Easy Lemon Bars

This recipe for Easy Lemon Bars has the perfect ratio of buttery shortbread to tangy lemon filling. Try this lemon bar recipe and you’ll never need another!

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What’s the perfect lemon bar look like? To me, there are two very important characteristics of the “perfect lemon bar.” First off, the ratio of the crust and the lemon filling needs to be just right. I want to be able to taste the buttery crust but I also want to taste the bright lemony flavor of the filling.

And second, the texture. The bottom crust needs to be able to hold up the lemon layer. And the filling needs to be soft, but not runny or sticky. Luckily, this recipe meets both of those criteria.

Where did this recipe come from?

Wanna know something cool about this recipe? It pretty much fell into my lap. Zach’s cousin Colleen and I were talking about the favorites in her recipe box one night. She handed me her favorite handwritten recipe cards and these lemon bars were one of them. It’s a recipe that was passed down from her mom.

Though I never had the privilege to meet her mother, if she was anything like Colleen, she was a very selfless, kind and loving lady – who just happened to make some freakin’ awesome lemon bars.

What do I need to make these Easy Lemon Bars?

• Salted butter (or unsalted butter + 1/4 tsp salt)
• Flour (for the crust and for the filling)
• Powdered sugar (for the crust and for dusting the top)
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon should give you enough)
• Eggs (I used large eggs)
• Sugar
• Baking powder

How do you make Lemon Bars?

I titled these Easy Lemon Bars for a reason. They’re super quick and easy to put together. The hardest part (for me at least) is waiting for them to cool!

Make the Crust

To make the crust, you’ll simply combine the three ingredients – flour, powdered sugar and butter. You’ll pat this into a greased 9×9 glass baking pan and bake for 15 minutes. While it’s baking, make the filling.

Make the Filling

Take a lemon and squeeze the lemon juice out. You’ll need 2 tablespoons. Combine the lemon juice with the rest of the filling ingredients and pour over the crust. Use a spoon to spread it evenly.

Bake, Cool and Top

Bake for an additional 20(ish) minutes. Once they’re done, let the cool to room temperature then refrigerate. Dust with powdered sugar, cut and enjoy!

Do lemon bars need to be refrigerated?

Yes. Because the filling is basically a custard, you will want to keep them in the fridge. However, if you have a party and are serving them, they will be fine at room temperature for a couple hours.

How long do lemon bars stay good?

At our house, not long because they disappear quickly haha! Ok, but in all seriousness, they’ll last up to 1 week in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.

Desserts for lemon-lovers!

Love all things “lemon?” These lemon bars and fantastic, but I’ve also got an incredibly moist Triple Lemon Poke Cake and a Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake. No matter which you go with, I don’t think you’ll have any regrets! 🙂

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