Joy the Baker

Classic Lemon Bars

by 171 Comments

Classic Lemon Bars

We all know the deal around here.

I take classic recipes, add chocolate chips, add orange zest, bake them, brown them, stack them, and then shoot them.  I can’t make banana bread without first browning the butter.  I can’t make pudding without adding bourbon.  I can’t make biscuits without adding bacon.

It’s ridiculous and mostly delicious.

Sometimes though… sometimes I just want a Chocolate Chip Cookie.  Sometime I just want a Chocolate Walnut Brownie.  Some baked good should just be exactly what they are, sans bacon, sans bourbon (gasp) (but really though, we’ll survive).

Expect to see more classic recipes on Joy the Baker in the coming weeks.  I’m in the mood and here we are!

Classic Lemon Bars

Classic Lemon Bars:  bright, tart, buttery crust, aaaannnddd go!

Classic Lemon Bars

I scooped my butter to look like ice cream.  I’m sorry.  Sometimes food blogging gets the best of me.

Lemon bars emerge from the oven in two parts.  First there’s the buttery shortbread crust.  On top of the baked shortbread crust goes a sweet egg and lemon custard.  No rolling pin.  No double boiler or candy thermometer.  It’s an easy recipe in a manageable 8×8-inch pan.  I’m trying to get you to make these along with me.  Can you tell?

Classic Lemon Bars

Butter, sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt are beaten together for the crust.  Once crumbly (yea… crumbly) it is pressed into a baking pan.

Classic Lemon Bars

Pressing a crust into a pan is validating.

Eggs are whisked with sugar and lemon.  The filling is pretty simple too!

Classic Lemon Bars

There are definitely a few seeds hiding in that unbaked filling.  I’m not going to lie.

Classic Lemon Bars

The filling is poured over the pre-baked crust and the whole shabang is baked once again.  The filling will firm up and brown around the edges in no time!  It really is supreme!

The edges are my favorite.  They’re perfectly caramelized and chewy like brownies.  The center is for suckers.

Classic Lemon Bars

Super tart fresh lemon juice adds all of the kick to these lemon bars.  Fresh lemon zest is the very hard-working backup.  These bars feature a wonderfully buttery crust, and a sweet and tart lemon custard.  Topped with a generous amount of powdered sugar, these bars are exactly as they should be.  Classic.

One tip:  don’t inhale.

Recipe adapted from my first cookbook: the Joy the Baker Cookbook.

Classic Lemon Bars

makes 9 bars

Print this Recipe!

For the Crust:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

For the Topping:

2 large eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 8×8-inch baking pan, line with parchment paper (so that it over hangs slightly from the pan) and grease the parchment paper.  Set aside.

To make the crust, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add flour and salt.  Beat on low speed until dough is incorporated.  Dough may come together, but if it remains shaggy, that’s fine too.

Dump the crust into the prepared pan and use your fingertips to press the dough into the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until just browned around the edges.

You can make the filling while the crust is baking!  In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until well combined and slightly thick.  Add the flour, lemon juice, and zest and whisk until blended.

Pour the filling over the still warm baked crust.  Return to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top and no longer jiggling in the center.

Allow to cool completely in the pan.  Run a knife around the edges of the pan.  Slice lemon bars into nine squares. Use the over hanging parchment paper to lift the squares out.  To store the lemon bars, place them in an airtight container separated by wax paper layers.  

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alison

    Made this recipe with Meyer lemons this time and WOW! They add a whole new element of flavor. These were great when I made them last year with regular lemons and they’re even better this time around.

    Reply

  2. Heather

    Yes yes yes yummmmm! Looooove these! I subbed the flour for bob red mill gluten free 1-1 baking flour and they came out perfect. We are addicted! Thank you for this

    Reply

  4. Ioana

    I first taste these lemon bars at a work gathering. I immediately got the recipe and they have been a MAJOR success with my boyfriend. We love them! So easy to make and so delicious. :D

    Reply

  8. Danika

    Hi!! I just made these today and I had a few problems..
    With the base, when it came out of the oven it had wide bubbles on the top (if I put a finger on one it would pop). This also happened with the lemon filling, the top had largish bubbles on it. I ran my finger along the top while it was warm and a thin layer of light brown easily came off. When it was all cool, the slice had the crust, the lemon filling which looked like jam or custard (like the custard in a custard slice), and a layer of a cake like consistency on top (I don’t know how to explain it). I’m not sure whether the slices are meant to have a custardy filling or the cakeish filling (I’ve never had a lemon slice :( ) Looking at the pictures here, the filling looks to be one consistency throughout while mine was somewhat separated.

