Bright Fresh Simple Lemon Bars (Printable)

A zesty dessert featuring a buttery shortbread crust and a tangy lemon filling.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shortbread Crust

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Lemon Filling

05 - 4 large eggs
06 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 to 4 lemons)
09 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
10 - Powdered sugar, for dusting

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt, mixing until combined and a crumbly dough forms.
03 - Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
04 - While the crust is baking, whisk together eggs and sugar in a separate bowl until well blended. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and zest.
05 - Remove the crust from the oven and lower the temperature to 325°F. Pour the lemon filling over the hot crust. Return pan to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the center is set and does not jiggle when gently shaken.
06 - Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift bars out using parchment overhang and cut into squares. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The shortbread base practically melts on your tongue while the lemon layer delivers a perfect sweet tart punch.
  • They require zero fancy equipment and come together in under an hour.
02 -
  • Pouring the filling over the hot crust helps seal the base so the layers do not bleed into each other.
  • These bars need to cool completely before slicing or they will fall apart into a gooey mess.
03 -
  • Add an extra pinch of zest to the filling if you really want a bold, mouth puckering flavor.
  • Dust the powdered sugar on right before serving so it does not melt into the top layer.

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