Very Best Lemon Bars

5 from 7 votes
17 Comments

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These lemon bars are a tart, yummy dessert with a tangy lemon layer, cookie crust, and dusting of powdered sugar. A real summer treat!

A Lemon Bar with a bite taken out of the middle.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Light and Bright Lemon Bars Ingredients
  2. How to Make Lemon Bars
  3. Tips for the Perfect Lemon Bars
  4. Frequently Asked Questions
  5. Serving and Storing Lemon Bars
  6. More Delightful Bar Recipes
  7. How to Make Lemon Bars
  8. The Very Best Lemon Bars Recipe

These luscious lemon bars are a family favorite during the summer months. They are great for summer picnics and potlucks. They are so bright, tangy, chewy, and yummy! The perfect treat for warm summer nights on the patio or enjoying a sweet treat throughout the day.

When life gives you lemons, save a couple for this delicious lemon bar recipe! You will love how smooth and creamy the lemon filling is with a sweet and buttery soft crust that layers together perfectly. This light and refreshing lemon bar recipe are just what you need this spring and summer!

Light and Bright Lemon Bars Ingredients

This recipe provides the perfect ratio of buttery crust to a bright, lemony filling. Make sure to press the crust down firmly so it doesn’t overpower the lemon flavor. It is the perfect combination and a classic dessert that brings a fruity flavor.

  • All-Purpose Flour – Use flour for the base to create a bottom-like shortbread texture and the filling to keep it thick.
  • Butter – The butter is melted to hold together the bottom crust and give it a buttery flavoring.
  • Powdered sugar – Sprinkled over top of the lemon bars as well as added to the lemon filling for a thicker and sweeter taste.
  • Eggs – This is the binder that helps create the lemon layer.
  • Sugar – Adds sweetness and balances out the flavors.
  • Lemon juice and lemon zest – Try to use fresh lemons for this recipe. Not only will you be able to grate some fresh lemon zest from the rind, but fresh lemon juice tastes so much better and brighter than the bottled stuff.
  • Baking powder – Helps build the lemon bars up and lifts them while setting up over the stovetop.

How to Make Lemon Bars

Lemon bars are always a popular and favorite dessert that everyone loves! These are so simple to make and layered perfectly. Create the crust, bake, then slice to serve. It is simple but is a delicious and decadent dessert to serve!

  1. Making crust – Mix crust ingredients with a pastry blender or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until crumbly. Then, press into the bottom of a 9×13 pan lined with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until slightly brown.
  2. Bake – Whisk lemon filling ingredients together and pour the mixture over the pre-baked crust. Bake for 20 minutes at 350.
  3. Serve – Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Allow bars to cool or chill before cutting and serving.
A white tray with three lemon bars in a row


Tips for the Perfect Lemon Bars

Try these tips to help make the best lemon bars ever! This recipe is so simple to follow and comes together quick and easy. These helpful tips are here to make this lemon bar recipe even better!

  • Cold butter – Use very cold margarine or butter when making the crust, then use a pastry cutter or fork to blend it in with the flour. Cold butter makes light layers of crust that taste airy and just the perfect amount of crisp yet tender.
  • Glass pan – Bake lemon bars in a glass pan, as metal pans, can give the bar cookies a slightly metallic taste.
  • Cooking spray – Use a good quality cooking spray or parchment paper to line the bottom of the glass baking pan. They’ll come out easily without breaking. Part of a good lemon bar is the presentation, after all.
  • Fresh lemons – To get the maximum juice out of the lemons, roll them on the counter with your hand for a few seconds or microwave them for about ten seconds. You will be amazed at how juicy those lemons can be!
  • Cutting lemons – When cutting lemon bars, rinse your knife with warm water between each cut. This will make pretty, square bars and make the bars easier to remove from the pan. 
  • Extra powdered sugar – Don’t forget a generous dusting of powdered sugar on top. The sugar kind of melts into the lemon filling, making a golden, sweet crust on top that complements the tangy lemon. These are so delicious!
A square white plate with a lemon bar on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I make with a bunch of lemons?

