These are my favourite lemon bars! Our recipe combines probably the most scrumptious shortbread crust with a creamy, tart lemon filling. These bars are simple to make, have a brief checklist of elements, and final in your fridge for every week!
I’m undecided I can convey how a lot I really like these unbelievable lemon bars. Let’s begin with the crust. If you happen to’ve had shortbread cookies earlier than, our lemon bar crust will remind you of them. I like it a lot that I’d be pleased to eat the crust all by itself (it’s that good).
The lemon filling is scrumptious, too. I take advantage of recent lemon juice and lemon zest to pack in as a lot lemony taste as potential. These lemon bars are a must-make!
Key Components
- Butter: Since these lemon bars have a shortbread crust, I take advantage of melted butter to make them. Salted butter is ideal, however unsalted is okay. Simply observe my suggestions for including a little bit of salt to our recipe under.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is ideal right here or use your favourite gluten-free all-purpose flour mix.
- Sugar: I take advantage of granulated sugar for the crust and lemon topping.
- Lemons: I normally purchase 5 lemons when searching for this recipe to make sure I’ve sufficient juice. For these bars, you’ll use the zest of a lemon or two and the juice of 4 to five lemons.
- Eggs: These are the bottom of our lemon filling.
- Vanilla: I add a little bit of vanilla to make the crust style much more scrumptious. I extremely advocate it!
Learn how to Make Lemon Bars
Lemon bars are such a easy dessert! I begin with the crust. We’re choosy with regards to crusts (do-it-yourself pie crust being an excellent instance). You’ll begin by rubbing lemon zest and vanilla into the sugar, making a extra aromatic lemon sugar that makes an much more scrumptious crust.
Then, add melted butter. I take advantage of melted butter as an alternative of softened butter for one of the best lemon bar crust. Melted butter is simpler and it makes the crust extra crisp, which is ideal in opposition to the creamy lemon filling.
You’ll bake the crust till golden brown earlier than including the filling, which you’ll add to the new baked crust. The filling is straightforward to make. You’ll whisk sugar, flour, salt, lemon zest, eggs, and lemon juice collectively after which pour it in.
The bars bake a bit longer, after which they should cool earlier than reducing. Straightforward! By the best way, I retailer them within the fridge (they final about 1 week!).
Our Favourite Lemon Bars
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PREP
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COOK
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TOTAL
These simple lemon bars have probably the most scrumptious shortbread crust and a creamy, tart lemon topping. Making the crust with melted butter is way simpler than softened butter, which is widespread in different recipes. Don’t skip chilling the crust earlier than baking, it actually helps preserve the crust crisp and crunchy.
Makes 16 lemon bars
You Will Want
Shortbread Crust
12 tablespoons (170g) salted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
Lemon Topping
1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons (25g) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon positive sea salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
4 giant eggs
3/4 cup (180ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 4 to five lemons
2 tablespoons powdered sugar for sifting tops of bars
Instructions
- Make Crust
1Line a straight-sided 13×9-inch metallic baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on two reverse sides. (This can assist when eradicating the cooled bars from the pan.) Frivolously coat the edges of the foil, however not the underside, with non-stick cooking spray or further melted butter to stop the lemon topping from sticking.
2In a medium bowl, use a spatula to stir and press the sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, and vanilla extract collectively till moist and aromatic. Stir within the flour and melted butter till a crumbly, stiff dough kinds.
3Press the dough evenly into the underside of the ready baking pan (it might not appear to be sufficient dough at first, however it’ll cowl the underside properly). Prick the dough with a fork throughout to stop air bubbles whereas baking.
4Freeze dough for five minutes or till agency (or refrigerate for half-hour).
5Whereas the crust chills, place an oven rack close to the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C).
6Bake the shortbread crust till frivolously golden brown and set, 25 to half-hour.
- Make Lemon Bars
1Whereas the crust bakes, stir the sugar, flour, salt, and a pair of teaspoons of lemon zest. Whisk within the eggs till easy, then whisk within the lemon juice.
2As soon as the crust has baked, pour the lemon topping over the new crust. Return the pan to the oven and improve the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake till the topping is about within the heart and it now not wiggles when the pan is moved, 20 to 25 minutes.
3Set the pan on a cooling rack and funky till the lemon bars are agency and the underside of the pan is now not heat, about 1 hour. (You may pace this up by putting the bars into the fridge as soon as the pan is now not scorching).
4As soon as cooled, use the foil overhang to rigorously elevate the bars from the pan and place them on a reducing board. Peel away the foil, then lower the bars into 16 or 32 small bars. Sift the powdered sugar over the bars.
Adam and Joanne’s Ideas
- Storing: Place the cooled and lower lemon bars in an hermetic container lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for as much as one week. Freeze for as much as 3 months.
- Butter: I take advantage of salted butter, however you should use unsalted. For unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon positive sea salt to the crust.
- Measuring your flour: Fluff the flour in its container, then gently scoop it into your measuring cup till barely mounded. Stage off the highest with a knife for correct measuring. For much more accuracy, use a scale and measure the flour by weight (in grams).
- Crust recipe impressed by Effective Cooking’s shortbread crust.
- The diet info supplied under are estimates.
Vitamin Per Serving
Serving Measurement
1 bar
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Energy
260
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Protein
4g
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Carbohydrate
40g
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Dietary Fiber
1g
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Complete Sugars
25g
/
Complete Fats
10g
/
Saturated Fats
6g
/
Ldl cholesterol
69mg
