Classic Lemon Bars Recipe

About This Recipe

Lemon bars are the quintessential American bake sale item — bright sunshine yellow, intensely tart and sweet at once, with that iconic crunch of shortbread beneath a smooth, creamy curd. The curd is essentially a lemon curd baked on top of the shortbread base. Fresh lemon juice is non-negotiable — bottled juice lacks the volatile oils that give lemon bars their punch.

Ingredients

Serves 16

• 200 gplain flour(for base)
• 50 gicing sugar(for base)
• 0.5 tspfine salt(for base)
• 170 gcold unsalted butter(cubed, for base)
• 4large eggs(for filling)
• 300 gcaster sugar(for filling)
• 60 gplain flour(for filling)
• 180 mlfresh lemon juice(about 4–5 lemons)
• 2 tsplemon zest
• 2 tbspicing sugar(for dusting)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make and bake the shortbread base

   Pulse flour, icing sugar, salt and cold butter in a food processor until it forms a crumbly dough. Press evenly into a lined 20×30cm / 9×13-inch tin. Bake at 175°C / 350°F for 18–20 minutes until pale gold.

2. 2

   Make the lemon filling

   Whisk eggs, sugar, flour, lemon juice and zest until smooth. Pour over the hot shortbread base.

3. 3

   Bake the filling

   Bake at 175°C / 350°F for 22–25 minutes until the filling is just set — it should barely jiggle in the centre. Cool completely in the tin, then refrigerate 1 hour.

   The filling continues to set as it cools. Pull it while a tiny wobble remains.

4. 4

   Cut and dust

   Lift from the tin using the parchment overhang. Dust generously with icing sugar and cut into squares with a clean sharp knife, wiping between cuts.

Variations

• •

  Lime bars: replace lemon juice with key lime or Persian lime juice.

• •

  Lavender lemon bars: steep 1 tsp dried lavender in the lemon juice for 10 minutes, then strain.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature 15 minutes before serving. Freeze without icing sugar dusting for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions