Honey Bakes Well

Never again will you complain about a lemon bar not being “lemony” enough. These lemon bars are every lemon lovers dream! Tangy, sweet, tart, and buttery all in one delicious square. I have made recipes to a T with lemon bars, but to get the perfect lemon bar for me I had to use multiple recipes and a bit of trial and error to create these bars. Some bars have an amazing filling, but a terrible crust, or even worse….a wonderful crust and terrible lemon filling. These have both a wonderful crust and a mouth watering filling. They are not for the faint of heart though…when I say you need to love lemons, I mean it. These are perfect when you have a lemon tree at home or an abundance of lemons you need to use. Summer parties are just around the corner and you’ll be the talk of the town with these tangy treats. Enjoy!

Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

These classic lemon bars strike the perfect balance between sweet and tangy. A buttery, tender shortbread crust provides a rich, crumbly base for the bright, silky lemon filling on top. Baked to golden perfection and dusted with powdered sugar, each bite melts in your mouth with zesty citrus flavor. They're a sunny, elegant treat—perfect for spring gatherings, afternoon tea, or simply indulging in a little citrusy bliss.

Print Recipe

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time55 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings24 bars

Equipment

• 9×13 in glass baking dish
• food processor
• Parchment Paper
• Large Bowl

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Filling

• zest of 3 lemons
• 2 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 8 eggs (room temp)
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Shortbread Crust

• Preheat oven to 350°f and line a 9x13in glass baking dish with parchment paper.
• In a food processor pulse together the flour, sugar, powdered sugar, and lemon zest. Cut the butter into chunks and add to the food processor. Pulse until a crumbly mixture forms.
• Add that mixture to a bowl and add the melted butter. Mix together and then press the dough down into the prepared baking dish. This will be crumbly but it comes together when baked. Just make sure to press the dough into the baking dish really well. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until pale golden brown all over.

Filling

• While the crust is baking, mix the sugar and lemon zest in a food processor until the sugar is a pale lemon color. You can skip this step, but this helps the sugar get nice and lemony.
• Add the lemon/sugar and the flour to another mixing bowl and whisk together. Mix the eggs and lemon juice together. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Once shortbread is baked, pour the lemon curd mixture over the warm crust and bake for 25-30 minutes.
• Let the lemon bars cool for about 1 hour at room temperature and then place them in the fridge for at least 2 hours before cutting.
• Cut the lemon bars in square sizes of your preference, using a clean knife between cuts. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Notes

These are best kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container. They will last 5-7 days in the fridge, but are best within a couple days of making. 

You an also wrap these individually and freeze them. 

Please note, the nutritional data is an estimate only.  

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 356IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg