You only need 7 ingredients to make these lemon bars. The lemon curd filling is extra thick and creamy and sits on an irresistible buttery shortbread crust. Always bake lemon bars at a lower temperature to avoid over-baking. They’re simply the best lemon bars and are perfect for picnics, bake sales, spring brunches, baby showers, and bridal showers.
Today I’m teaching you how to make lemon bars. I love this lemon dessert recipe so much that I published it in my 1st cookbook, Sally’s Baking Addiction. These are the best lemon bars and I don’t use that statement lightly. After 1 taste, I’m confident you’ll agree. Everyone needs this recipe.
The process is pretty simple and I’m walking you through each step in the video tutorial below. Pick up some fresh citrus and let’s get baking. Spring is in the air!
Video Tutorial: Lemon Bars
These are classic lemon bars featuring a soft butter shortbread crust and a tangy sweet lemon curd filling that’s baked to the perfect consistency. The lemon layer is thick and substantial, not thin or flimsy like most other lemon bar recipes.
Only 7 Ingredients in these Lemon Bars
- Butter: Melted butter is the base of the shortbread crust.
- Sugar: Sugar sweetens the crust and lemon curd filling layers. Not only this, it works with the eggs to set up the lemon filling. If reduced, the filling will be too wet.
- Flour: Flour is also used in both layers. Like sugar, it gives structure to the lemon filling. These days, I add slightly more flour to the shortbread crust compared to my cookbook version. You can get away with 2 cups, but an extra 2 Tablespoons really helps solidify the foundation of the lemon bars.
- Vanilla Extract: I use 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract in the shortbread crust. Not many lemon bar recipes call for vanilla extract and I promise you it’s my best kept secret.
- Salt: Without salt, the crust would be too sweet.
- Eggs: Eggs are most of the structure. Without them, you have lemon soup!
- Lemon Juice: I highly recommend using lemon juice squeezed from fresh lemons. You can also use another citrus like blood orange, grapefruit, or lime juice. For extra flavor, add some fresh zest as well.
How to Make Lemon Bars in 5 Steps
- Prepare the crust: Mix all of the shortbread crust ingredients together, then press firmly into a 9×13-inch baking pan. Interested in a smaller batch? See my recipe note.
- Pre-bake: Pre-baking the crust guarantees it will hold up under the lemon layer.
- Prepare the filling: Whisk all of the filling ingredients together. No cooking on the stove!
- Bake: Pour the filling on the warm pre-baked crust, then bake for around 20 minutes or until the center is just about set. I slightly increased the baking temperature from my cookbook version. Either temperatures work, but 325°F is preferred.
- Cool: I usually cool the lemon bars for about 1 hour at room temperature, then stick the whole pan in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until relatively chilled. They’re wonderful cold and with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar on top!
Prepared in only 2 bowls and a baking pan, clean up is a breeze. These lemon bars win 1st place every time because they’re the perfect balance of tangy and sweet. In fact, I made them for my friend’s baby shower last weekend and they were the first dessert to disappear. And that’s saying a lot considering the competition: homemade chewy fudgy frosted brownies and adorable mini animal cracker cookies. 🙂
2 Guaranteed Tricks to Make the Best Lemon Bars
- Use a glass pan. Ceramic is fine, but glass is best. Do not use metal. I always detect a slight metallic flavor in the lemon bars when baked in metal pans.
- Use fresh juice. Store-bought bottles are convenient, but you miss out on a lot of flavor. You will definitely taste the difference! I have a super old citrus juicer, but I recently purchased this juicer for my mom and she loves it. Highly recommended.
White Air Bubbles on Top of Baked Lemon Bars
Do you notice air bubbles, perhaps even a white layer of air bubbles, on top of your baked lemon bars? That’s completely normal. It’s the air from the eggs rising to the surface. Some batches have it, some don’t. Regardless, the lemon bars taste the same and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar covers it right up!
Blood orange bars! See my recipe note about substituting flavors.
Want to kick it up a notch? Here are my lemon meringue pie and lemon cheesecake recipes.
Craving lots of texture with your bars? You’ll love my oatmeal lemon crumble bars.
Plenty of lemon recipes to love on my site including these lemon crinkle cookies and lemon thumbprint cookies! Regardless of what you choose, lemon desserts are always a great choice when looking for springtime or Easter dessert recipes.
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Lemon Bars
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
You only need 7 ingredients to make these lemon bars. The lemon curd filling is extra thick and creamy and sits on an irresistible butter shortbread crust. Always bake lemon bars at a lower temperature to avoid over-baking. See recipe notes for important tips. They’re simply the best lemon bars and are perfect for picnics, bake sales, spring brunches, baby showers, and bridal showers.
