Easy Lemon Bar Recipe

A fresh batch of sunny lemon bars is an easy dessert to whip up for weekend guests, a holiday, or just because. The zingy lemon flavor from the juice and zest, when combined with the sweet crust, makes this a huge favorite for lemon lovers. Recipe developer Kate Shungu of Gift of Hospitality shares this recipe that takes just 15 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to bake, so you'll have an incredibly tangy, sweet dessert ready to serve and enjoy in no time at all.

"These lemon bars are for all the lemon fans! They have a bright, fresh lemon flavor and they're sweet, but not overly so. The lemon juice balances out the sugar nicely," Shungu says. Of course, there are many tasty lemon recipes out there, including the classic lemon meringue pie, lemon cake, lemon butter cookies, lemon tart, and lemon poppy seed muffins, but nothing quite compares to this lemon bar recipe. With how little prep time it takes to put these treats together, you'll be amazed at how incredible they taste.

To whip up this delicious dessert, you will need all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. According to Shungu, the cornstarch is used to help make the crust and keep it tender and flaky. She also recommends squeezing fresh lemons for this recipe and not substituting lemon juice out of a bottle. "The flavor of bottled lemon juice isn't as bright or lemon-like as fresh juice," she says.

If someone in your home follows a gluten-free diet, it's possible to substitute gluten-free flour for the all-purpose flour. "I haven't tried it myself, but I suspect that using a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour would work for this recipe," Shungu says.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, line a 13x9-inch pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. If using aluminum foil, be sure to spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray first. This, of course, will help prevent the bars from sticking when serving. 

In a large bowl, combine 1¾ cup of flour, ⅔ cup of powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 12 tablespoons of softened, unsalted butter, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix those ingredients together on the medium setting with an electric mixer until the butter is thoroughly incorporated in pea-sized lumps. Shungu notes that the dough will be quite crumbly.

Press the dough firmly into your prepared 13x9-inch pan. You can use the back of a metal spoon to help smooth it out across the pan for a uniform look. Bake the crust for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the edges turn a beautiful golden brown. Be sure not to overcook it.

Now, your focus should be on preparing the deliciously zesty lemon filling. While the crust is in the oven, combine 2 cups of granulated sugar, 6 eggs, 1 cup of lemon juiced extracted from 5 or 6 large lemons, the zest of 1 lemon, 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Be sure to whisk everything together until the mixture is perfectly smooth. Set the bowl aside, and move on to the next step.

When the crust is done baking, remove it from the oven and poke holes in it with a fork. If you've never employed this method before, just know it's important to not skip this step as it helps the lemon filling stick to the crust. "I use this trick for any recipe with a shortbread crust and a filling/topping. There's nothing worse than a bar falling apart as you're eating it! Poking holes with a fork increases the amount of surface area for the lemon filling to stick to, which makes the two layers stick together well," Shungu explains.

Pour the lemon filling over the crust while the base is still warm. Then, slide the pan back into the oven to bake for 20 to 24 more minutes, or until the filling sets nicely. These delectable lemon bars should cool to room temperature once removed from the oven, then be placed in the refrigerator to cool for at least two hours. It's important that the lemon bar filling has the chance to become firm, because they definitely won't serve well soupy!

As you dream of biting into a lemon bar once it's ready, clean up the kitchen. Then, turn your attention back to the bars. Before serving, dust the top of the lemon bars with powdered sugar, and cut into squares. This recipe makes 15 bars.

Once the lemon bars are ready to serve, you can slip one onto a plate, and serve it to a guest who has popped by for the holidays or a special occasion. They'd make a beautiful dessert served at a baby shower or for Easter brunch. Or, if you're a huge fan of lemon bars and anything lemon, simply sit down with a fork and the pan, and dig in.

"I love serving lemon bars to guests. Their bright yellow color looks beautiful on a dessert display or as part of a cookie tray. To plate them individually, place a lemon bar on a plate and dust it with powdered sugar right on the plate," Shungu says.