Recipe for easy lemon bars: zesty, luscious lemon curd layer over a buttery sugar cookie crust.
About Lemon Bars
My favorite lemon dessert are these lemon bars. They're packed full of zesty and tart lemon flavor. A layer of luscious, silky lemon curd sits on top of a buttery sugar cookie layer. Fresh lemon juice and zest is used to give these bars the best lemon flavor.
The sugar cookie crust is prebaked while whipping up the lemon curd. Once the crust is baked the lemon curd gets poured over topped and the bars return to the oven to finish baking. They are so simple to make and quite possibly the best lemon dessert you'll try!
Ingredients for Lemon Bars
- Butter-make sure it's softened
- Sugar- granulated sugar is used to sweeten these lemon bars
- Flour- all purpose flour is used in the cookie layer and to thicken the lemon curd layer
- Lemon juice- fresh squeezed lemon juice will give you the best lemony flavor
- Lemon zest- adds even more of a lemon kick to these bars
- Eggs- whole eggs are used to thicken the curd and give it a silky smooth texture
- Vanilla- I recommend vanilla bean paste for the best flavor
- Salt- just a little brings out all the flavors
- Powdered sugar- for sprinkling over the bars
How to Make Lemon Bars
For the Sugar Cookie Layer
In a medium sized bowl cream ½ cup softened butter and ½ cup granulated sugar together. Then add in 1 teaspoon vanilla and combine. Add in 1 cup of flour and ¼ teaspoon of salt and mix until incorporated. The consistency will be crumbly.
Line a 8 x 8" metal baking pan with parchment paper. Press dough into the bottom of the pan until it is evenly spread. Bake the sugar cookie crust at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until it's a light golden color.
For the Lemon Curd Layer
While crust is baking make the lemon layer by whisking 4 eggs and ¾ cup of granulated sugar together. Mix only until combined. Do not overmix or you will end up with a lot of air bubbles. (Some bubbles are normal). Add in the zest from two lemons and ⅓ cup of all purpose flour and mix until combined. Then pour in ¾ cups of lemon juice and mix until combined.
Once the cookie crust has baked for 18-20 minutes, pour lemon mix over it and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, just until the lemon layer has set and does not jiggle when lightly shaken.
Let cool completely on the counter, and then chill in the fridge for a few hours before cutting and serving them so that the lemon layer can completely set. The bars do taste better at room temperature, so after cutting them let them sit out of the fridge for a little while before eating for the best taste! Sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top for looks if desired and enjoy!
If you make these lemon bars please tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Desserts to Try
Lemon Raspberry Cardamom Loaf Cake
📖 Recipe
Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookie Crust
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup softened, unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Lemon Curd Layer
- ¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 2 lemons zested
- powdered sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
For the Sugar Cookie Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium sized bowl cream ½ cup softened butter and ½ cup granulated sugar together.
- Then add in 1 teaspoon vanilla and combine.
- Add in 1 cup of flour and ¼ teaspoon salt and mix until incorporated. The consistency will be crumbly.
- Line a 8 x 8" metal baking pan with parchment paper. Press dough into the bottom of the pan until it is evenly spread.
- Bake the sugar cookie crust for 18-20 minutes, or until it's a light golden color.
For the Lemon Curd Layer
- While crust is baking make the lemon curd layer by whisking 4 eggs and ¾ cup of granulated sugar together. Mix only until combined. Do not overmix or you will end up with a lot of air bubbles. (Some bubbles are normal).
- Add in the zest from two lemons and ⅓ cup of all purpose flour and mix just until combined.
- Then pour in ¾ cups of lemon juice and mix just until combined.
- Once the cookie crust has baked for 18-20 minutes, pour lemon mix over it and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, just until the lemon layer has set and does not jiggle when lightly shaken.
- Let cool completely on the counter, and then chill in the fridge for a few hours before cutting and serving them so that the lemon layer can completely set. (The bars do taste better at room temperature, so after cutting them let them sit out of the fridge for a little while before eating for the best taste!)
- Once chilled, cut into 16 even squares.
- Sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top for looks if desired and enjoy!
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