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–+ servings
lemon bars with shortbread crust on a plate.
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5 from 11 votes

Easy Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Easy Lemon Bars with a shortbread crust and tangy lemon curd filling have the perfect balance of tart and sweet. An easy dessert recipe for spring!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
refrigeration1 hour
Total Time2 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 20
Author: Dee
Cost: $10

Ingredients

For the shortbread crust

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ½ cup powdered sugar plus more for dusting on top of bars
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the lemon curd filling

  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons flour
  • 6 tablespoons lemon juice from about 3 to 4 medium lemons
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest you can use more for extra lemon flavor

Instructions

For the shortbread crust

  • Preheat oven to 350℉
  • Prepare a 9X13 baking pan by lining with parchment paper or greasing with cooking spray or butter
  • Cut butter into small squares in large mixing bowl. 
  • Add flour and powdered sugar and use pastry cutter or 2 forks or 2 knives to cut butter into flour mixture until texture is coarse and crumbly
  • Press mixture evenly into prepared cake pan, making sure edges are pressed tightly up against sides of pan
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown. While crust is baking, prepare filling 

For lemon filling

  • Add eggs to large mixing bowl, and beat with mixer until slightly foamy
  • Mix in the sugar, 1 cup at a time, then add flour, and mix well
  • Add lemon juice and zest, and mix thoroughly
  • Remove crust from oven, and pour filling evenly over warm crust
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until top is set and springs back lightly when touched. Don't let the top get too brown 
  • Remove from oven, and run a knife or spatula around the edges of crust while still warm. Sprinkle sifted powdered sugar lightly over crust, if desired, and allow to cool
  • For best results, refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Add additional powdered sugar, if desired, before serving

Video

Notes

Use cold butter for a flaky crust.
Make sure crust is touching edges of the baking pan to prevent filling from running out.
Don't wait for crust to cool before topping with filling. Pour filling over crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 23mg | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.7mg