These Classic Lemon Bars feature a buttery crust topped with a tangy and sweet lemon filling. So simple to make and so delicious!
There’s a reason these Lemon Bars have the ‘classic’ title, they are tried, tested and devoured on a regular basis! Sometimes simple desserts are the best. These gorgeous, sweet, and zesty squares are super easy and super satisfying. Great for a treat and awesome for the Holidays!
Looking for more sweet bars? Why not also try my Strawberry Oatmeal Bars and my Strawberry Lemonade Sugar Cookie Bars!
Why you’ll love these Lemon Bars:
- A wonderfully buttery homemade crust. The base of these bars just melts in the mouth!
- A zesty lemon filling. Made with vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest, this filling is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
- An easy dessert bar recipe. Whether for dessert or just as a snack, this recipe is a breeze to whip up. Only a few ingredients needed.
How to make these Classic Lemon Bars
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Make the crust – Mix the crust ingredients together with a pastry cutter or a fork until the dough resembles a light crumble. Press into a prepped baking dish and
- Bake the crust – For 10-15 mins.
- Make the filling – Mix the filling ingredients together until smooth.
- Bake – Pour the filling onto the crust, bake for 25 mins.
- Cool – Allow to cool then refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Sift on powder, cut into squares and serve!
Do Lemon Bars need to be refrigerated?
Yes they do. As they’re made with eggs the filling is similar to a custard. You’ll want to store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve them.
Stored in an airtight container, they will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze them?
You can indeed! If you need to store these Classic Lemon Bars for longer, you wrap them tightly and freezer them in a freezer bag or freezer safe container.
When you’re ready to have them, simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Which lemons are best to use?
You can use whichever lemons you have to hand.
Meyer lemons are great though, they are tart like regular lemons, but taste sweeter than the most common varieties found at the grocery store. The taste is a little bit like a cross between a lemon and an orange.
But not to fear if you can’t find Meyer lemons, go ahead and use regular lemons, still delicious!
Tips!
- Use a preheated oven.
- When measuring your flour for these bars, be sure to spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Bake until the square turns golden brown.
- For a flavor twist, top with some berries or fresh mint.
- The powdered sugar will dissolve into the bars the longer they sit. For best presentation, powder just before serving.
More Bar Recipes we Love
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Best Lemon Bars Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1½ cup all-purpose flour 180 grams
- ½ cup powdered sugar 57 grams
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter 170 grams, cold (1½ sticks)
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour 40 grams
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar 350 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice 170 grams, from about 6 lemons
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 large eggs 150 grams, room temperature
- ¼ cup powdered sugar 28 grams, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside
- Mix the crust ingredients together with a pastry cutter or a fork until the dough resembles a light crumble.1½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- Press the crust into the prepared baking dish in an even layer
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until it turns a light golden color.
- Remove and let cool completely.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the filling ingredients together until smooth.1¾ cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¾ cup fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 3 large eggs, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- Pour it onto the crust and bake for 25 more minutes.
- Remove and let cool completely before refrigerating for 2 hours.
- Before slicing, sift the powdered sugar over the uncut bars.¼ cup powdered sugar
- Cut into 9 equal pieces and serve.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Use a preheated oven.
- When measuring your flour for these bars, be sure to spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Bake until the square turns golden brown.
- For a flavor twist, top with some berries or fresh mint.
- The powdered sugar will dissolve into the bars the longer they sit. For best presentation, powder just before serving.
Nutrition Information
