Perfect Lemon Bars

Tart and tangy Lemon Bars with a buttery shortbread crust are sure to steal the spotlight as your Easter dessert this year.

This super easy dessert is guaranteed to brighten up even the gloomiest spring day. Besides who can think of a better dessert for springtime? I know I can’t!

Lemon bars are best eaten the day they are made while the shortbread crust is firm and the lemon filling is tart. You can keep these covered in a refrigerator for a few days but the shortbread crust will soften and the lemon flavor won’t be as tart. But seriously, they aren’t going to last that long anyway! 😉

These refreshingly sweet and tart lemon bars are the perfect dessert for Spring! 🙂

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold cut into 1-inch pieces

For the Lemon Filling:

4 large eggs, beaten lightly

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons finely grated zest, about two large lemons

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, about 3 to 4 large lemons

1/3 cup whole milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

How to make Perfect Lemon Bars:

Step 1. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 by the 13-inch metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends, and then lay second sheet crosswise over it.. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.

Step 2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Pulse flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add butter and process 8 to 10 seconds, until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal. Process again for three 1-second bursts. Sprinkle mixture into lined pan and press firmly with fingers into even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Step 3. While the crust is baking, make the filling: In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour.  Stir in lemon juice, zest, milk, and salt; set aside.

Step 4. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Stir filling mixture and pour into warm crust. Bake until filling feels firm when touched lightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool completely. Cut into bars and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Enjoy!

Now, remember to save this recipe on Pinterest for later 🙂

Perfect Lemon Bars

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Tart and tangy Lemon Bars with a buttery shortbread crust are sure to steal the spotlight as your Easter dessert this year. This super easy dessert is guaranteed to brighten up even the gloomiest spring day. Besides who can think of a better dessert for springtime? I know I can’t!

5 from 1 vote

Review Recipe

Ingredients 

For the Crust:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold cut into 1-inch pieces

For the Lemon Filling:

• 4 large eggs, beaten lightly
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons finely grated zest, about two large lemons
• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, about 3 to 4 large lemons
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Follow Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Instructions

• Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 by the 13-inch metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends, and then lay second sheet crosswise over it.. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Pulse flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add butter and process 8 to 10 seconds, until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal. Process again for three 1-second bursts. Sprinkle mixture into lined pan and press firmly with fingers into even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• While the crust is baking, make the filling: In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour.  Stir in lemon juice, zest, milk, and salt; set aside.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Stir filling mixture and pour into warm crust. Bake until filling feels firm when touched lightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool completely. Cut into bars and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Notes

Source: Food.com, originally from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine, May, 1998

Author: Laura

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