The BEST Lemon Bars 🍋👏 have BIG lemon flavor with the perfect balance of sweet and tart in every bite. They have a buttery shortbread crust topped with a smooth, bright lemon filling that sets up beautifully. These classic bars are EASY to make and perfect for spring and summer gatherings, holidays, potlucks, or anytime a lemon craving hits!
Easy Lemon Bars Recipe
- I’m pretty picky about my lemon bars. The filling, the crust, and the sweet-tart balance all has to be just right. I’m like Goldilocks with her porridge.
- These classic lemon bars are Goldilocks approved.
- Before making these, I researched dozens of recipes, studying each meticulously, but nothing sounded exactly perfect. I referenced one of my favorite cookbooks, The New Best Recipe
,but when I saw seven eggs, I slammed the book shut immediately.
Unless you’re feeding a football team, any one singular dessert does not need seven eggs, period. I also checked out another trusty resource, The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion, and many others. But in the end, I came up with my own.
- These classic lemon bars consist of an easy shortbread crust, topped with an intensely lemony filling. The tartness and sweetness are well-balanced. You don’t even have to lug out your mixer to make them.
- Just as cornstarch helps cookies stay soft and tender, it does the same for the crust of these homemade lemon bars. Shortbread crusts tend to become too dry, hard, or tasteless, and remind me of dog biscuits, which is why I never make biscotti. I’m sorry for anyone who likes it but it’s so unsatisfying for me because I can’t get past that dry, hard-yet-crumbly dough. The cornstarch keeps this crust just a bit softer than some, preventing the cardboard phenomenon.
- Another notable difference in this classic lemon bar recipe is that the ratio of lemon juice ratio is much, much higher than in most recipes. For an 8-inch square pan, most call for two tablespoons whereas mine uses eight (one-half cup); four times the amount. You’d think this would make you pucker up up for days but really, it doesn’t.
- The bars are robustly lemon-flavored, but not ridiculous, and they’re how I think a lemon bar should be. If I wanted a blondie with a hint of lemon, I’d use two tablespoons of lemon juice, but I wanted a good old-fashioned lemon bar, full of zing and tang. But they’re also sweet enough to be considered dessert, not torture.
- The overall depth of lemon flavor is boosted from two teaspoons of lemon zest. Most recipes this size use one teaspoon, but I doubled it and used two. I also added a tiny bit of vanilla extract, something that isn’t traditional in lemon bars, but I love vanilla.
- I am so pleased with these because the flavor is robustly lemony and tart, but they’re not sour, pungent, bitter, or overwhelming. They’re just sweet enough, but not too much. The sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar gives them a tiny bit of additional sweetness and gives them that classic lemon bar appearance.
- The filling itself is dense but light, almost like a lemon custard with a touch of creaminess. It’s smooth and firm, without being rubbery. The crust is buttery, just crisp enough, but retains some softness, flakiness, and tenderness. It’s a ever-so-slightly sweetened and thick enough to stand up to the layer of lemon filling and not be overwhelmed by it. I don’t like it when shortbread crusts are paper thin and prefer them on the thicker side. Not too thick, not too thin. Hello, Goldilocks.
- My almost six-year old is a lemon fanatic (heads up this is a repost from 2013 and she’s now 13!). She’ll reach into a water glass with a lemon, fish it out, and eat it. She loved these easy lemon bars because anything lemon-flavored is a hit with her.
- I wouldn’t call them The Best Lemon Bars if I didn’t really think they were.
Ingredients in Lemon Bar
- Unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt: These make the buttery shortbread crust. Cornstarch helps keep the crust tender, while confectioners’ sugar gives it a delicate texture.
- Eggs, granulated sugar, half and half, lemon juice, lemon zest, Vanilla extract, and lemon extract: These create the smooth lemon filling with big, bright lemon flavor. Use both fresh lemon juice and zest for the best flavor, and lemon extract gives the bars an extra pop without making them too tart.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Lemon Bars
- Make the crust by combining the flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and very soft butter until a crumbly mixture forms.
- Press the crumbs into an 8-inch pan, prick the crust with a fork, and bake just until it firms up without turning golden.
- While the crust bakes, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, cream, and extracts to make the lemon filling.
- Pour the filling over the warm crust and bake until the center is just set but not overbaked.
- Cool the bars at room temperature, then chill before slicing and dusting with confectioners’ sugar.
