When life hands you lemons, you make the best lemon bars imaginable! This zesty citrus dessert is a perfect treat any time of the year, combining a sweet and tangy curd filling with a buttery shortbread crust. Whether you prefer them classic, with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, or dressed up with fresh berries or a dollop of whipped cream, lemon bars are a surefire crowd-pleaser. From traditional family recipes to modern twists, this article will guide you through the essential steps to create the perfect lemon bars, ensuring they come out of the oven golden brown and bursting with lemon-y goodness.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
THE BEST LEMON BARS
This perfect Lemon Bars Recipe has two important things; the perfect amount of lemon and a rich buttery crust. I add a bit more lemon juice than most, but it's what sets my lemon bar recipe apart!
Provided by Amanda Rettke
Categories Dessert
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your hands. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan lined with foil.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden.
- Whisk together 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Crack eggs into a separate bowl, then whisk them into the sugar and flour mixture. Add 2/3 cup lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
- Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the oven. (Do not cover)
- Allow bars to cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours then dust with confectioners sugar.
- Cut into squares and serve.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 12 g, Calories 238 kcal
LEMON BARS RECIPE
These are not the flimsy, thin lemon bars you see all over the internet! My recipe makes the best lemon bars ever - thick shortbread crust with that creamy tart lemon filling! If you've been disappointed with other recipes you have to give my recipe a try - I know you will love it.
Provided by Dorothy Kern
Categories Dessert
Time 1h5m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 or an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the crust by creaming the butter with a hand or a stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment) until smooth. Add powdered sugar, flour, and salt and mix slowly until the mixture is crumbly but sticks together when you press it between your fingers. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 13 minutes, or until it just starts to get a light golden brown around the edges.
- While the crust is baking, whisk the eggs until beaten. Whisk in the sugar, lemon zest, salt, and lemon juice. Pour over hot crust, then continue to bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the mixture is no longer liquid in the center and it's lightly golden brown on top.
- Cool completely before removing from pan. Remove foil, then dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve, dusting with more powdered sugar as desired.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 serving, Calories 468 kcal, Carbohydrate 62 g, Protein 6 g, Fat 23 g, SaturatedFat 14 g, Cholesterol 127 mg, Sodium 96 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 40 g
THE BEST LEMON BARS
It's tough to top a classic lemon bar, but we've done it! We kept the tender, buttery crust and bright filling of the original, and made a few improvements. For our luscious lemon layer, we employed a unique double-cooking method. Simmering first on the stovetop like lemon curd allows us to add butter, which balances the tart and sweet elements and adds a richer, smoother texture.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories dessert
Time 3h
Yield 24 bars
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides; spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- For the crust: Add the flour, cornstarch, confectioners' sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse 10 times until combined. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand, about 30 times. (The dough will not come together in one mass.) Sprinkle the mixture evenly in the prepared pan and lightly pat it down. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
- For the filling: Combine the eggs, yolks, sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Whisk continuously over medium heat, occasionally scraping down the sides and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, until simmering and thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon zest and butter until combined.
- Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Pour the filling over the crust and bake until just set, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
- Use the foil overhang to lift the bars from the pan. Remove the foil and slice into squares. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
THE BEST LEMON BARS
Tart, rich and perfection, all rolled into one! Wow your friends with this simple recipe. Hint: No Substitutions!
Provided by Patty Schenck
Categories Desserts Fruit Dessert Recipes Lemon Dessert Recipes
Time 55m
Yield 36
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
- Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. For a festive tray, make another pan using limes instead of lemons and adding a drop of green food coloring to give a very pale green. After both pans have cooled, cut into uniform 2 inch squares and arrange in a checker board fashion.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 125.8 calories, Carbohydrate 17.8 g, Cholesterol 34.2 mg, Fat 5.8 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 1.6 g, SaturatedFat 3.4 g, Sodium 44.4 mg, Sugar 11.2 g
LEMON BARS
Ina Garten's Lemon Bars are easy to bake and make for the perfect picnic dessert, from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network.
