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–+ servings
Homemade Lemon Bars dusted with powdered sugar, sitting on a wooden board with fresh lemons in the background.

Lemon Bars

5 from 1 vote
Classic lemon bars with a buttery shortbread crust and bright, tangy lemon filling. Easy to make, slice beautifully, and perfect for potlucks, bake sales, and summer gatherings.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 195
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Shortbread Crust
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter - cut into cubes
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon Filling
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon lemon zest
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
Finishing
  • Powdered sugar - For dusting
  • optional extra lemon zest - For garnish

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 inch metal baking pan (Glass works but may require longer baking)
  • 1 Parchment paper (For easy removal)
  • 1 Pastry cutter or fork (To mix crust)
  • 1 Whisk (For smooth filling)
  • 1 Zester or microplane (For lemon zest)
  • 1 Sharp chef's knife (Clean slicing)

Method
 

  1. You mix flour, powdered sugar, and salt, then cut cold butter into the mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. This is pressed into the baking pan and baked until lightly golden at the edges.
  2. You whisk eggs until foamy, mix in sugar until pale, then add lemon juice and zest. Flour and baking powder are folded in gently at the end.
  3. The lemon mixture is poured onto the hot crust immediately after it comes out of the oven, then baked again until the filling is set around the edges but slightly jiggly in the center.
  4. The baked lemon bars cool at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
  5. You lift the chilled slab out of the pan, slice it into squares, and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 70gCalories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 60mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 260IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 0.8mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

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