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Lemon Bars

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This classic Lemon Bars recipe gives you bright and tangy treats, and it’s a total must-make, especially when you need some citrus in your life!

lemon bars on cake stand

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The Best Lemon Bars Recipe

Today … drum roll, please … I’m showing you the BEST ever lemon bars recipe!

It’s true, y’all. You know I like to tinker with recipes, but there are just some recipes I don’t mess with because they are (in my humble opinion, best-ever best ever lemon bars? Well, they’re the best ever, of course!

If you come to my house to eat, I can promise you that some of the recipes on this blog will always be the same. Always. As in, they never vary. Ever.

The best ever lemon bars?! They fall into that “never ever change them” category.

You might be thinking, why? These lemon bars have the perfect balance of buttery crust with an incredibly delicious sweet pop of lemon filling. They’re not too tart, and they’re not too sweet – they’re just right!!

It’s good that it’s easy to whip u a batch or three! You just might need that many with how addicting these things are!

Sometimes, y’all, there’s no changing a good recipe…and this lemon bars recipe? A VERY good one! Let me show you how they’re made …

closeup of lemon bars on cake stand

Easy Lemon Bars: Ingredients & Equipment

For this Lemon Bars recipe, you’ll need …

Ingredients

  • all-purpose flour – there are many kinds of flour out there, each suited for a different purpose. When it comes to baking something like these best-ever lemon bars, you’ll want all-purpose!
  • sugar – powdered. For added sweetness!
  • butter – softened. Butter in any recipe acts as a binding agent and “fat,” which adds to the texture.

For the frosting:

  • sugar – this time, granulated. Again, for sweetness!
  • grated lemon peel and lemon juice – you can’t have lemon bars without that gorgeous citrus-y flavor. These will give you the tangy taste you know and love!
  • baking powder – in recipes where you don’t use yeast, the baking powder helps the sweet treat rise a little.
  • salt – believe it or not, salt in a sweet recipe brings out the flavors of the other ingredients. I say this in almost every blog post, but it’s true, y’all. You definitely taste the difference without it! Don’t leave it out if possible.
  • large eggs – two of ‘em! Remember to leave them out at room temperature for a few hours first! Room temp eggs always blend smoother.
  • additional powdered sugar – as a topping, if you want!

Equipment

  • bowls – two. One to mix your crust ingredients, the other to beat your frosting ingredients.
  • baking pan – you’ll want 8x8x2-inch or 9x9x2-inch. Don’t grease it!
looking down on a stack of lemon bars

Easy Lemon Bars Recipe: FAQs

How many lemon squares does this make?

About 20-25, depending on how you cut them. Enough for a party, I think!

How long does it take to make this lemon bars recipe?

Almost an hour and a half. You’ll want about an hour total to cook the bars and 25-ish minutes to prep the ingredients beforehand.

How long can I store my lemon squares in the fridge?

They’ll be good for about a week after baking! Specifically, when kept in an airtight container, they should be good for about three days at room temperature without much loss in quality.

Is there an easier way to get my lemon bars out of the pan?

You can line the baking pan with parchment paper, leaving the edges slightly hanging over the sides of the pan for you to grab. That should make it so they are easier to lift out!

lemon bars on cake stand

Other recipes you may enjoy

Click HERE to pin this recipe!
lemon bars on cake stand

The BEST Lemon Bars EVER

Yield: 16-20 bars
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This classic Lemon Bars recipe gives you bright and tangy treats, and it’s a total must-make, especially when you need some citrus in your life!

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

For the filling

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • additional powdered sugar for topping, if desired

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, butter, and powdered sugar until well combined. Press into an ungreased 8x8x2-inch or 9x9x2-inch baking pan, building up the edges about half an inch.
  3. Bake the crust for 20 minutes.
  4. Beat the filling ingredients with an electric mixer on HIGH speed for about 3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Pour the mixture over the hot crust.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until no indentation remains when the center is lightly touched. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
  6. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Cut into 1-1/2 to 2-inch bars.

Notes

  • Line the baking pan with parchment paper that hangs slightly over the edges to make it easier to get the bars out!
  • These bars can be left at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 7 days!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 bar
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 122Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 58mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 0gSugar: 22gProtein: 2g

Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary greatly between brands. Always be sure to read labels.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you try this recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and tag @lovebakesgoodcakes on Instagram with the hashtag #lovebakesgoodcakes so I can see what you made!

© Jamie Sherman
Cuisine: American / Category: Dessert

Originally published on March 4, 2014. Updated on August 13, 2022.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Cindy Eikenberg, Little Miss Celebration

    Jamie, your lemon bars look fantastic and yes, it's just the spring touch I need when I'm looking out the window at a frozen, snowy landscape! 🙂 I love lemon and of course, the bars MUST have the powdered sugar! 🙂 Thanks for sharing and pinning! Have a great Wednesday! Hugs!

    Reply

  4. Karen

    These sound wonderful! We love lemon bars, but have only made them from the box. 🙁 I am SO happy to have a good, make-it-yourself recipe. And, your emphasis on the perfection of this recipe makes me want to whip a batch (or three!) up right now! Thanks so much for sharing – my children thank you too. I pinned it!

    Reply

  10. mdgoose

    The recipe for the best lemon bars ever calls for 1/4 powered sugar. As the two other ingredients call for cup measurements should I assume that's the case with the powered sugar, as in 1/4 cup powered sugar? Thanks.

    Reply

  18. Miz Helen

    This looks like a great recipe Jamie, we will love these bars! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope you are having a great week.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

    Reply

  22. Mel@Mellywood's Mansion

    YUM! I have the hugest lemon trewe it fruits constantly for 10 months of the year, at present we are in one of our slow months but I think this is going on the list as one of the first things we do when they ripen.

    Reply

  25. Walking on Sunshine

    This look amazing! I love lemon bars but have never tried to make them on my own. This looks like my recipe to try! Thanks for joining Foodie Friends Friday. I chose your recipe as my host favorite and it will be featured on Daily Dish Magazine on Monday! Hope to see you next week.

    Reply

  26. Karen Ng

    Hi, thank you for sharing this recipe with us! Just last night I tried making the lemon bars for the first time. Not too bad however the lemon filling layer came out to be really thin…. Thinner than the crust. What did I do wrong…. Over mix the lemon filling? By the way, the crust is so gooood!

    Reply

    • Jamie

      Hi Karen! The filling for this recipe is supposed to be thin. You could double the filling recipe if you prefer more, and adjust the baking time! I hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

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Love Bakes Good Cakes delivers delicious and simple family-friendly meals. Find everything from healthier recipes to over the top desserts!