lemon bars
buttery shortbread crust topped with tart lemon curd and powdered sugar
baked in July 2021
yield: 24 bars
prep time: 30 minutes
cook time: 45 minutes
difficulty level: easy
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Lemon Curd
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
- optional: confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Directions
For the shortbread crust:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
- Mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Add the flour and stir to completely combine. The dough will be thick.
- Press firmly into prepared pan, making sure the layer of crust is nice and even.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven.
- Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the warm crust (not all the way through the crust).
For the lemon curd:
- Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl.
- Whisk in the eggs, then the lemon juice until completely combined.
- Pour filling over warm crust.
- Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles. (Give the pan a light tap with an oven mitt to test.)
- Remove bars from the oven and cool completely at room temperature. I usually cool them for about 2 hours at room temperature, then stick in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until pretty chilled.
- Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides.
- Dust with confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares before serving.
Nutrition
- Total calories: 5,318
- Calories per bar: 222