Lemon bars of course! The juice and the zest from lemons make for delicious, tangy lemon bars.

What is lemon bar crust made from?

Simply put, the crust is a shortbread crust made from flour, butter, and sugar.

Do lemon bars need to be refrigerated?

If lemon bars aren’t consumed within the first couple hours of baking, it is best to refrigerate them. This will help the bars stay fresh and hold their shape.

Serving and Storing Lemon Bars

These bars can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold. I love them after they’ve refrigerated for a few hours, allowing them to set up beautifully and let the flavors settle together. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or in a baking dish covered with plastic wrap for up to a week for maximum freshness.

Read Next: 33+ Easy Dessert Ideas

More Delightful Bar Recipes

If you love bar cookie recipes as much as we do, you’re in luck! We’ve gathered a few of our favorite tried and true treats right here for you to try.

How to Make Lemon Bars

A square white plate with a lemon bar on it

The Very Best Lemon Bars

5 from 7 votes
Lemon Bars are a tart,yummy dessert with a tangy lemon layer, cookie crust and dusting of powdered sugar. A real summer treat!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 20 bars

Video

Equipment

  • Conventional Oven
  • 9 X 13 inch Pan

Ingredients

CRUST:

LEMON FILLING:

Instructions

FOR THE CRUST:

  • Mix with pastry blender til crumbly, then press into the bottom of a 9×13 pan lined with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until slightly brown.

FOR THE LEMON FILLING:

  • Mix and pour over pre-baked crust. Bake 20 minutes at 350. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Allow bars to cool before cutting and serving.

Notes

Recipe Tips:

  • This recipe provides the perfect ratio of buttery crust to bright, lemony filling. Make sure to press the crust down firmly so it doesn’t overpower the lemon flavor.
  • Use very cold margarine or butter when making the crust, then use a pastry cutter or fork to blend it in with the flour. Cold butter makes light layers of crust which tastes airy and just the perfect amount of crisp yet tender.
  • Bake lemon bars in a glass pan, as metal pans can give the bar cookies a slightly metallic taste.
  • Use a good quality cooking spray or even parchment paper to line the bottom of the glass baking pan. They’ll come out easily without breaking. Part of a good lemon bar is the presentation, after all.
  • These bars can be served warm or cold. I love them after they’ve refrigerated for a few hours, which allows them to set up beautifully and let the flavors settle all together.
  • Try to use fresh lemons for this recipe. Not only will you be able to grate some fresh lemon zest from the rind, but fresh lemon juice tastes so much better and brighter than the bottled stuff.
  • To get the maximum juice out of your lemons, either roll them on the counter with your hand for a few seconds, or microwave them for about ten seconds. You’ll be amazed how juicy those lemons can be!
  • Don’t forget a generous dusting of powdered sugar on top. The sugar kind of melts into the lemon filling, making a golden, sweet crust on top that complements the tangy lemon. These are so delicious!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 94mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 330IUVitamin C: 1.9mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 0.8mg

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About the author

Emily Walker

Emily lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband, Beau, a physician assistant, and her three incredible children: a son and two daughters. Travel is one of her favorite ways to experience new cultures and cuisines, and she has a love for all things Disney.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These are so delicious! Followed the recipe to the T and got perfect lemon bars. I highly recommend this recipe, one of the best lemon bars that I have tried.

  2. 5 stars
    It’s one of the easiest and loveliest recipes I’ve ever seen <3 I've gotta try all your delightful bar recipes for my family! <3 <3

  3. Self rising or all purpose flour? I’m assuming self rising since no baking powder or baking soda. Thanks 🙂

  4. Hello, Thanks for this recipe. One question, what means : ” c” in “1 c. margarine” or “2 c. flour” ? is it “cup” ? and for a french girl what does it mean in grams ? thank you for the answer.