Lemon Bars Buttery Crust (Printable)
Zesty lemon bars with a tender, buttery shortbread crust and tangy-sweet filling for any occasion.
# What You Need:
→ Crust
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Lemon Filling
05 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 4 large eggs
08 - 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (approximately 3–4 lemons)
09 - 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
→ Finishing
10 - Powdered sugar for dusting
# How To Cook:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to facilitate removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Incorporate flour and salt, mixing until the mixture is crumbly but combined.
03 - Press the crust mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly golden in color.
04 - While the crust bakes, whisk sugar and flour in a large bowl. Beat in eggs, then stir in lemon juice and lemon zest until the filling is smooth.
05 - Pour the lemon filling over the warm crust. Return to the oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the filling is set with a slight jiggle at the center.
06 - Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift out using the parchment paper overhang, dust with powdered sugar, and cut into 16 squares.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The crust is genuinely buttery and tender, not some sad crumbly mess that falls apart.
- That perfect balance of tart and sweet hits different when you use fresh lemon juice instead of the bottled stuff.
- They disappear fast, which tells you everything you need to know about how good they taste.
02 -
- Don't overbake the filling—that little jiggle in the middle means it will be custardy and perfect when completely cool; pull it out a minute too late and it becomes rubbery.
- Chilling the bars in the fridge for an hour before cutting gives you clean edges that actually look like you know what you're doing.
03 -
- Room temperature butter makes a difference in the crust—hard butter won't cream properly, and you'll end up with a dense, crumbly base.
- The parchment paper is not optional if you want bars that come out whole; it's the difference between serving something beautiful and picking crumbs off a baking pan.