Six-ingredients are all you need for these easy lemon bars. Bursting with great sweet-tart lemon taste and a buttery shortbread base, they are everything a lemon bar should be. Perfect for every day or a special occasion.
Introduction
This is a super easy recipe that we frequently make for small groups like coffee meetups, bake sales, or special family meals. I usually will make a half recipe but for larger groups, do the full recipe.
This is not a recipe from my childhood, but I always loved lemon bars. It was time to make my own. I searched for various cookbooks, but nothing worth discussing—so online time.
I started at Cooks Illustrated as usual, but the recipe went on and on and on and on. I got some hints, but I wasn't jumping through all those hoops.
I finally zeroed in on All Recipes - The Best Lemon Bars. With a 4.5 star rating, simple instructions, and not too many ingredients, it was for me. I read several hundred of the reviews and had my plan with modifications from comment land.
My Rating
A 4 or 5, depending on if you're a "lemon bar person" or not. But even the "not" will enjoy this. Better than any lemon bar I have tasted.
♨️The Baking Dish
The full recipe needs a 9X13 baking dish like a cake pan. A half recipe, which is what I usually will make, uses an 8X8 or 6X9 dish. I suggest glass and not metal due to sticking issues.
I also suggest parchment on the bottom and grease sides. You will still need to use a knife around the outside to remove it.
The model recipe suggested ungreased, while Cooks Illustrated goes with two crossed sheets of parchment paper. Other recipes greased the pan and some just the sides—quite some variation. Do not follow the "ungreased" recommendation.
✔️Tips
A medium lemon will have 2 ½ to 3 tablespoons of juice, so for the ⅔ cup of juice, use 4 medium lemons.
Add some lemon zest for more taste–about 2 tablespoons will do.
The bars should be refrigerated for storage and should be good for 3-4 days. You may also freeze them for three months.
📖Sweets Recipes
Crock Pot White Chocolate Almond Clusters
🖼️Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Prep a 9 by 13 baking dish. Give it a light brush of butter, then cover the bottom with parchment paper. You may also use crossed sheets of parchment paper.
Soften 1 cup (two sticks) of butter in the microwave. Mix the softened butter, 2 cups flour, and ½ cup sugar. If unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt. It will look crumbly.
Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until firm and lightly brown.
Whisk together 1 ½ cups sugar and ⅓ cup flour. Add 4 eggs and the juice of 4 medium lemons (or ⅔ cup lemon juice.) Mix well.
Pour the lemon/egg mixture over the baked crust—Bake for an additional 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar.
Cool in the refrigerator before cutting into about 2-inch squares.
📖Full Recipe
Easy Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup butter - 2 sticks
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cups flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt - if using unsalted butter
Filling
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup flour
- 4 medium lemons - ⅔ cup of lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest - optional
- 4 large eggs
Topping
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Prep a 9 by 13 baking dish. Give it a light brush of butter then cover the bottom with parchment paper or use crossed pieces of parchment paper.
- Soften 1 cup (two sticks) of butter in the microwave. Mix the softened butter, 2 cups flour, and ½ cup sugar. If unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt. It will look crumbly.
- Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until firm and lightly brown.
- Whisk together 1 ½ cups sugar and ⅓ cup flour. Add 4 eggs and the juice of 4 medium lemons (or ⅔ cup lemon juice.) Mix well.
- Pour the lemon/egg mixture over the baked crust. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar.
- Cool in the refrigerator for several hours before cutting into about 2-inch squares.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- An easy recipe to cut in half using an 8 by 8 baking dish.
- You may use fresh lemons or lemon juice.
- A medium lemon will have 2 ½ to 3 tablespoons of juice, so for the ⅔ cup of juice, use 4 medium lemons.
- Add some lemon zest for more taste–about 2 tablespoons will do.
- Be sure to cool completely before cutting.
- The bars should be refrigerated for storage and should be good for 3-4 days. You may also freeze them for three months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition
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Editors Note: Originally published February 7, 2017. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Julie
I adore lemon bars. Can these be made in a steam only oven (no crust browning)?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Julie,
Welcome to the blog.
I doubt it would be good. The browning of the crust keeps the custard from soaking in.
Dan
Joanne Goglia
Can these lemon bars be made using Splenda in place of sugar?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Joanne,
Welcome to the blog.
There is a granular Splenda they suggest for baking. (I think that is still right, it has been a few years.) I have always found it leaving an odd taste. I have not tried it in this recipe.
So I suspect yes but I wouldn't. This is all about that taste balance of the lemon with the sweetness,
Dan
Nancy Dugger Weeks
Delicious! Quick & easy. It's citrus season here. I had to make two pans of it this week to keep up with family demand.
laurajay
Lemon bars are one of my favorites and have never tried from scratch, can't wait, am sure as yummy as all your recipes, Thank you!
I look so forward to your posts :) and picts of the puppies
Carolyn
I halved the recipe and made an 8" square pan size. These were really good and very easy. I needed to add a few minutes more to the cook time when browning the base. I wasn't sure what the lemon filling's appearance should look like when finished (it puffed up a little while cooking) but I cooked it till it was set without any wet spots. My only problem was when I poured the lemon filling in and some flowed under one edge of the cookie base. I think next time I might make a bit of a ridge at the edge to keep the filling enclosed at the sides. I'm also wondering about storage - refrigerate or room temp, tightly or loosely covered?
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Carolyn
This recipe looks delicious, but I noticed that he filling directions say to mix in 1/4 cup flour, however the ingredients show 1/3 cup flour, which is the correct amount of flour for the filling? Also, I'm wondering if this recipe can be halved using an 8" square pan?
DrDan
1/3 is correct. I had to up the flour for some extra lemon juice. Fixed.
The area of the 13X9 pan is 117 sq. inches. The 8x8 is 64 so close enough. A 6X8 baking dish would also do. A nine inch round is about 64 sq. inches also.
Dan
Carolyn R.
This recipe looks delicious, but I noticed that he filling directions say to mix in 1/4 cup flour, however the ingredients list 1/3 cup flour, which is the correct amount of flour for the filling?
Dee
This looks delicious. Is that icing/powdered/confectioners sugar in with the eggs?
DrDan
No that is just the flour before I did the whisking.
Dan