    I baked these at 175-180 degrees celcius (I think this is around 350 fahrenheit? sorry I’m from New Zealand!) with the oven set to fan. I also put the pan in the top third of the oven. I think I baked the crust for 16 minutes and the filling for 18 minutes.

    I hope someone can help me here!! I am super keen to get this right next time!!

    Thanks heaps!! -Danika

    Reply

  10. Patty

    Hi – I am making this right now and have a question. Do I keep the oven rack in the upper third when I bake the filling, too? Thank you!

    Reply

  11. Christina

    I had a craving for lemon bars yesterday so I pulled up this recipe. Fantastic. Took about 3 minutes longer for my crust to start to brown, but it was all delicious!

    Reply

  12. Boo Chura

    I have not one lemon, but an abundance of oranges. Wondering how that would work out. I have made these often, but always with lemons. I love, love, love them! Heading to kitchen, will let you know how orange bars turn out.

    Reply

  14. Susan

    Just made these for Easter to follow a prime rib dinner. They came out great! Quick and simple yet delicious ????

    Reply

  15. Lisa

    Delicious and SO simple to make! Even better the next day. I substituted the wheat flour for Gluten Free Bisquick Flour and it came out perfectly! Yum!

    Reply

  19. Josefina

    Hi! I’m from Argentina and I love you explanations! The thins with this recipe is that I made the crust 2 times! And the 2 times went wrong! When I dumped the crust in the pan it was really sticky, buttery. In the oven the butter was like boiling in the pan. The second time it happened the same! What did I do wrong?!

    Reply

  20. Lulu6

    I have visiting colleagues and plan to bring them to my place for dinner (vegetarian meals are a little difficult to find in a one horse town). How far ahead do you think I could make these? Night before or do you think I could make them Sunday to serve Wednesday? I was also thinking of serving them without the sugar topping but with wild canned blueberries.

    Reply

  21. Heather

    Made your recipe for a party this week-end – turned out PERFECTLY!! And were delicious!! Not a square left! Thank you!!

    Reply

  25. Charity

    Yes! I just moved to a house with a big lemon tree in the backyard, and I’m a little bit obsessed. I know I’d find a lemon bar recipe here! After this, maybe the lemon raspberry pie crust hearts? Thank you!

    Reply

  27. Julia

    I love lemon bars and use Alice Medrich’s recipe. I must be a sucker because I love the middle. Yours look just like mine so I will have to try your recipe. Happy baking.

    Reply

  28. Anne

    If you have a 9 x 13 pan and you are diabetic, here is how to change the recipe
    Dough:
    1/2 cup butter, 1 stick
    3tbs Splenda sugar
    2 cups flour
    2 egg yolks
    Let rest dough in fridge for 30min

    Filling:
    1/2 cup lemon juice (5-6lemons)
    Fresh lemon zest of all lemons or 4tsp
    3 eggs
    5tbs flour
    3/4 cup Splenda sugar

    If you are not diabetic, simply multiply by two the amount of Splenda sugar

    Reply

  29. Sara

    These have become my go-to dessert for potlucks and bbqs! They are always a huge hit. My only deviation from your recipe is I use coconut oil instead of butter (because lemon coconut is one of my all-time favourite flavour combos) and i double the lemon zest. AMAZING.

    Reply

  30. aliborgas

    These look lovely… I absolutely love anything with a strong citrus flavour. Question: I found an old recipe for shortbread lemon bars, and they have baking powder in the lemon topping… Why would you need baking powder in the lemon topping?

    Reply

  35. Laura Adams

    This post is beautiful. I feel as if I stepped into a dream that made me giggle like a little girl. Ah, how beautiful dessert can be.

    Reply

  38. Regina

    Hello, how are you?
    This is my 1st time here, and I’m glad I am. I love cooking but I am not ‘that’ cook, so I don’t like recipes too elaborate, and your recipes look delicious and easy to make. I’ve never made Lemon Bars but now I feel tempted to make to make them. Thanks.

    Reply

  39. Gretchen @ Two Healthy Kitchens

    You couldn’t possibly know that these little beauties are a favorite in my family! And … my sweet grandma’s 86th birthday is in 2 weeks and I’ll be going to visit her! She acts like she’s WAY younger (I hope I age just like her!) and is just the cutest thing I’ve seen! Anyways … lemon bars are her absolute fave! So what better little treat than a delicious pan of lemon bars?!? Thanks!! :)

    Reply

  43. Joni Justice

    How fun! You are delightful to follow. Never saw your blog before, but it’s serendipity I found it. I love cooking too! I love lemon bars, and you make it fun! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  44. Jr

    I made this and the crust is super soft. It gets flat like soufflé. Poured filling and it disappeared in the crust. What happened?

