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    Home » Baked Goods » Brownies & Bars

    Published: May 25, 2021 · Modified: Jul 29, 2022 by Kelly Hamilton · This post may contain affiliate links

    Lemon Bars

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    These creamy, delicious lemon bars are the perfect treat. They have a buttery shortbread crust and are topped with tangy lemon curd. You get bursting lemon flavor in every bite!

    close up of lemon bar on a white platter with other lemon bars behind it
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients needed for these lemon bars:
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Common Questions
    • Tips and tricks
    • Storing & freezing
    • Want to try more citrus recipes?
    • 📖 Recipe

    Lemon bars are hands down one of my all-time favorite desserts. They are the perfect combination of tangy citrus and buttery crust, and every bite is so incredibly flavorful. If you are a lover of lemon desserts, then you probably feel the same way as me about lemon bars!

    When doing research for my own lemon bar recipe, I found that most recipes make bars in 13x9 pans. I've been really gravitating towards "small batch" desserts recently, mainly because I don't want a ton of leftovers for myself lol. So I decided when making this to use an 8x8 pan and have the recipe make 9 perfect lemon bars (although you can cut them smaller to make more too).

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients needed for these lemon bars:
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Common Questions
    • Tips and tricks
    • Storing & freezing
    • Want to try more citrus recipes?
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients needed for these lemon bars:

    This recipe has super basic ingredients, but just to point out a few things:

    • unsalted butter- I typically use unsalted butter in my recipes, but if you only have salted that is totally fine! You can either omit or half the amount of salt that the recipe calls for.
    • eggs- make sure to use large eggs for this recipe.
    • lemon zest- this zester is my absolute favorite for everything from zesting citrus to garlic. It makes zesting so easy.
    • lemon juice- I recommend using freshly squeezed lemons for this recipe, it should only take between 2-3 large lemons. My favorite citrus juicer is this one. I also recommend straining the lemon juice before pouring it in to get any pulp or seeds out.

    Step by Step Instructions

    Step 1: In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter until melted. Add the sugar and mix until combined. Add the vanilla and mix again. Pour in the salt and flour and mix until everything is combined, your dough will be pretty thick. Pour the dough into the pan and spread it evenly in the pan. Bake this for about 20 minutes, until the edges are just slightly starting to brown.

    Step 2: While the crust is baking, make the lemon curd by combining the sugar and flour in a large bowl, making sure there are no clumps. Add in the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Whisk until everything is well combined, and then let it sit for 10 minutes.

    Step 3: Before pouring the lemon mixture onto the crust, take a fork and gently press holes into the top of the crust (making sure not to poke all the way through). Then use a rubber spatula to press the crust back towards the sides of the pan, sealing the edges that might have pulled away while baking. This is to make sure the lemon curd doesn't sink into the cracks around the edges of the pan.

    Step 4: Give the lemon curd mixture a good mix one more time and then gently pour the lemon curd onto the crust. Place back into the oven to bake for 20-22 minutes until the curd is set (but still jiggles like jello). Remove and place on a wire cooling rack.

    Step 5: Allow the bars to cool COMPLETELY in the pan (about an hour), and then place in the fridge for a few hours to chill. Remove from the pan by pulling up the parchment paper and use a sharp knife to cut into squares. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

    • shortbread dough mixed together in a glass bowl
    • crust dough pressed into the square pan before baking.
    • crust after it's been baked and has fork holes poked in it
    • lemon curd mixture in a clear glass bowl

    Common Questions

    Are lemon bars supposed to be gooey?

    Lemon bars are lemon curd baked on top of the crust, so yes they should be somewhat gooey! Make sure you allow them to cool completely in the pan after baking (and I suggest chilling them in the fridge) so they aren't overly gooey.

    Should lemon bars be served cold?

    I enjoy my lemon bars cold, but you can serve them at room temperature. Be sure to store them in the fridge. If you want them to be served at room temperature, take them out an hour or so before serving.

    How do I know when the lemon bars are done?

    When lemon bars are done they should pass the "jiggle test"- basically the curd should jiggle like jello when it's done. If it's still too runny, bake a little longer and if it's totally firm you may have overbaked them.

    Why do I have crust on top of my lemon bars?