The Best Lemon Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Crust
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, very soft
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ heaping cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
For the Filling
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup lemon juice, or to taste (about 2 juicy medium lemons; see note below)
- 2 tablespoons half-and-half, whole milk or cream are okay
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional and to taste
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract, optional and to taste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest loosely packed, or to taste (see note below)
- confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine all crust ingredients and cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pasty cutter or just stir and mash with a spoon until a sandy, crumbly mixture forms. I do it by hand because it’s easy, fast, and I don’t have to wash out my food processor; but use one if you prefer.
- Transfer crumbly mixture to prepared pan and using your fingertips, press crumbs down to form an even flat layer of crust.
- Prick crust with a fork haphazardly in a dozen places so air and steam can escape while it bakes. If air bubbles form while baking, prick them down and return pan to oven.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until crust has just barely set. It should not be golden or browned at all, it should still be white. You just want it to stick together and it doesn’t need to be cooked through fully since pan is going back in the oven to bake filling.
- While crust bakes, make the filling.
For the Filling:
- In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, lemon juice (start with ¼ cup and increase to taste; I find that using less than ½ cup isn’t intense enough, but add to taste), half-and-half, optional vanilla (I used it even though it’s not traditional), optional lemon extract (I don’t find it necessary and omitted it), and whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour and whisk until lumps are gone.
- Add lemon zest (add to taste, starting with 1 teaspoon but I prefer 2 teaspoons) and whisk to combine.
- Pour mixture over crust. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (I baked for 18), or until the top has just set and isn’t jiggly in center. Some movement and looseness is normal and desired, you just don’t want it liquid-like or runny; slicing into some looseness is fine, liquid is not. Top will be yellow and lemon-colored, but not browned.
- Allow bars to cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
- Cover pan and refrigerate for at least three hours, or overnight, before slicing and serving.
- Optionally, dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Notes
- Store extra bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Lemon Desserts:
Strawberry Lemonade Bars — Imagine crossing lemon bars with a strawberry pie. These easy bars taste like strawberry lemonade! Sooo good!
Lemon Buttermilk Cake with Lemon Glaze — An easy buttermilk cake with big lemon flavor!! Soft, fluffy, and foolproof if you like puckering up!!
The Best Lemon Loaf (Better-Than-Starbucks Copycat) — It took years, but I finally recreated it!! Easy, no mixer, no cake mix, dangerously good, and SPOT ON!! You’re going to love this lemon pound cake recipe!
Lemon Lemonies — Like lemon brownies, but made with lemon and white chocolate! Dense, chewy, not cakey and packed with big, bold lemon flavor!
Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze — Almost more berries than cake in this soft, fluffy lemon blueberry bundt cake! The lemon glaze is plate-licking delish!!
Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting — Soft, fluffy, moist, very lemony cupcakes from scratch! Easy one-bowl, no-mixer recipe for cupcakes that taste like they’re from a bakery!
Softbatch Glazed Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies — Big, bold lemon flavor packed into super soft cookies thanks to the cream cheese!! Tangy-sweet perfection! Lemon lovers are going to adore these easy cookies!!
Glazed Lemon Pie Bars — The crust is buttery, soft, and tender while the filling is juicy and luscious with the perfect amount of sweet-yet-tart flavor and a lemon glaze boosts the lemon flavor even more.
Originally published January 16, 2013 and republished June 5, 2020 with updated text.
WOW, Averie, these are GORGEOUS! I’m hosting a baby shower later this spring and our colors are navy, light blue, and YELLOW… this looks like the absolute perfect dessert to make!
Oh they would be PERFECT for a shower. I almost wrote in the post, these are baby shower, bridal shower, and tea-time food. But then thought well that’s sort of limiting; but really my first thought WAS baby shower food!
I know what you mean about biscotti. I always had to drench it in my coffee to enjoy it but then my coffee was full of wet biscotti. Ew.
