Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
Easy lemon bars with a buttery press-in shortbread crust and a tangy, smooth fresh-lemon filling that sets cleanly for neat squares.
8% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Cooking
- 42 min
- Resting
- 3 hr
- Serves
- 24
- Calories
- 185
- Protein
- 2 g
- Per serving
- $0.34
Why this recipe works
Lemon bars need only pantry staples plus a handful of lemons, and the crust is pressed into the pan with your fingers, so there's no rolling. The bars need a few hours in the fridge to set fully, which makes them a good make-ahead dessert.
- Baking the crust until lightly golden before adding the filling keeps it crisp instead of soggy.
- Pouring the filling onto the hot crust helps it set into a smooth layer that bonds to the base.
- A few tablespoons of flour in the filling help it slice cleanly without tasting starchy.
Ingredients
For the crust
For the filling
To serve
You will need
- 9x13-inch metal baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Citrus juicer
- Fine-mesh sieve
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Make the crust
Heat the oven to 350°F and line the pan with parchment, leaving an overhang. Stir the melted butter, sugar and salt together, then the flour, until a soft dough forms. Press it evenly into the pan.
Bake the crust
Bake until the edges are lightly golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
Make the filling
While the crust bakes, whisk the eggs and sugar until smooth, then the flour, lemon juice and zest. Pour through a sieve to remove any lumps.
Bake the bars
Pour the filling over the hot crust. Bake until the filling is set and no longer jiggles in the center, 20 to 24 minutes.
Cool and chill
Cool in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm. Lift out, cut into 24 bars with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts, and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Cook's notes
- Use fresh lemons. Bottled juice tastes flat and slightly bitter in a recipe where lemon is the main flavor.
- Dust with powdered sugar right before serving; it dissolves into the moist filling if added hours ahead.
- Skim off any foam on the filling before baking for a smooth, even top.
Nutrition per serving
185 calories
$0.34 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 4% of calories | 2 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 54% of calories | 26 g |
| Fat | 42% of calories | 9 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | |
| Sodium | 100 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Why are my lemon bars runny?
They were underbaked or cut before chilling. Bake until the center no longer wobbles when you nudge the pan, then chill for at least 2 hours.
How do you keep the crust on lemon bars from getting soggy?
Prebake it until lightly golden and pour the filling onto it while it's still hot. Store the bars in the fridge and eat them within 3 to 4 days.
Do lemon bars need to be refrigerated?
Yes. The filling is an egg custard, so keep them covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. They also freeze well for up to 3 months, without the powdered sugar.