    From my experience, if the crust is not "sealed" this can lead to your lemon curd seeping into the cracks and the crust rising. Believe me, this happened so many times to me when I was testing this recipe. Basically what happens is when the crust is baking, it shrinks and pulls away from the edges of the pan.

    Once the crust comes out of the oven, use a fork to gently poke holes all over the top (without going all the way through to the bottom). Then take a rubber spatula and gently press the crust back towards the edges of the pan. Anywhere that I notice it had pulled away from the pan, I gently push it back so that there is no crack. That way when you pour the lemon curd over top, it won't sink to the bottom through the cracks around the edges.

    Can I double this recipe?

    Yes! Just double the ingredients and make it in a 9x13 pan.

    Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

    Yes you can. They will stay fresh in the fridge for a couple of days, just be sure to store them in an airtight container. Wait to dust with powdered sugar until they are ready to be served.

    overhead view of cut up lemon bars on parchment paper with a sifter next to them

    Tips and tricks

    • use room temperature ingredients- this goes for most baking recipes, and here the only ingredients that would need to be room temperature would be the eggs.
    • spoon and level your flour- I always recommend spooning and leveling your flour when baking. Scooping the measuring cup right into the flour will actually compact the flour and give much more than the recipe calls for. To spoon and level, use a large spoon to gently scoop the flour into your measuring cup. Once it's full, use a flat edge (like a butter knife) to gently scrape across the top of the measuring cup.
    • make sure to seal the crust- As I said above, I learned this one the hard way (aka many recipe tests for these lemon bars). When the shortbread crust bakes, it pulls away from the edges of the pan, leaving cracks for the lemon curd to sink into which gives you upside-down lemon bars. Before pouring the lemon onto the crust, take a rubber spatula and gently press the crust back towards the edges of the pan to seal those cracks.
    • don't overbake the lemon bars- Overbaking lemon bars can actually cause your lemon curd to curdle and will give you an almost grainy texture. Make sure to watch your lemon bars and take them out of the oven when they pass the "jiggle test"- they should jiggle like firm jello when they are done.
    • use a sharp knife to cut- when cutting lemon bars, use a sharp knife to get clean cuts. I prefer using a big chef's knife to get all the way through. I also like to clean my knife off with warm water and a towel in between cuts to keep the cuts nice and clean (you don't have to do this but it helps).
    • dust with powdered sugar before serving- this is just a classic lemon bar tradition! Use a sifter to dust the top of the lemon bars with some powdered sugar.

    Storing & freezing

    Lemon bars should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They will stay good for up to a week in the fridge. They can also be frozen for 3-4 months.

    1 lemon bar turned up so you can see the layers of crust and lemon curd.

    Want to try more citrus recipes?

    • Lemon Poppyseed Scones
    • Key Lime Cupcakes
    • Blood Orange Almond Pound Cake
    • Orange Creamsicle Cookies

    This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something off of one of those links I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!

    📖 Recipe

    Lemon Bars Recipe

    Kelly Hamilton
    These creamy, delicious lemon bars are the perfect treat. They have a buttery shortbread crust and are topped with a tangy lemon curd. You get bursting lemon flavor in every bite!
    5 from 10 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 50 mins
    cooling time 3 hrs
    Total Time 4 hrs 10 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 9 servings
    Calories 283 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowl Set
    • Whisk
    • Silicone Spatula
    • Parchment Paper Sheets
    • 8x8 Baking Pan

    Ingredients
     
     

    crust

    • ½ cup unsalted butter , melted
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled

    lemon curd

    • 1 cup + 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon zest , about 1½ lemons
    • ½ cup fresh lemon juice , about 2½ lemons
    • powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
    Text Ingredients

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper (for easy removal later) and set aside.

    make the crust

    • In a microwave safe bowl, heat the butter until melted. Add the sugar and mix until combined. Add the vanilla and mix again. Pour in the salt and flour and mix until everything is combined (the dough will be pretty thick).
    • Pour the dough into the pan and spread it evenly into the bottom. Bake this for about 20 minutes, until the edges are just slightly starting to brown.

    make the lemon curd

    • While the crust is baking, make the lemon curd by combining the sugar and flour in a large bowl, making sure there are no clumps. Add in the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Whisk until everything is well combined, and then let it sit for 10 minutes.

