Description
Zesty lemon bars bring sunshine to your dessert plate with a buttery shortbread crust and tangy lemon filling. Creamy, bright, and perfectly balanced, these bars offer a delightful sweet-tart treat you’ll want to savor until the last crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
Citrus Ingredients:
- ½ cup lemon juice (2–3 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (finely grated)
Finishing Ingredient:
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Prepare the baking vessel by coating an 8×8 inch (20×20 centimeters) pan with non-stick spray and carefully line with parchment paper, ensuring complete coverage of the bottom and sides.
- Combine softened unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl, blending until the mixture resembles coarse, crumbly texture.
- Transfer the crumb mixture into the prepared pan, pressing firmly and evenly to create a compact base layer.
- Chill the crust in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to help set the texture and enhance stability.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and place the chilled crust inside.
- Bake the crust for 15-18 minutes until the edges turn a light golden brown, indicating a perfectly crisp foundation.
- While the crust bakes, whisk together fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, large eggs, granulated sugar, and all-purpose flour in a separate mixing bowl until smooth and well-incorporated.
- Remove the baked crust from the oven and carefully pour the vibrant lemon filling over the hot surface, ensuring even distribution.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, watching for a slight jiggle in the center that signals perfect doneness.
- Allow the lemon bars to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour to help the filling set firmly.
- Before serving, dust the chilled bars generously with additional powdered sugar, creating an elegant, snow-like finish.
Notes
- Chilling the crust helps create a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture that sets this lemon bar recipe apart from others.
- Using fresh lemon juice and zest guarantees a bright, tangy flavor that will make your taste buds dance with excitement.
- Parchment paper makes removing the bars from the pan super easy, ensuring clean, picture-perfect slices every time.
- Powdered sugar not only adds a sweet finishing touch but also covers any small imperfections, making your dessert look professionally prepared.
- Refrigerating the bars allows the filling to set completely, intensifying the lemon flavor and creating a delightful, firm texture.
- Room temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the filling, preventing lumps and creating a silky-smooth consistency.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 130mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg