This recipe for lemon bars is quick to make, and everyone loves them!

With a perfect balance of sweet and tart, these bars have a lemon custard filling on top of a buttery shortbread crust.

Five lemon bars stacks on top of each other with a bite taken out of the top

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We Love These Lemon Bars Because…

  • They’re easy to make and use ingredients I always have on hand.
  • They have a perfect balance between sweet and tart.
  • They can be made ahead of time and freeze well.
lemon bars being prepared

Here’s What You’ll Need For Perfect Lemon Bars

Crust: What makes these so good? First, that crumbly buttery shortbread crust. Use real butter for the best flavor.

And the FRESH lemon… Second, to make this lemon bar recipe, fresh lemon is the best choice. You will need both lemon zest and juice for lots of lemony flavor.

Other ingredients: Eggs, sugar, and flour help bring it all together. They’re topped off with powdered sugar… LOTS of powdered sugar.

How Much Juice is in a Lemon?

Like most fruit, lemons can range in size, but on average, each lemon will give you about 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Each lemon will provide about 1 tablespoon of lemon zest using a microplane grater.

a plate of lemon bars

A Lot of Love For Lemons!

Did you enjoy this Easy Lemon Bars Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below.

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
slices of Easy Lemon Bars Recipe on a plate
4.98 from 229 votes
Author Melanie

Easy Lemon Bars Recipe

Author Melanie
Servings 16
Classic lemon bars have a sweet tangy lemon curd baked on top of a buttery shortbread crust.
Servings 16
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
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Ingredients  

For the Crust:

  • 10 tablespoons butter room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup powdered sugar plus 2 tablespoons, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

  • cup fresh lemon juice about 2 lemons
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

Instructions 

For the Crust:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×9 inch pan.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, and salt. Cut the butter into the mixture until crumbly and then press into the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake for 15-18 minutes until lightly golden. Meanwhile, make the filling.

For the Filling:

  • In another mixing bowl, whisk all the filling ingredients together until combined.
  • Pour over the cooked crust and place back in the oven for 17-20 minutes until filling is set.
  • Cool completely, dust with remaining powdered sugar, and cut into squares.

Notes

Store lemon bars in the fridge in a covered container for up to 4 days. 
4.98 from 229 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 179 | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 39mg | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
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Easy Lemon Bars Recipe with shortbread crust and writing
Easy Lemon Bars Recipe on a plate and close up photo with a title
easy to make Easy Lemon Bars Recipe with a title

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
See more posts by Holly

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4.98 from 229 votes (182 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Amazing results! I only had an 8×8 pan so the crust was a bit thicker than I would have liked but still turned out amazing.5 stars