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
Lemon Filling
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest, optional
- optional: confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch glass baking pan (do not use metal) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
- Make the crust: Mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir to completely combine. The dough will be thick. Press firmly into prepared pan, making sure the layer of crust is nice and even. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the warm crust (not all the way through the crust). A new step I swear by, this helps the filling stick and holds the crust in place. Set aside until step 4.
- Make the filling: Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, then the lemon juice and lemon zest (if using) until completely combined.
- Pour filling over warm crust. Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles. (Give the pan a light tap with an oven mitt to test.) Remove bars from the oven and cool completely at room temperature. I usually cool them for about 2 hours at room temperature, then stick in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until pretty chilled. I recommend serving chilled.
- Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares before serving. For neat squares, wipe the knife clean between each cut. Cover and store leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezing Instructions: Lemon bars can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. Cut the cooled bars (without confectioners’ sugar topping) into squares, then place onto a baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour. Individually wrap each bar in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place into a large bag or freezer container to freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator, then dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Glass Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Silicone Spatula | Silicone Whisk | Juicer | Fine Mesh Sieve
- Halve the Recipe: Halve each of the ingredients to yield around 12 squares in a 9-inch square baking pan. Same oven temperature. Bake the crust for 16-18 minutes and the bars for 20 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles.
- Sifting: More often than not, the flour doesn’t fully incorporate into the lemon filling unless it’s sifted with the sugar. As directed in the recipe, sift the two together before adding the eggs and lemon juice. I don’t always do this (and didn’t even do it in the video above!) but it’s preferred to avoid any flour lumps. If you have a sifter, it’s worth using. If you forget, it’s not a huge deal. Here is my favorite sifter. You use it again to dust the lemon bars with confectioners’ sugar.
- Lemon Juice: For exceptional taste, I highly recommend fresh lemon juice. Here is a wonderful inexpensive juicer if you don’t have one. Or use another fresh-squeezed citrus like grapefruit, blood orange, lime, or regular orange. You can slightly reduce the sugar if using a sweeter citrus. I recommend no less than 1 and 2/3 cup granulated sugar in the filling as it’s needed for structure.
- Room Temperature: Bringing the eggs and lemon juice to room temperature helps them mix easier into the flour and sugar. However, I never notice a taste or texture difference when using cold. Room temperature or cold, use whichever!
Reader Comments and Reviews
Delicious! They came out perfectly, with a lovely texture and bright lemony flavor. I’ll definitely be making these again.
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s amazing. I have a friend that requested it be made with graham cracker crust all of this recipe work with a graham cracker crust?
Hi Kathy, absolutely! For a graham cracker crust, follow the directions for our Nutella swirl cheesecake bars recipe (but double it for a 9×13 pan per the recipe notes).
I put the lemon zest (about 2tbs) in the crust and it turned out wonderfully!
I normally make changes to recipes based on preference, but I changed nothing for these bars and the filling and crust came out exactly as I wanted. The taste and texture is great and even better with powdered sugar on top. I didn’t grease the glass dish or use parchment paper and the bars still cut easily without any sticking or breaking.
Hi! This recipe looks awesome but I’m concerned about the sugar content. Would it be possible to reduce the sugar to 1 and 1/3 cup then add more flour to maintain the structure?
Thanks
Hi Lizzy, you can slightly reduce the sugar in the filling if desired. We recommend no less than 1 and 2/3 cup granulated sugar in the filling as it’s needed for structure. So glad these are a favorite for you!
I’ve made these a few times now and they’re always a big hit! Super easy to make and delicious.
I’ve made these as described snd they are really tasty . But my crew prefers really thick lemon on their bars. Can I safely double the lemon before baking? (Keeping the shortbread base as it is)
Thank you.
Hi Diane! A filling twice as thick may not bake through properly. You could try using a slightly smaller pan for thicker bars. We recommend sticking with the recipe for best results, but let us know what you try!
Hola,
Why do my lemon bars come out flat when I make them? They don’t look anything like yours. Thanks, g
Hi Ggweeks, Lemon bars should be flat, they do not rise when baked. What size pan are you using? We use and recommend a 9×13 inch pan – any larger and your bars will be very thin.
Best Lemon bars by a mile, and so easy!
This time I tried making lemon blueberry bars based on a different recipe I saw online. I added 2 Tbsp of poppy seeds to the shortbread then substituted 1/2 cup blueberry juice to one half of the filling and made the other half as directed. I layered the blueberry filling first and baked and set, then added the lemon filling on top for a cool layered look. They came out awesome and super yummy – Sally’s recipes never disappoint!
So easy. Love that there’s no need to make a lemon curd first! These are delicious.
My lemon bars came out inverted. I did bake the crust longer than the time specified, but it took longer to be “slightly golden brown”. I am catering an event so they will have to do!
Hi Sally, I have made these before and they are amazing. I want to make some for a baby shower but hoping to turn them pink – do you think blending in strawberry or raspberry would work?
