---
title: "Lemon Bars Recipe"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/bb1ede2e-81b6-44e4-a93d-f64756255f8b
source_url: "https://www.thekitchn.com/lemon-bars-recipe-23636058#post-recipe-635070657"
stack: https://stacklist.com/stack/4529943e-c767-48f7-ae1b-067a78cbb7db
summary: "Classic Lemon Bars is a detailed recipe featuring a buttery shortbread crust and tangy lemon filling that serves 16 and takes under an hour to prepare. The recipe uses lemon-infused sugar and includes helpful tips for achieving the perfect crust-to-topping ratio and proper setting of the filling."
tags: "lemon-bars, dessert, recipe, baking, shortbread, citrus, tutorial"
key_entities: "Alexis deBoschnek (person), Simon & Schuster (organization), Catskills (location), upstate New York (location), lemon bars (concept), shortbread crust (concept)"
classification: "tutorial"
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acp_version: "0.2"
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visibility: public
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status: "final"
---

# Lemon Bars Recipe

Recipes Desserts Bars Lemon Bars Alexis deBoschnek Alexis deBoschnek Alexis deBoschnek is a recipe developer and video host based in the Catskills in upstate New York. Her first book To the Last Bite (Simon & Schuster) will be published in April 2022. You can find more recipes by Alexis on her Instagram and website. Follow updated Mar 13, 2026 Be the first to leave a review! Learn how to make these classic dessert bars with a buttery shortbread crust and tangy lemon filling. Serves 16 Prep 15 minutes Cook 30 minutes Cook Mode+ Send to Me Print Share Jump to Recipe We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing. X Quick Overview Why You’ll Love It I’ve perfected the recipe. On my quest to create the perfect lemon bars, I tried many different techniques and proportions, but ultimately settled on an easy-to-execute recipe with a few simple tweaks. More lemon flavor. I call for making the crust with lemon-infused sugar, which carries more lemon flavor through every bite. I also add salt to both layers to temper the sweetness. They’re made with a handful of pantry staples and come together in under an hour. These lemon bars are so good that even self-proclaimed non-dessert people will get on board with this sweet. Whether you bring lemon bars to a potluck or a bake sale, you’ll likely be met with a combination of utter glee and a declaration that “you know lemon bars are my favorite.” With its buttery shortbread crust and tangy lemon topping, lemon bars are bright, balanced, and have a wonderfully creamy texture (if done right). Even though I’m team lemon bar, I’ve never developed my own recipe. For this, I wanted to create a dessert bar that had the right crust-to-topping ratio (which I discovered is about 1:3 in my book), delivered enough tangy lemon flavor, and wasn’t too sweet. Here’s how to make the best-ever lemon bars at home. Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: Brett Regot Key Ingredients in Lemon Bars Lemons: I used 5 large lemons for this recipe. If you are unsure of the size, buy more than you need to make sure you have enough for the filling. (You can also easily swap the lemon juice and zest with any type of citrus juice of your choosing like grapefruit, lime, or orange.) Butter: Using unsalted butter ensures that you can control the salt levels in the bars and prevent them from being too salty. Sugar: This recipe calls for both granulated and powdered sugar. While it may be tempting, wait to dust the lemon bars with powdered sugar until right before serving or it will dissolve into the bars. Flour: All-purpose flour is used in both the crust and the topping of these lemon bars. In the filling, the flour acts as a binder to keep the lemon topping in place. How to Make Lemon Bars Make the crust. Rub the sugar with lemon zest before making the crust to infuse it with lemon flavor. Then, cream the butter and add the flour and salt until a crumbly dough forms. Press the dough into a parchment paper-lined 9×9-inch baking pan . Bake the crust. Parbake the crust until the edges look just golden. Make the filling. While the crust is baking, make the filling. Whisk the eggs, lemon juice, sugar, flour, and salt together until smooth. It’s important to pour the filling onto the hot crust so that the lemon bars set properly. Bake the lemon bars. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the topping is just set. Let cool completely. Let the lemon bars cool to room temperature before transferring them to the refrigerator to chill. Helpful Tips Pour the filling onto the crust while it’s hot. The key to ensuring properly set lemon bars is to pour the topping right over the crust as soon as it comes out of the oven. The heat from the crust and pan creates an environment where the curd will set evenly and quickly, without creating a gloopy mess. Don’t stress if the top isn’t completely smooth. The top of the lemon bars might not look completely smooth when coming out of the oven, but don’t fret — they’ll get covered in powdered sugar before serving. Cut them cleanly. Grasping the excess parchment, lift the slab out of the baking dish and place on a cutting board. Cut into 16 pieces, dipping the knife in hot water and wiping it dry between each cut for the cleanest-looking pieces. Right before serving, place some powdered sugar in a fine-mesh strainer and generously dust over the lemon bars in an even layer. Storage and Freezing Tips Storage: The bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. To freeze: Wrap in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 hour or at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: Brett Regot More Lemon Bars to Try Lemon Crumb Bars No-Bake Lemon Fluff Bars Lemon Sour Cream Cookie Bars Lemon Cream Cheese Bars Lemon Freeze Bars Comments Learn how to make these classic dessert bars with a buttery shortbread crust and tangy lemon filling. Prep time 15 minutes Cook time 30 minutes Serves 16 Nutritional Info View vegetarian peanut-free fish-free low-potassium alcohol-free red-meat-free soy-free pescatarian tree-nut-free shellfish-free low-sodium kidney-friendly pork-free Per serving, based on 16 servings. (% daily value) Calories 244 Fat 10.0 g (12.8%) Saturated 5.8 g (24.8%) Carbs 36.2 g (12.4%) Fiber 0.6 g (1.5%) Sugars 23.1 g Protein 3.4 g (2.9%) Sodium 137.4 mg (9.2%) Ingredients For the crust: 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 large lemon) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour For the filling and serving: 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 large lemon) 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 5 large lemons) 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Powdered sugar, for dusting Instructions Make the crust: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom and all 4 sides of a 9x9-inch square baking pan with 2 sheets of parchment paper, positioning them perpendicular to each and hanging over all four sides by at least 1 inch to form a sling. Combine 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until fragrant. Add 12 tablespoons room-temperature butter and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula. Add 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour. Beat on medium speed until fine crumbs of dough form, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to the baking pan and use your hands to press into an even layer. Bake until the crust is light golden-brown around the edges, 15 to 22 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling. Make the filling: Crack 4 room-temperature large eggs into a medium bowl and whisk until beaten. Add 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, 3/4 cup lemon juice, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to the bowl of eggs. Whisk until smooth. Sift 1/3 cup all-purpose flour over the mixture and whisk until smooth and combined. When the crust is ready, immediately pour in the filling while the crust is hot. Bake until the filling is just set with a slight wiggle in the center, 18 to 20 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for about 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight. Grasping the excess parchment, lift the slab out of the baking dish and place on a cutting board. Cut into 16 pieces, dipping the knife in hot water and wiping it dry between each cut for the cleanest-looking pieces. Right before serving, place some powdered sugar in a fine-mesh strainer and generously dust over the lemon bars in an even layer. Recipe Notes Storage: The bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 hour or at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Reviews Filed in: Recipes make ahead keeps well freezer friendly baked goods