I have so many favorite bar recipes, like these Key Lime Pie Bars, S’mores Bars, Butterfinger Bars, and White Texas Sheet Cake.
Why I love this recipe:
Basic pantry ingredients: There are only a few ingredients needed to make these homemade lemon bars including flour, sugar, butter, lemon juice, salt, baking powder and eggs. Chewy shortbread crust: The best lemon bars are extra thick, soft and chewy, all made possible by the texture of the shortbread crust. Creamy lemon filling. The filling is perfectly sweet and creamy, with the perfect amount of lemon tartness.
How to make Lemon Bars:
Shortbread Crust: In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the flour and salt then mix on low speed, just until combined. Press dough evenly into the bottom of an 8″ pan with parchment paper, or a greased dish. Bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven and set aside. Make Filling: While the crust cools, make the lemon filling. Mix the lemon zest and sugar in a mixing bowl then add the lemon juice, flour, baking powder, and eggs. Mix until well combined and the sugar is dissolved then pour mixture over crust. Bake lemon curd bars at 350 degrees for 35-40 more minutes, or until the filling has set. Remove from oven then allow to cool completely. Serve: For truly the best lemon bars, dust the tops with powdered sugar before cutting and serving. Store in the refrigerator.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Make this old fashioned lemon squares recipe up to 2 days in advance. Allow to cool completely before covering and storing in the refrigerator. To Freeze: Allow lemon squares to cool completely before covering and freezing for up to 3 months.
More Lemon Recipes:
Lemon Mousse Lemon Cake Lemon Sour Cream Pie Lemon Meringue Pie Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Lemon Blueberry Bread Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Lemon Chicken Pasta Lemon Raspberry Muffins Homemade Lemonade
I originally shared this recipe January 2019. Updated March 2024.
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