prepared pan and press down into an even layer.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the crust has a light golden color.
- Remove from the oven and poke holes lightly into the top of the crust with a fork, not all the way through to the bottom.
For the Lemon Topping:
- Add the sugar, flour, lemon zest, and salt to a large bowl and use a fork to mix them together, pressing the lemon zest into the sugar to release the oils. 2 cups granulated white sugar, 6 TBS all purpose flour, 2 TBS lemon zest, 1/2 tsp salt
- Stir in the eggs until completely combined. 4 large eggs
- Then add the lemon juice and mix until completely combined. 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- Pour the mixture over the prepared crust.
- Place back in the oven and bake for another 23 to 28 minutes, or until the middle no longer jiggles.
- Let the bars cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Then transfer them to the fridge to chill for another 2 hours.
- Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Slice into squares and enjoy. 1/4 cup powdered sugar
These Old Fashioned Lemon Bars were first posted on August 8, 2011. The photos and blog text were updated for clarity on April 21, 2025.
For the Original Lemon Bar Recipe:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup butter (melted)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (divided)
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 TBS lemon juice
- 2 TBS lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a medium bowl add the melted butter, 1 cup flour, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar – mix together completely
- Press into the bottom of a glass 8×8 pan
- Bake for 20 minutes
- In another medium bowl, whip the 2 eggs until creamy
- Add 1 cup white sugar, 2 TBS lemon juice, 2 TBS lemon zest, baking powder, and salt – whisk together until mixed completely
- Remove pan from oven and pour lemon – sugar over the top
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until top is golden and when touched the indent stays
- Cool for 5 minutes
- Sprinkle with the additional 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Cool and cut into 1 inch squares
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