Provided by Ina Garten
Categories dessert
Time 1h35m
Yield 20 squares or 40 triangles
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
- Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
- For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
- Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.
THE BEST LEMON BARS
I got this recipe from my sister in law 20+ years ago, and since then have used it exclusively. These bars are not goopy, and have a perfect balance of sweet and tart. The crust is almost like a shortbread and is so delicate. During lemon season I make almost a pan a day and they disappear as quickly as I make them. You will not be disappointed. I use my food processor to do the work; you can use a traditional hand operated pastry blender for the crust and your blender for the filling
Provided by PhoenixReborn
Categories Tarts
Time 40m
Yield 25 squares
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350. Locate an 8x8 baking dish.
- Crust: Combine the 1 cup flour, butter, and powdered sugar in the food processor. Run until mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Dump crust mixture into the pan. Distribute and press down by hand create the crust over the pan. You should create a firm, even layer of crust over the bottom of the pan, and a short edge (1/4-1/2 inch) of crust on the sides, which will help to contain the lemon filling later.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Prepare filling while crust bakes.
- Filling: Combine lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and eggs into the same food processor bowl (no need to wash between steps). Allow the processor to run the entire time the crust bakes. Upon removing crust, add the flour/baking powder mixture to the processor and mix another minute. Pour this over the top of the crust.
- Place the pan back into the oven; decrease temperature to 325. Bake for 13-18 minutes. Top should appear white with golden overtones.
- Remove from oven; cool for at least 15 minutes. Cut into squares. (I cut mine with a "Bash and Chop"- a great tool).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 86.4, Fat 4.1, SaturatedFat 2.5, Cholesterol 26.7, Sodium 39.2, Carbohydrate 11.5, Fiber 0.2, Sugar 7, Protein 1.1
THE BEST LEMON BARS YOU WILL EVER EAT
This recipe comes from a friend of my mom. My fiance and I credit this recipe for getting us into our current home-I bribed my landlord with a batch when we turned in the rent application!! No one I know has ever tasted better lemon bars.
Provided by PBShakes
Categories Bar Cookie
Time 1h
Yield 15-20 bars
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Crust:.
- Mix 2 cups flour and powdered sugar. Cut in the butter then use your hands to knead it into a moist ball. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and brush with melted butter. Pat the dough into an even layer at the bottom of the prepped pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
- While crust is baking mix: eggs, granulated sugar, remaining flour, lemon juice and salt.
- Pour over baked crust. Bake for 20 min more. If it's still a little loose in the middle turn off the oven, open the door for one minute to allow heat to escape then close it and leave in cooling oven for another 5-10 minutes until it has set.
- Remove from oven. Using the parchment as a sling carefully move uncut bar to a cutting surface. Cut immediately into squares with a long sharp knife (run knife under hot water before and between cuts) and sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar (optional). Allow to cool.
THE BEST HOMEMADE LEMON BARS RECIPE
These are the best homemade lemon bars! With a perfectly chewy crust, zesty lemon filling and dusted with powder sugar they are the ultimate summertime treat.
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cream together softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Add flour and salt and mix until blended.
- Press into the bottom of prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.
- While crust is cooking, make filling by mixing together sugar, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour filling over hot crust and bake for about 25 -30 minutes or until set.
- Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar.
- Cool completely and cut into squares.
Nutrition Facts : Servingsize 1 serving, Calories 6545 kcal, Fat 268 g, SaturatedFat 51 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 1883 mg, Carbohydrate 927 g, Sugar 566 g, Protein 186 mg
Tips:
- For the perfect crust, use cold butter and work it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Don't overmix the batter, as this will result in a tough crust.
- Bake the bars until the edges are golden brown and the center is set, but still slightly jiggly.
- Let the bars cool completely before cutting them, as this will help them to hold their shape.
- For a richer flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest.
- If you don't have a lemon zester, you can use a microplane grater.
- Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Conclusion:
Lemon bars are a classic dessert that is perfect for any occasion. They are easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. With their bright, citrusy flavor and creamy texture, lemon bars are sure to be a hit at your next party or gathering.
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