    Reply

  45. Wren

    I LOVE lemon bars for some odd reason. I say “for some odd reason,” because I’m not that big of a fan of the lemon flavor with other edibles, but a sweet, decadent, moist lemon bar? Yes, please.

    Reply

  50. Sarah

    I just made these and they were absolutely divine! The lemon flavour was just right! Sweet with a slight tart flavour. It made my day a million times better, and put a smile on my whole family’s faces. Thank you so much Joy :)

    Reply

  53. Marsha

    My daughter April and I found a great lemon bar recipe years ago and have been making them at the holidays, and occasionally during the year. Same recipe as yours! Yum yum yummy! Will try with the parchment paper-never thought of that! Thanks for the tip!

    Reply

  56. sundiegoeats

    Last lemon bar recipe I tried asked for so much flour in the filling (1 cup!) and it definitely was detrimental to the texture of the filling, way too doughy and not very bright yellow. 3 tablespoons seems a much more reasonable measure so that it still sets up but is not overwhelmed….

    Reply

  63. Katy

    Classic recipes are where it’s at, and lemons bars are one of my all time favourites. Butter is more fun when it looks like ice cream. :)

    Reply

  64. Brittany

    I just made these, and after sampling one corner piece, I definitely want to keep them all for myself rather than take them to the thing I made them for. Thank you for a perfectly timed and delicious recipe, Joy!

    Reply

  67. Laurel

    Aaaaaaand they’re in the oven. One of hubby’s favorites and he’s had a rough day at work. Thanks for the idea and recipe for a sweet treat for my sweetheart!

    Reply

  78. Victoria

    We always put coconut in the crust, helps with structural integrity, and it’s delicious! Also excellent made with limes instead of lemons :)

    Reply

  83. Karen

    So, I made my version of these after a neighbor gave me a dozen key limes. My husband wouldn’t try them, but now that they are featured here (and I showed him the pics), he’s re-thinking his lost opportunity. Thanks for validating me! :-) BEAUTIFUL pictures.

    Reply

  89. Amanda

    I have the same juicer! Found it in our oooooold house when we bought it. I look for lemon recipes just to break it out. :) This one looks perfect!

    Reply

  90. shelly@ohshellsbells

    because facebook has infiltrated and ruined my brain, when i couldnt figure out what the butter scoop was in that third picture, i actually put my mouse over it, as if it would be tagged and all would be revealed. i totally thought it was lemon sorbet… you got me!

    Reply

  92. DessertForTwo

    You picked my favorite classic dessert–yay! I eat all of the edges and then generously donate the center to my neighbors. So classy. But hey, I wipe the powdered sugar off my chin before I go to their house, I swear.

    Reply

  93. maryea {happy healthy mama}

    Sometimes nothing can beat a classic. Somehow, I’ve never made lemon bars, but you definitely made it seem easier than I imagined it would be. I may have to give these a shot as I love lemon flavored everything, especially in winter.

    Reply

  94. Adrienne K

    I feel so much better to see those bubbly wholes on the surface of your lemon bars. I thought I was doing something wrong….. Your photos are sooooo beautiful!

    Reply

    • Kathryn Metz

      Hi Joy, I have a question about the crust. Each time I’ve made it it comes out fluffy rather than crispy. Do you know what might be causing this? thanks! Kathryn Metz

      Reply

      • Zoe

        it’s because the recipe has you beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, which incorporates air into the crust and makes it more cookie than crust. if you don’t want it to be fluffy, cut the butter into the flour like you’re making a pie crust and then add a few tablespoons of sugar

        Reply

      • Rebecca Goodrich

        I also baked mine a little longer than the recipe called for and flipped the broiler on for the last couple of minutes (rack still in the middle of the oven) to make sure the crust was nicely done in the middle. It was slightly golden but still a little pale when it came out and iy turned out perfect! Somewhere between crisp and chewy.

        Reply

      • WINNIE THURMAN

        Maybe you are using too small a baking pan. This should fill a 9 X 13 pan. Also, be sure to bake the crust only for approximately 20 minute. Remove from oven and pour on lemon filling and bake another 20 minutes.

        Reply

  95. Michelle

    These look amazing and I’m laughing because of your hint…don’t inhale. I made these over Xmas and my husband did exactly that, which led to massive coughing fit…and of course me cracking up! Thanks as always!

    Reply

  103. Averie @ Averie Cooks

    I like how you said these were adapted from your first cookbook. That would mean the next one is coming soon! So excited! And classic lemon bars rock. Yours are great! And I love that little green Depression-glass juicer. Precious! Pinned.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  36. […] substantial lemon layer, not one that is equal in depth as the crust. I used Joy the Baker‘s classic lemon bar recipe, but doubled the filling. The result was a tart, sweet, slightly gooey lemon bar with a perfectly […]

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