Lemon Bars

5 from 10 votes

My lemon bars with that luscious lemon filling, with a crisp shortbread cookie crust are packed with a bright and zingy lemon flavor. Making them simply irresistible!

Prep Time20

Cook Time55

chill3

Total Time4 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 399kcal

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Equipment

9x13 pan

Ingredients

Crust

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoon unsalted butter melted (1 ½ sticks = 6 oz)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

3 tablespoon lemon zest about 3 lemons
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice
8 large eggs room temperature
½ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup powdered sugar to dust cake

Instructions

Crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., and line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper.
Add the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
*or the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment.
Add the melted butter, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the flour mixture and mix until well combined.
Pour the dough into the parchment-lined pan and press it down into a flat layer.
Place the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until it's a nice light golden color.
Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for a few minutes. *You want it to still be warm when you add the filling.

Filling

Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the zest is fully incorporated and the sugar is a light yellow color.
*If you don't have a food processor, do your best to mix the zest with sugar, trying to incorporate the zest into the lemon. A mortar and pestle will also work.
Add the lemon sugar and all-purpose flour to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Add the lemon juice and eggs to the flour mixture, and mix until thoroughly combined.
Pour the filling onto the baked crust, then place it back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then rotate the pan and continue to bake for an additional 10-12 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for an hour on a wire rack. Then, place it in the fridge to chill for at least two hours before slicing.
When completely chilled use a clean, sharp, damp knife. Clean and re-wet the knife with hot water after each cut.
Dust the top of the cut lemon bars with powdered sugar.

Nutrition