    assemble and bake

    • Before pouring the lemon mixture onto the crust, take a fork and gently press holes into the top of the crust (making sure not to poke all the way through). Then use a rubber spatula to press the crust back towards the sides of the pan, sealing the edges that might have pulled away while baking. This is to make sure the lemon curd doesn't sink into the cracks around the edges of the pan.
    • Give the lemon curd mixture a good mix one more time and then gently pour the lemon curd onto the crust. Place back into the oven the bake for 20-22 minutes until the curd is set (but still jiggles like firm jello). Remove and place on a wire cooling rack.

    cool & slice

    • Allow the bars to cool COMPLETELY in the pan (about an hour), and then place in the fridge for a few hours to chill. Remove from the pan by pulling up the parchment paper and use a sharp knife to cut into squares. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    • spoon and level your flour- I always recommend spooning and leveling your flour when baking. Scooping the measuring cup right into the flour will actually compact the flour and give much more than the recipe calls for. To spoon and level, use a large spoon to gently scoop the flour into your measuring cup. Once it's full, use a flat edge (like a butter knife) to gently scrape across the top of the measuring cup.
    • make sure to seal the crust- As I said above, I learned this one the hard way (aka many recipe tests for these lemon bars). When the shortbread crust bakes, it pulls away from the edges of the pan, leaving cracks for the lemon curd to sink into which gives you upside-down lemon bars. Before pouring the lemon onto the crust, take a rubber spatula and gently press the crust back towards the edges of the pan to seal those cracks.
    • don't overbake the lemon bars- Overbaking lemon bars can actually cause your lemon curd to curdle and will give you an almost grainy texture. Make sure to watch your lemon bars and take them out of the oven when they pass the "jiggle test"- they should jiggle like firm jello when they are done.
    • use a sharp knife to cut- when cutting lemon bars, use a sharp knife to get clean cuts. I prefer using a big chef's knife to get all the way through. I also like to clean my knife off with warm water and a towel in between cuts to keep the cuts nice and clean (you don't have to do this but it helps).
    • dust with powdered sugar before serving- this is just a classic lemon bar tradition! Use a sifter to dust the top of the lemon bars with some powdered sugar.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bar | Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was! Share on Instagram and tag @bake.andbacon
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy says

      March 31, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      5 stars
      Just made two trays of these and they are DELICIOUS! I followed the recipe exactly and it was very simple and straight forward.

      Reply
      • Kelly Hamilton says

        April 04, 2022 at 11:56 am

        SO happy to hear you loved these lemon bars, Amy!

        Reply
    2. Bridget says

      October 20, 2021 at 11:35 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! Thought it would be hard to make, but it was easy to follow and turned out amazing. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kelly Hamilton says

        October 20, 2021 at 11:35 am

        Thanks for trying this recipe, Bridget! Happy to hear they turned out great 😊

        Reply
    3. Kat says

      October 03, 2021 at 3:18 pm

      How to adjust recipe if making in a 9x13?

      Reply
      • Kelly Hamilton says

        October 04, 2021 at 8:21 am

        Hi Kat! You can just double the recipe to make it in a 9x13. You might need to adjust the baking time a bit by adding 5-10 minutes extra. I would just keep an eye on them as they bake!

        Reply
        • Kat says

          October 09, 2021 at 10:46 am

          Perfect, thanks!

    4. Sue Hilbert says

      June 10, 2021 at 10:09 am

      Did you really mean to chill in oven or should that read chill in refrigerator??

      Reply
      • Kelly Hamilton says

        June 15, 2021 at 10:29 am

        Definitely meant to say fridge!!! No chilling in the oven lol. So sorry for the typo, thank you for pointing it out!

        Reply
    5. Glenda says

      June 06, 2021 at 7:30 am

      Can you use store bought lemon curd for this recipe

      Reply
      • Kelly Hamilton says

        June 07, 2021 at 1:01 pm

        I think you could, but I haven't tested it! If you do use store-bought I think 5-6 ounces would probably be equivalent.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kelly! I'm the self-taught baker, food photographer, and dog mom behind Bake & Bacon. I'm here to bring you easy recipes for my favorite things- delicious breakfasts and decadent desserts!

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