Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Name: Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 oz (227 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes; 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar; 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour; ½ tsp (2½ g) baking powder; ½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp (12 g) finely grated fresh lemon zest; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 3 tbsp (21 g) powdered sugar (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Bright and tangy lemon bars with a buttery, crumbly shortbread base. The filling is a silky custard-like layer infused with fresh lemon juice and zest, baked until just set with a slight jiggle at the center. Dusted with powdered sugar for a classic finish.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 35 min
Makes: 16 bars (one 9×13-inch pan)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C)
Use room-temperature eggs for smooth filling
Zest the lemons before juicing them
Line your 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper for easy removal

1
Prepare pan and crust mixture
- Line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the cold butter cubes and use a fork or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some small pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
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Ready when: Mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized butter pieces
Tip: Keep the butter cold so the shortbread stays crumbly and tender—warm butter will make it greasy.
2
Press and bake crustOven 350°F / 175°C
- Spread the crust mixture evenly into the prepared pan and press it firmly into an even layer using the bottom of a measuring cup or your palm.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are very pale golden and the crust is just set but not browned.
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Ready when: Edges pale golden and crust is set but not browned
Tip: Remove the crust before it browns; a pale base will stay tender once the filling is added.
3
Mix filling ingredients
- While the crust bakes, whisk together the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl until pale and smooth, about 1 minute.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just combined.
- Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt until smooth.
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Ready when: Filling is pale, smooth, and evenly combined
Tip: Don't overmix once you add the lemon juice; gentle stirring keeps the filling tender.
4
Pour filling and bakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Remove the crust from the oven and immediately pour the lemon filling over it, spreading it gently and evenly.
- Return to the oven and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–24 minutes, until the filling is set at the edges but still has a slight jiggle in the very center when you gently shake the pan.
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Ready when: Edges set, center has a slight jiggle when pan is gently shaken
Tip: Overbaking dries out the filling; slight wobble in the center ensures a creamy texture as it cools.
5
Cool completely
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes until fully chilled and firm.
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Ready when: Bars are firm when pressed gently in the center
Tip: Cold bars are much easier to cut cleanly; warm bars will crumble and smudge.
6
Cut and dust with sugar
- Lift the cooled bars from the pan using the parchment paper overhangs.
- Place on a cutting board and cut into 16 equal squares (4 cuts lengthwise, 3 cuts widthwise for a 4×4 grid).
- Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled.
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Ready when: Bars cut cleanly with a sharp knife
Tip: Dip your knife in hot water and wipe it between cuts for cleaner edges.

Good to know

Tips

Room-temperature eggs mix more smoothly into the filling and prevent lumps; set eggs out 20 minutes before baking.
Fresh lemon juice is essential—bottled lemon juice tastes flat and bitter in this recipe.
The key to tender lemon bars is not overbaking the filling; a slight jiggle in the center will set as it cools.
For extra tang, increase the lemon juice to ⅔ cup (160 ml) and reduce the sugar to 1¼ cups (250 g).

Make ahead

Bars can be assembled and baked up to 2 days ahead; store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze unbaked filling on the crust for up to 1 month; bake from frozen, adding 2–3 extra minutes to the baking time.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days; refrigerator for up to 5 days; freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen bars at room temperature for 1–2 hours before serving. Do not reheat; serve chilled or at room temperature.

Substitutions

fresh lemon juice → fresh lime juice or Meyer lemon juice. Lime bars will be more tart; Meyer lemon bars will be less acidic and sweeter. Use the same amount.
unsalted butter → clarified butter (ghee) or coconut oil. Coconut oil will add subtle coconut flavor. Use the same amount, keeping it cold.
all-purpose flour → white whole wheat flour or spelt flour. These will create a denser, nuttier crust. Reduce to 1⅜ cups (165 g) to keep the texture from becoming too dry.
powdered sugar → additional finely grated lemon zest. Skip the powdered sugar and add ½ tsp more lemon zest to the filling for a more intensely lemony bar.