This homemade lemon bars recipe is like a lemon explosion in your mouth with a sweet and sour fresh lemon filling custard sitting on a flaky butter shortbread crust. Lemon desserts bars make such refreshing dessert recipes for summer, bake sales recipes, picnic foods, potluck recipes, or for holiday sweet treats!
The Best Homemade Lemon Bars Recipe
These lemon bars make the best dessert recipe — like the classic lemon bars you might get from your corner bakery or those vintage recipes for lemon squares from you grandma.
There are two things that make great traditional lemon dessert bars: fresh squeezed lemon juice for the lemon filling and a flaky shortbread crust.
LIST OF INGREDIENTS FOR CLASSIC LEMON BARS
- Lemons
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs
- Powdered sugar
Get the free printable recipe card for the lemon dessert bars below.
Lemon Squares Recipe FAQs and Recipe Tips
RECIPE TIP #1: Use fresh lemon juice for your lemon squares!
I swear by this for homemade lemon bars: they are so much better with fresh lemon juice. I think sometimes when people say their lemon bars aren’t lemony enough it’s because they used a store-bought lemon juice substitute.
If you use a juicer like this, it’s pretty easy to quickly juice the lemons.
Just be sure to get a cup of lemon juice, which is around 4 large lemons. (You may find you need more or less lemons, based on the size.)
RECIPE TIP #2: Don’t skip the sifting step for the lemon custard filling.
Don’t skip the sifting step for the sugar and flour.
It helps to evenly distribute the ingredients, which makes for a smoother and lighter custard.
I use my old-school sifter like this like my grandma did when making these kinds of old-fashioned crusts.
MORE DESSERT BARS RECIPES: NO-BAKE COOKIES & CREAM BARS
RECIPE TIP #3: Cracks on Top of the Custard Filling
If you’ve ever made homemade cheesecake and it gets a crack in the top, you might see the same kind of cracks in your homemade lemon bars. The cracks are from it being an egg-heavy recipe that is over-mixed or over-baked (or even cooled too quickly).
If you have time, allow the lemon bars to cool in the oven.
- The last 2 minutes of baking, turn off the oven.
- Crack the oven door.
- Allow the lemon bars to finish baking and then cool inside the oven for 60 minutes.
- After an hour, remove from the oven and allow bars to cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating.
This is called “slow cooling” and will help prevent cracking.
To be honest, I usually don’t have time to do this step. It never bothers me if my lemon bars have a crack because I dust them with powdered sugar, which hides it anyway.
Can I double lemon bars recipe?
I have had the best luck by making the recipe twice for two different pans.
I’m not sure why, but I haven’t had good luck when I’ve doubled this recipe and then divided it between pans.
Can you freeze lemon bars?
You can freeze lemon bars for up to 3 months, but it’s kind of a process to do it.
We rarely have any leftovers to freeze, but this is a good way to use this as a make ahead recipe for a large party or cookout desserts.
- Allow the lemon bars to cool and cut into squares. (DON’T ADD THE POWDERED SUGAR DUSTING TO THE TOP IF FREEZING!)
- Place squares onto a baking sheet and freeze for 60 minutes to set.
- Remove squares and wrap individually (either freezer wrap or aluminum foil) and place individually wrapped bars inside a freezer bag. Label with current date and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw completely before dusting with powdered sugar and serving.
Free Printable Recipe Card for Homemade Lemon Bars: Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
Some people make their bar desserts with a crumb topping for lemon crumb bars. I like to let the lemon shine in this lemon dessert, so I just dust these dessert bars with a little powdered sugar.
MORE FRUIT DESSERTS TO TRY NEXT:
Homemade Lemon Bars
Equipment
- 1 9x13 glass baking pan (not metal)
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
CRUST
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup white sugar (granulated)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
LEMON CUSTARD FILLING
- 2 cups white sugar (granulated)
- 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 eggs large
- 4 large lemons juiced, to make about 1 cup of fresh lemon juice
- Powdered confectioners' sugar for dusting top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 330℉. Line a 9x13 glass baking dish with parchment paper on the bottom to keep bars from sticking and make it easier to cut. Set aside.
TO MAKE CRUST
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter, salt, and sugar.
- Add the flour into the butter mixture and mix until combined. NOTE: The mixture will be thick. I use a fork or back of a spoon to mix the ingredients together.
- Press the crust mixture firmly into the prepared baking dish over the parchment paper. Use your fingers to press the dough all the way to the edge of the baking dish. Lightly pierce the top of the dough in a few places with fork (don't push all the way through) to help keep the dough in place and not puff up too much.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly browned. Don't over bake! Remove from the oven and set aside.
TO MAKE LEMON CUSTARD FILLING
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour and sugar. (This helps create a creamy custard filling without lumps.)
- Whisk the eggs into the flour and sugar, but don't over mix.
- Add the lemon juice and stir until completely combined. Do not over mix or whip the filling or it will become foamy.
- Pour the lemon custard filling over the prepared crust.
- Bake for 20+ minutes (you may need up to 25+ minutes), until the center is set. NOTE: If you move the baking dish and it doesn't jiggle, then the custard is set.
- Cool completely* and then place in the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.
- To serve, remove from refrigerator and lightly dust with sifted powdered sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares, wiping the knife with a paper towel between each cut for a cleaner edge.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Note
Nutrition calculations are approximate. If you're following a special diet, please calculate your own nutrition values.
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