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Tangy Lemon Bars Recipe Easy Homemade Lemon Bars with Buttery Crust

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A simple and quick recipe for tangy lemon bars with a buttery shortbread crust that balances sharp lemon topping with a tender, crumbly base. Perfect for potlucks, snacks, or dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a medium bowl, cream together 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Stir in 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt until just combined. The dough will be crumbly but should hold when pressed.
  4. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes until edges are lightly golden and center is pale.
  5. While the crust bakes, whisk together 4 large eggs, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup flour until smooth and slightly thickened.
  6. Add 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest of 2 lemons, mixing until fully combined.
  7. Pour the lemon filling evenly over the baked crust. Return to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until filling is set but still jiggles slightly.
  8. Let the lemon bars cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up.
  9. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift bars from the pan. Dust with powdered sugar if desired, slice into squares, and serve.

Notes

Use softened butter (not melted) for the crust to achieve perfect shortbread texture. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is essential for best flavor. Chill bars after baking for at least 2 hours for clean slicing and better flavor. If lemon filling browns too much, cover loosely with foil halfway through baking. For gluten-free, substitute flour with 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour. Vegan adaptations possible with vegan butter and chickpea flour mixture replacing eggs.

Nutrition

Keywords: lemon bars, lemon dessert, shortbread crust, tangy lemon bars, easy lemon bars, homemade lemon bars, buttery crust, quick dessert

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