Description
This Easy Lemon Bars recipe delivers a tangy and sweet treat with a buttery shortbread crust and luscious lemon filling. Perfect for any occasion, these simple lemon bars are quick to make and guaranteed to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- For the Filling:
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Bake the Crust: Bake the crust in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly golden. While the crust is baking, prepare the lemon filling.
- Make the Lemon Filling: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice, flour, and baking powder until smooth. Ensure there are no lumps for a perfectly smooth filling.
- Bake the Lemon Bars: Pour the lemon filling evenly over the baked crust. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the filling is set but still slightly jiggly in the center. Let the lemon bars cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
Notes
- Use cold butter for the crust to ensure a flaky texture.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice makes a significant difference in flavor compared to bottled juice.
- Do not overbake the filling; it should be slightly jiggly when you remove it from the oven.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting to prevent the filling from being too soft.
- For a cleaner cut, use a warm, damp knife.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250 Kcal
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: lemon bars, easy lemon bars, lemon bar recipe, dessert, baking, lemon dessert, quick lemon bars, simple lemon bars, citrus dessert