Lemon Bars

These lemon bars are a perfect balance between sweet and tart. 

This post was originally published in March 2016. The pictures and recipe have been updated.  

I am ready for spring and I thought we were almost there.  The snow is gone (except up in the mountains.)  Bulbs are starting to pop up.  The days are longer and the sun….oh the sun has been shining! 

Then yesterday hit!  Cold, rainy snowy mix, dark clouds, cold temperatures.  Sigh….  I need a little sunshine back so I am sharing with you these lemon bars!

They are just like a little slice of sunshine.  Just one look puts a smile on your face 🙂  And the taste….puts an even bigger smile on your face!

I love lemon and these lemon bars bring out the full lemon flavor.  They aren’t too sweet…just the perfect balance between sweet and tart.

I hope these lemon bars bring a bit of sunshine into your day!

Tips for making lemon bars

• Always use fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Don’t skip the lemon zest. The zest provides more flavor than the juice itself
• Let lemon bars cool completely before slicing
• Bars are best eaten the same day they are made

How much juice do you get from a lemon?

Lemons vary in size and some are juicier than others, but on average you can get 2 tablespoon of juice from a lemon. 

Recipes with fresh lemon juice

If you are looking for additional recipes that use lemon, you won’t want to miss Raspberry Lemon Muffins, lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream, and Mini Lemon Tarts.

5 from 7 votes

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Lemon Bars

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Total Time

1 hr 5 mins

 

Delicious lemon bars with a shortbread crust.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dessert, lemon bars, lemon bars recipe, lemon dessert recipe, lemon recipes

Servings: 24 bars

Calories: 168 kcal

Author: Kathy

Ingredients

Crust

• 3/4 cup butter cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Filling

• 6 whole eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons lemon zest

Serving

• powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Crust

1. For the crust: Add butter, 1 1/2 cups flour and powdered sugar into a food processor.
2. Pulse until crumbly. This mixture will appear very dry.
3. Pour into a baking dish. Pat down with hands so it is slightly compacted. The powdered sugar will seem dry and powdery.
4. Bake crust in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Filling

1. Meanwhile in the same food processor bowl, add eggs, sugar, flour, lemon juice and zest. Puree until well mixed.
2. When crust comes out of oven, let cool for 5 minutes. While still warm, pour lemon mixture over crust. Return to oven for 30 minutes.
3. Let cool completely.

Serving

1. Cut into squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Recipe Notes

These bars are best eaten the same day they are made.

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Bars

Amount Per Serving

Calories 168 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 5g 8%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Cholesterol 16mg 5%

Sodium 51mg 2%

Potassium 26mg 1%

Total Carbohydrates 28g 9%

Sugars 17g

Protein 1g 2%

Vitamin A 3.5%

Vitamin C 5.6%

Calcium 0.5%

Iron 3.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.