Try this dessert for your next picnic, bake sale, or brunch!
Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Baking
Cuisine
American
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Indulge in the tangy sweetness of homemade lemon bars with a buttery shortbread crust. Our recipe guarantees a perfect balance of zesty lemon curd atop a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread base. Discover the delight of baking these classic treats at home today
Native Vanilla
Ingredients
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1 cup (230g; 2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
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1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
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2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
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2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
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6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour
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6 large eggs
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1 cup (240ml) lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
Shortbread Crust
Lemon Filling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13 glass baking pan (do not use metal) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
Prepare the crust by combining melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the flour until fully incorporated, resulting in a thick dough. Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan, ensuring an even layer of crust. Bake for 20-22 minutes until the edges turn lightly golden. Once out of the oven, use a fork to poke holes all over the warm crust, without piercing through entirely. This step is essential for better adherence of the filling and maintaining the crust's integrity. Set aside until step 4.
Make the filling:
Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, then the lemon juice until completely combined.
Pour filling over warm crust. Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles. (Give the pan a light tap with an oven mitt to test.) Remove bars from the oven and cool completely at room temperature. I usually cool them for about 2 hours at room temperature, then stick in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until pretty chilled. I recommend serving chilled.
After cooling, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the lemon bars out of the pan. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and slice into squares before serving. For clean edges, wipe the knife between each cut. Store any remaining lemon bars in the refrigerator, covered, for up to one week.
Freezing Instructions:
You can freeze lemon bars for 3-4 months. Once cooled, cut them into squares (without the confectioners’ sugar topping) and arrange on a baking sheet. Freeze for one hour. Wrap each bar individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, then place them in a large bag or freezer container for storage. Thaw in the refrigerator and dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.