Hi Mary, We haven’t tried it so we’re unsure of how the bars would set up with that addition. It would like take a bit of trial and error. We do have a recipe for Lemon Strawberry Crumb Bars or Raspberry Streusel Bars that you might be interested in.
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe! Would it be feasible t keep the shortbread recipe as is, yet double the filling? If so, how would I adjust the baking time/temp?
Hi Regina, we don’t recommend doubling the filling for the same size pan. The bars will be too thick and have difficulty baking through and setting properly. Let us know if you do give the recipe a try!
Is the crust like a cookie texture or more cake-like?
Hi Michele! It’s a soft shortbread cookie crust.
Can I freeze these
Yes! See the last step of the recipe for details.
These look incredible, can’t wait to try them. Is it possible to add blueberries to the lemon filling? I love the lemon blueberry combination but I don’t want to ruin the bars!
Hi Nikki, we haven’t tested adding blueberry compote to these bars but let us know if you do! You may love these lemon blueberry cheesecake bars or this lemon blueberry tart.
Oh yes, perfect! Thank you for all that you share, you’re teaching me how to bake which I never thought I could do. Your recipes are the best!
This recipe has been a huge hit in our family! I did want to ask is it possible to reduce the sugar just a little bit in the crust and/or the lemon filling?
Hi Taylor, you can slightly reduce the sugar in the filling if desired. We recommend no less than 1 and 2/3 cup granulated sugar in the filling as it’s needed for structure. So glad these are a favorite for you!
Great recipe, thank you! Do you know how I can prevent the bars from sticking to the parchment paper, especially on the sides? Should I cut them immediately after chilling in the refrigerator?
Hi Ryan! Did you allow the bars to fully cool and set before removing?
Why do you need glass baking dish for lemon bars
Hi Diane, ceramic or stoneware is fine, but glass is best. Just do not use metal as we always detect a slight metallic flavor in the lemon bars when baked in metal pans.
Is it possible to make the crust ahead of time and the next day add the filling?
Hi Claire, we don’t recommend it because you want to pour the filling into a warm crust. The warm crust will help the filling “stick” during bake time so that the crust and filling don’t separate.
Love your recipes. I wanted to add a blueberry component and was wondering if you think a compote to pour over would be good?
Hi Elizabeth, we haven’t tested adding blueberry compote to these bars but let us know if you do! You may love these lemon blueberry cheesecake bars or this lemon blueberry tart.
I want to feed a large crowd and would lime to make these in a large sheet pan (full size). If I double the recipe will the filling and crust proportions be right?
Hi Deb, that should work!
Can I add meringue to these bars? Thanks!
Hi Hannah, we haven’t tested it, but you could try adding a meringue topping! Cover them completely and then broil very briefly on the day you want to serve the bars. Hope you enjoy!
Is it ok to use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?
Hi Ellie, you can use salted butter and leave out the added salt.
Great recipe, I was a bit suspicious of how soft the dough was, but I trusted the process and it came out beautifully!
These are delicious, and the best lemon bar recipe I’ve tried – and I’ve tried a few! My son is a huge lemon bar fan, and he agrees. Thanks for the great recipe!
Do you have any recommendations for making this in an 8×8” pan? I worry that halving it wouldn’t be the right ratio. If no, I’ll just wait to make it until I next have a gathering of more than just me and my partner…
Hi Natasha, you should be able to halve the recipe for an 8×8.
I don’t want to go 5 stars because this is only like, the 4th time I’ve baked anything. As an absolute beginner it was fairly easy. Watch those tablespoons and teaspoons. I accidentally added double vanilla to the crust but it was still REALLY good. Crust is challenging to spread right from a newbie’s perspective but otherwise it was easy as pie. . . I mean, lemon bars. Still waiting for them to set but the bites I’ve snuck have been GREAT. I’d definitely recommend this to beginners for taste and ease of use. Definitely gonna read more carefully next time, though.
I just took these out of the over and it looks like there is almost an egg- crust on top? Is that right? It looks so weird, I don’t know where I went wrong? It looks like a cakes sort of egg layer
Hi Bella, if too much air is incorporated into the lemon filling mixture, there can be a layer of foamy film on top. Be careful not to over-mix or whip the filling when combining and be careful not to over-bake the bars. These tips should help! Some air bubbles are normal, see “White Air Bubbles on Top of Baked Lemon Bars” above.
I baked the bars for 25 min and they are still very liquid?
Hi Toni! Did you make any changes? Did you use the correct pan size? We would just keep baking until they’re done!
Mine took 35 minutes. I’m still waiting for them to cool to see how they turned out
I wish I could read all the comments to be sure my question isn’t already addressed – but way too many!!
I have read that I can use almond extract instead of vanilla for someone who can’t have vanilla. Would that work well for this recipe? Or do you have a different substitution recommendation?
Thank you!
Hi Val, you could try almond extract, but the taste will, of course, be different.