Best Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Close-up of Easy Lemon Bars with a golden, crumbly crust topped with bright yellow lemon filling and a dusting of powdered sugar, arranged on a dark surface.

5 from 3 votes

Best Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Easy Lemon Bars that are quick and easy to make, with a few simple ingredients. The bars start off with a simple to make shortbread crust a not too sweet or tangy thick lemon curd filling on top. This classic lemon bar recipe is the best way to use up fresh lemons! All they need is a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bars, lemon, shortbread crust

Servings: bars

Calories: 70kcal

Author: Lora

Ingredients

CRUST
1 stick unsalted butter softened (use vegan butter stick to keep it dairy-free)
4 tablespoons sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
dash of sea salt
FILLING
3 large eggs
1-½ cups granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon lemon zest zest before juicing lemons. I used organic lemons
5-7 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice from 3-4 lemons

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
CRUST
Line a 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with baking spray (or grease with butter). In a medium bowl, beat the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the flour until a soft dough is formed.
Remove the dough and place it into your prepared pan. Press firmly onto the bottom and sides of the pan.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
FILLING
In a small bowl, whisk the whole eggs sugar and flour. When it is smooth, add in the lemon zest and the juice. Whisk together until incorporated. Taste the filling, if you would like it more tart, add a little bit more of the fresh lemon juice. *5 Tablespoons is enough for my taste, but you may like it more tart.
When crust is ready, remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 300 degrees.
Spoon the filling over the crust and smooth over with a spatula.
Return pan to oven and bake until the filling is just set, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Lift the cooled bars out of the pan, using the parchment paper as handles. Let cool on a rack to room temperature.
Cover and place in the refrigerator until cold (or overnight). Bars are better sliced when cold.
Slice the bars into squares (I cut them into 12 small squares) and dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving. The crust will soften over time. Store for a few days in the fridge.

Notes

• Use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs don’t emulsify as smoothly with the sugar and lemon juice, which can create a slightly grainy texture in the filling.

• Zest before juicing. Always zest the lemons first. It’s nearly impossible once they’re cut, and the zest holds most of the lemon’s aromatic oils.

• Whisk gently, not aggressively. You want the filling smooth, not foamy. Too much air creates bubbles on the surface as it bakes.

• Pour filling onto a hot crust. Don’t let the crust cool completely. Adding the filling while the crust is warm helps it bond and prevents separation.

• Bake until just set. The center should have a slight jiggle, like gelatin. Overbaking causes cracks and a rubbery texture.

Nutrition