Lemon has been my favorite flavor for ages. In yesterday’s post I mentioned how I always got a pretzel for lunch and that was coupled with a lemon sorbet. It always satisfies my taste buds. Amazingly, last night Simeon asked me if I would please make a lemon dessert. No, I’m not kidding. (How often does that happen with your recipes??!) He is like Skylar…he will eat whole lemons and LOVES all lemon sorbet. I’ll make this for him, cornstarch and all because he’s not allergic. Awesome recipe! :-)
Lol at your first sentence but 100% true!! And you can totally omit the cornstarch in the crust for allergen purposes, it will just be a little firmer. And Simeon has proven time and time again, he’s psychic. FOR REAL!
when averie says it’s the best… you know it’s the best! these look wonderful, Averie and I can tell you took your time setting up each gorgeous square so beautifully in each shot. And the gorgeous sprinkles powdered sugar on top reminds me of the salt “sprinkles” from yesterday. :) I love lemon desserts and lime desserts for that matter(love key lime pie!). I’ve only ever seen lemon bars with a shocking amount of eggs, like you mentioned. Its refreshing to see that they can be made, and made well, with a reduced amount. That shortbread crust is calling to me right now, especially with the beloved cornstarch added in!
Sally yes, you know me so well! If I say it’s the best, I mean, I am done searching and can write the recipe off and file it as done on my life’s bucket list. Thanks for the photo compliments. These were HARD to shoot. Much harder than I even thought. The bright bright yellow, the white, the shiny surface (all are glare city) as well as the semi-opaque filling (can look blurry), contrasted with a crust that could possibly flake apart (but thankfully didnt) and then the dark wood/light bars….yes, between the recipe itself and the shoot, I set myself up for a nice challenge :) But it was worth it!
LOVE that you used lemon extract as well. I always rely on zest and juice to give it that great lemon flavor but can imagine how extract gives it that added oomph! Delicious and gorgeous pictures as always!
Yay, you’re back up! Everything looks as lovely as ever!
Balance with lemon bars is key. I don’t like ones that are too sweet. Here’s my version:
https://www.kitchenkonfidence.com/2010/08/julias-lemon-bars/
No lemon extract, but they still have good lemon flavor.
I am super picky about my lemon bars too! I have made many different recipes, and ended up with a hybrid of my own that I thought was perfect. Well, now you have sent me back to the drawing board with this one! I can’t wait to try these, and as soon as I lose my holiday weight (haha), I am making these!
Well if you do try these, come back and LMK how they stack up!
Lemon bars are one of my most favorite sweet treats. Ever!
But you COULD lug out your mixer if you wanted to… right? Heh… I’ve been coming up with all sorts of crazy things to make just so I can use my new mixer! Great bars, Averie ;)
Oh that’s right, you just got one! Well I’ve been posting 1 cookie recipe a week for the past couple months…you could start with those :) Or BREAD! Put that dough hook on and have fun!
Ha! I’m the SAME way with lemon bars. Last summer I tried 4 times to make an IPA lemon bar and I never got it “postable.” Just was never the right balance. And this look exactly like what I was trying to accomplish. Perfect!
I researched these Jackie before I ever started cooking like you can’t believe. I mean when I say I must have cross-referenced 50 recipes from cookbooks, blogs, etc…not even kidding. I am glad they look like what you were trying to achieve. I got my wish and they’re what I tried to achieve!
Once again, we are on the same wavelength! I’m posting lemon bars tomorrow :). These look relish, the flavor sounds perfectly balanced and I love that you added a little vanilla!
Oops, meant delish, of course! :)
I almost didn’t and then tasted the batter and at gametime, went with it. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
I am VERY into lemon desserts lately. And you will be actually scared by the amount of egg yolks i had to include in the ice cream I’m posting on Friday. But….regardless. Obviously I need these in my life. The sweet-tart sounds fabulous!
Well I’m sure it will be worth it…and you probably had plenty of egg white omeletes this week in the process :)
These look (and I bet taste) just like the lemon bars I used to have from my favorite bakery at home. They are the perfect combo of lemon-y tartness and sweetness from the crust. Cannot wait to give these a whirl!
Thanks and they have that good old fashioned bakery quality I was going for. Hope you get to try them!
I don’t generally crave lemony foods in the winter, but I have been wanting more refreshing foods lately. I haven’ trade lemon bars in a while, but I wonder if I could veganize these using agar or arrowroot for the filling. I will find out!
I don’t really crave them per se either but it is citrus season and I decided to go with it!
Loooove these! I’m a total sucker for all things lemon. Ps, your site isn’t working for me. I see the words, pics and it allowed me to add a comment, but nothing else shows. Gah, mine has issues this week too. So frustrating!
How pretty is that color! Do you know if there’s a way for me to pick the bars off my screen?!?! Sorta salivating over here… ~slurp~