Let me introduce you to the best dessert I’ve ever made: lemon bars, a zesty sweet lemon juice and sugar filled bar in a shortbread crust showered with powdered sugar! 

Easy Lemon Bar Recipe

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I’m so glad you stopped by!

Can you smell the dark roast coffee I just brewed? Sit down and I’ll pour you a cup.

Strong, hot coffee goes perfectly with a lemon bar recipe, a sweet, tart, zesty and easy dessert, I’m going to share with you.

Lemon bars are one of my most favorite desserts.

Of course, I’m in love with any and all citrus no matter the form.

Grapefruit cocktails

Lemon Drop Martinis

Lime bars

Lemon Shortbread Hearts

Mojitos with fresh lime

I also reviewed this cookbook, devoted to citrus recipes that you might like if you really love citrus like I do.

How Do You Make Lemon Bars From Scratch?

These citrus bars are easy, in some ways easier and faster than making a batch of cookies.

You make a shortbread crust using butter, sugar, flour and a bit of salt, which you press into a square cake pan, 8 by 8 in size.

While the crust is baking in the oven for 15 minutes, you make the lemon bar filling with eggs, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar.

Then you pour the lemon mixture over the crust and bake it.

Let cool, cut into bars and sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like.

This lemon bar recipe, which uses just-squeezed lemon juice and grated zest always makes me feel like I’m somewhere fancy having high tea.

I’ve been making these lemon bars for years.

I found the recipe in a 1999 Cooking Light magazine.

I just realized that I’ve been making these citrus bars for over 20 years now!

Don‘t worry about the recipe coming from a healthy cooking magazine, these lemon bars taste decadent.

Even better, they come together quickly in one bowl.

What tools do I need to make lemon bars?

Microplane zester/grater for grating lemon peel.

I have this one and highly recommend it. I’ve used it for several years and it’s still sharp.

Plus you can use a Microplane zester for grating Parmesan and other hard cheeses as well as blocks of chocolate.

Grated chocolate is a wonderful topping for coffee yogurt. Or anything really.

You also need a square cake pan, 8 x 8 or 9×9.

I have one similar to this pan by Caphalon.

An 8×8 pan is also a good size for making homemade granola bars.

Lemon Bar Recipe Tips:

Make the crust first. While the crust is baking in the oven for 15 minutes, mix the filling.

Don’t worry if the filling seems really runny once you pour it in the crust.

The bars will thicken in the oven.

This recipe makes one 8 x 8 pan. So, if you’re planning desserts for a party, you’ll need to bake additional items.

You’ll need two to three medium sized lemons to yield a third of a cup of juice and two teaspoons of zest.

How should you juice the lemons?

I own a couple different styles of citrus reamers but 99.9 percent of the time I just use a sturdy fork.

You can use a wooden reamer like this. 

Or a fancy reamer like this one.

Should Lemon Bars Be Refrigerated?

Yes, refrigerate lemon bars if you’re not going to eat them all the day you make them.

However, having said that, lemon bars are okay to stay out at room temperature for a few hours if you’re serving them at a party or gathering.

Can I Freeze Lemon Bars?

Yes, you can freeze lemon bars.

However, before freezing the bars, cut them into squares and wrap each one with wax paper or freezer paper and seal in a freezer-safe container or bag.

Yield: 12 bars

Lemon Bar Recipe

Print

Let me introduce you to the best dessert I've ever made: lemon bars, a zesty sweet lemon juice and sugar filled bar showered with powdered sugar! 

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp lemon zest, grated
• 1/3 cup lemon juice, fresh
• 3 tbps all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup powdered or icing sugar, sifted

Instructions

1. Make crust
2. Beat sugar and butter in mixing bowl with beaters until creamy, about two minutes. 
3. Add flour. Beat on low speed until you have a fine crumb.
4. Line an 8x8 inch square tin with parchment paper or spray heavily with non=stick coating Or rub thoroughly with a bit of butter.
5. Dump crumbs into tin and press with your hands or with the bottom of a measuring cup to form a crust.
6. Bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes or until just crisp with the slightest bit of browning on the edges. Cool on wire rack.
7. Make Filling
8. Beat eggs on medium speed until foamy-about three minutes. Add remaining ingredients sugar through salt and beat until combined.
9. Pour over cooled crust.
10. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350. Pay attention to smell. When you smell lemon bars, the bars are likely done. There should be just a slight jiggle when you remove the pan from the oven but the mixture shouldn't be loose. If it's loose, bake for another five minutes or so.
11. Let cool.
12. Cut into squares.
13. Serve with a sprinkling of powdered or icing sugar.
14. Enjoy

Notes

Make sure eggs are room temperature.

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Easy Lemon Bars (Make in One Bowl)