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Home Recipe Index Desserts Bars and Cookies

Easy Lemon Bars

★★★★★ 5 /5
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Polly Conner
By: Polly ConnerPosted: 2/9/23Updated: 9/21/23

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This is one of the easiest lemon bar recipes you’ll find! With only 5 main ingredients, you’ll soon have zesty, fresh lemon bars that will become a staple recipe in your home.

lemon bars stacked up

I’m drooling even writing about these lemon bars.

The topping is a perfect balance of sweet and sour while maintaining an ever-so-soft texture.

This lemon perfection lays on top of a soft sugary-buttery-cookie-like base that serves as its delectable foundation.

Simply put: You’re gonna need to be making these.

Table of Contents
  • What Makes This Lemon Bar Recipe so Easy?
  • How to Make Lemon Bars: Step-by-Step
  • What if I got little air bubbles at the top?
  • Can I use bottled lemon juice?
  • More Lemony Recipes You Might Like
  • Can I Freeze Lemon Bars?
  • More Dessert Recipes You Might Like
  • Easy Lemon Bars

What Makes This Lemon Bar Recipe so Easy?

Believe it or not, this recipe only requires 5 main ingredients. That’s it! Let’s talk about those:

Ingredients in the Crust

  • Sugar
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Salted Butter
  • Salt
crust ingredients for lemon bars

Ingredients in the Lemon Topping

  • Lemon zest
  • Lemon juice
  • Eggs
  • Flour
  • Sugar

So simple right!?

Filling ingredients for lemon bars

How to Make Lemon Bars: Step-by-Step

Make the Crust

Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt.

Add the cut-up butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter to cut it all together until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, use your hands.

Press the crumb mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes.

making the crust for lemon bars in a glass bowl
crust pressed down into metal baking dish

Zest and Juice the Lemon

This is where the fun tools start to come out to play.

I love any excuse to use my microplane zester. It makes the zest so soft and fluffy if that’s even possible. You’ll work through all 3 lemons and get the zest from all of them.

After that, you’ll squeeze the juice out of those 3 lemons. Perks for zero waste, right!?

Lemon being zested
Lemon Juice being squeezed

Make the Lemon Topping

Now for the main event!

  1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour. Set aside.
  2. In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl combine the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Whisk together.
  3. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Whisk until fully incorporated.
Lemon mixture being made for lemon bars

Pour filling over the crust and bake for another 20 minutes or until the lemon topping is solidified.

Lemon mixture being poured over crust to make lemon bars
Lemon bars prepped to go into the oven

Now, don’t be like me and slice before you cool. Because if you are like me, you’ll get lemon bars with rougher edges.

Alas, rough edge or not, they taste delicious.

But be sure to let them chill in the fridge for a few hours, k?

Baked lemon bars

What if I got little air bubbles at the top?

Fear not, this is quite normal. It’s actually air from the eggs rising to the surface. Sometimes they show up and sometimes they don’t. I’m sure someone smarter could tell me why but my solution is covering it up with powdered sugar.

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

Yes but no. I mean you can. But you shouldn’t.

If you want the full lemon experience, you need real lemons. Plus you need the lemon zest to give you intense lemon flavor without making it too sour. Opt for the real deal, my friend.

lemon bars stacked on a plate

More Lemony Recipes You Might Like

Creamy Lemon Pasta Sauce

Raspberry Lemon Overnight Oats in a mason jar

Raspberry Lemon Overnight Oats

strawberry spinach salad

Strawberry Fields Spinach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

two white bowls of lemon chicken orzo soup with spoons in them and crusty bread on the side

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

hand picking up a lemon bar

Can I Freeze Lemon Bars?

Yes, lemon bars freeze well. Simply place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months.

To prepare, simply let thaw at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

lemon bars in a freezer bag

More Dessert Recipes You Might Like

Raspberry Crumble Cookies

Fruit Pizza Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

peach crisp in bowl with spoon

Peach Crisp

Blueberry Crumble Bars

See them All

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

lemon bars stacked up
★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

Easy Lemon Bars

Classic Lemon Bar Recipe. I love this recipe because it has a thicker crust than most. So perfect for a spring or summer get together.

Yield: 16 squares 1x
Prep: 20 minutesCook: 40 minutesTotal: 60 minutes (plus 2+ hours to cool)
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Ingredients

Crust:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, cut into small cubes

Filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • Zest of 3 lemons (about 2 1/2 tablespoons)
  • Juice of 3 lemons (about 1/2 cup)
  • Powdered sugar, for sprinkling on top

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with butter.
  2. Make Crust: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt for the crust. Add the cut-up butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter to cut it all together until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. (If you don’t have a pastry cutter, use your hands.)
  3. Bake Crust: Press the crumb mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes.
  4. Make Filling: While the crust bakes, whisk together the sugar and flour for the filling in a small bowl. In a separate mixing bowl (we recommend using the same one you used for the crust to save on dishes!), whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated.
  5. Bake with Filling: Pour filling over the crust and bake for another 20 minutes or until the lemon topping is solidified.
  6. Cool: Allow to cool 10-15 minutes and then refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.
  7. Serve: Sift powdered sugar over the top before cutting into squares.

Notes/Tips

  • Want your bars to be a bit thicker? Use an 8×8 pan. Cooking time will be a bit longer.
© Author: Polly Conner
Cuisine: American Method: Baked

Did you make this?

Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

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Polly Conner

Polly Conner

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Polly’s passionate about helping busy parents get dinner on the table. With a house full of kids, dogs, and (usually) a DIY project in the works, she knows firsthand how every minute (and every dollar) counts. As a business owner, she enjoys wearing multiple hats and serves best as a project manager for Thriving Home.

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  1. AvatarJanoa says

    Posted on 9/2/23 at 5:32 am

    Big hit!! Would have been all fine if I didn’t burn the edges! ‘:)

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 9/4/23 at 10:16 am

      Whoops! That happens, but you know it’s good when everyone still eats all the middle!

      Reply
  2. AvatarAmber B says

    Posted on 4/23/23 at 9:43 pm

    I’ve never made lemon bars before but these were easy and delicious! Once I had lemons I realized I had all the other ingredients on hand and tried it. I will be making these again.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 4/24/23 at 9:33 am

      Hi Amber! Glad you gave them a go and enjoyed them. Thanks for leaving a review.

      Reply
  3. AvatarLiz says

    Posted on 2/14/23 at 12:21 pm

    These came out delicious! Loved the thicker crust that balanced out the sweet citrus on top. I’ll be making these a lot!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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