Classic Lemon Bars With Buttery Shortbread Crust
1 h
|
easy
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
These classic lemon bars hit that sweet-tart bullseye with a thick, buttery shortbread crust and a real lemon filling that does not play around.
Perfect for bake sales, brunch, picnics, or a cold-from-the-fridge midnight bite, they slice clean, travel easy, and finish with a pretty snow of powdered sugar.
Ingredients (20 servings)
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Ingredients for the Shortbread Crust:
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened unsalted butter 8 oz
- ½ cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.55 lb
- ¼ tsp salt salt
Ingredients for the Lemon Filling:
- 4 large eggs large eggs 4 ct
- 1½ cups granulated sugar granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.09 lb
- 4 lemons, juiced lemons 4 ct
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest lemons (for lemon zest)
- powdered sugar (for dusting) powdered sugar 0.5 oz
How to Make Classic Lemon Bars With Buttery Shortbread Crust
-
Preheat and prepare the pan
Heat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center.
Line a 9 x 13 inch glass or ceramic baking dish with parchment, leaving two long overhangs for easy lifting.
Lightly butter the parchment so nothing sticks where it counts.
-
Make the shortbread base
In a bowl, beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup sugar until creamy and light, about 2 minutes with a hand mixer or a firm wooden spoon.
Whisk the 2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt together, then add to the butter and mix just until a soft, slightly crumbly dough forms.
-
Press and par-bake
Tip the dough into the pan and press it into an even layer with your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup, making sure the corners are not thin.
Dock lightly with a fork to minimize bubbling.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the surface looks matte, not greasy.
-
Whisk the lemon filling
While the crust bakes, whisk the 4 eggs in a large bowl just to break them up.
Whisk in 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/3 cup flour until smooth with no streaks, then whisk in the fresh lemon juice and the tablespoon of zest until the mixture is glossy.
Strain into a pitcher to catch seeds and foam if you want a glassy top.
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Bake the bars
Give the hot crust a quick once-over to ensure it is level, then pour on the filling while the crust is still hot.
Return to the oven and bake 18 to 22 minutes until the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle when you nudge the pan.
If the surface is aggressively bubbling, lower the rack one level to keep the top smooth.
-
Cool, chill, and finish
Cool in the pan on a rack until just warm, then chill at least 2 hours until fully set.
Lift out by the parchment and set on a wooden board, dust generously with powdered sugar, and cut with a hot, dry knife, wiping between cuts for clean edges.
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Store like a pro
Refrigerate in a glass container in single layers separated by parchment for up to 5 days, or freeze up to 2 months and dust with fresh sugar after thawing.
Substitutions
- All-purpose flour -> 1:1 gluten-free blend plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- A quality gluten-free cup-for-cup flour with a little cornstarch bakes into a tender shortbread that is crisp at the edges and not sandy, and the filling sets identically.
- Unsalted butter -> vegan butter sticks or refined coconut oil
- Vegan butter sticks keep the classic shortbread crumb with clean flavor, while refined coconut oil gives a delicate snap and a whisper of coconut without overpowering the lemon.
- Standard lemons -> Meyer lemons or 75 percent lemon + 25 percent yuzu juice
- Meyer lemons bring a floral sweetness and softer acidity, while a splash of yuzu deepens the citrus perfume and keeps the color bright and golden.
Tips
- Use glass or ceramic to avoid metallic notes
- Acidic lemon can taste harsh in bare aluminum, so bake in glass or ceramic for clean, bright citrus flavor.
- Zest before you juice
- It is easier to microplane firm lemons, and you will capture fragrant oils that make the filling pop without extra sugar.
- Hot crust plus cold filling equals clean layers
- Pour the filling onto the crust right out of the oven so the bottom sets quickly and stays distinct instead of seeping.
- Do not overmix once the juice goes in
- Whisk just to combine after adding lemon to avoid too much foam, which can bake into tiny bubbles on the surface.
- Check for the right jiggle
- Pull the bars when the center has a soft wobble the size of a silver dollar, because carryover heat finishes the set without curdling.
- Cut smart for bakery edges
- Chill solid, dust after cutting or twice if needed, and use a long knife dipped in hot water and dried between every slice.
- Waste nothing
- Rub leftover zest into sugar to make lemon sugar for tea or cookies, and use trimmed parchment again for lining a sheet pan.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 461 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 8 | g |
| Total Fat | 17 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 69 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- Why did my lemon filling crack?
- Cracks usually mean overbaking or an oven that runs hot, so pull the bars while the center still jiggles slightly and bake on the center rack at 350 F without convection.
- The top has bubbles and looks foamy, what happened?
- Overwhisking incorporates air, so whisk just until smooth and strain the filling before baking, and if it still foams lower the rack and shorten the bake by a couple of minutes.
- How do I keep the shortbread from turning tough?
- Mix the flour into the butter just until it comes together and stop, and press the crust gently without packing it like concrete.
- My bars are runny even after chilling, how do I fix it?
- The bars were underbaked, so return the pan to a 300 F oven for 5 to 8 minutes until the center just barely jiggles, then chill again to set.
- Can I make these less sweet and still have them set?
- Yes, reduce the filling sugar to 1 1/4 cups and keep the flour at 1/3 cup, which preserves the custard structure while dialing back sweetness.
- How do I scale this to an 8 x 8 pan?
- Make a half batch of both crust and filling, bake the crust 2 to 3 minutes less, and bake the filling 3 to 5 minutes less while watching for the same slight jiggle.
- Why does my powdered sugar disappear on top?
- Condensation melts it, so dust right before serving or dust both before and after slicing, and store cut bars loosely covered so moisture does not build up.
Serving Suggestions
Crown these bars with a tight scatter of fresh raspberries or a thin stripe of lemon zest for color that tells your guests exactly what they are biting into.
Pair with hot black tea or an icy espresso tonic to let the citrus sing, or go bold and brûlée the top with a teaspoon of sugar for a crackly finish that plays beautifully with the buttery base.
More pairings:
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