Bright Zesty Lemon Bars (Printable)

Bright and zesty lemon bars with a buttery crust and tangy lemon filling, ideal for dessert or tea.

# What You Need:

→ Shortbread Crust

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Lemon Filling

05 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 4 large eggs
08 - 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)
09 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

→ For Dusting

10 - Powdered sugar, for dusting

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - Cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt, mixing until just combined. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
03 - Bake the crust for 18 to 20 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
04 - Whisk granulated sugar and flour in a large bowl. Add eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest, then whisk until smooth and fully combined.
05 - Pour lemon filling over the hot crust. Return pan to oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until filling is set but slightly jiggles in the center.
06 - Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to facilitate clean slicing.
07 - Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang. Dust generously with powdered sugar and cut into 16 squares.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The filling is impossibly silky without being heavy, with a tartness that wakes up your palate.
  • You can make these in under an hour, dust them with powdered sugar, and look like you spent all day in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Fresh lemon juice is absolutely essential—bottled juice tastes flat and tinny compared to the real thing squeeezed from a lemon.
  • Don't skip the chilling step; warm bars will crumble, but chilled ones slice like butter.
03 -
  • Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the filling, so pull yours out about 20 minutes before you start cooking.
  • The moment the filling is poured over the hot crust, the edges start to set—don't open the oven door to peek, or you'll let heat escape and extend the baking time.

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