Lemon Bars: Sunshine You Can Eat With Your Fingers

Lemon bars are the perfect dessert. Fight me.

Crust like a buttery cookie. Filling that’s tangy, sweet, and smooth as silk. One bowl. One pan. Minimal mess. Maximum happiness. You’ll make these on repeat.

Ingredients

Makes 16 bars.

For the Crust:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• Pinch of salt

For the Lemon Filling:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix flour, butter, powdered sugar, and salt until it forms a crumbly dough.
3. Press firmly into the bottom of the pan. Bake 15-18 minutes until lightly golden.

Step 2: Make the Filling While Crust Bakes

1. In a bowl, whisk granulated sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, flour, and salt until smooth.

Step 3: Pour and Bake Again

1. Pour filling over hot crust. Spread evenly.
2. Bake 15-20 minutes until filling is just set (slight jiggle in the middle is fine).

Step 4: Cool and Dust

1. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Dust generously with powdered sugar. Slice into squares.

Step 5: Serve Cold

1. These are best chilled. Store in the fridge until serving.

Summary

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Chill Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Yield: 16 bars

Difficulty: Easy

Storage Notes

Fridge:

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They actually get better day 2.

Freezer:

Freeze bars (without powdered sugar) for up to 3 months. Dust with fresh sugar after thawing.

Pro Tip:

Room temperature lemon bars are fine. Cold lemon bars are life-changing. Trust the fridge.