Lemon Bars

Time :3 hours 30 minutes
Yield :24 bars

Recipe Background

Tart, rich Homemade Lemon Bars are sure to be a hit! The lemon filling is the perfect balance of sweetness and lemon flavor, and it is surrounded by a warm, crunchy crust. Homemade Lemon Bars are the perfect dessert for a party, or you can make and store them for a treat throughout the week! It’s a luscious bit of sunshine on a plate!
Tart, rich Homemade Lemon Bars are sure to be a hit! The lemon filling is the perfect balance of sweetness and lemon flavor, and it is surrounded by a warm, crunchy crust. Homemade Lemon Bars are the perfect dessert for a party, or you can make and store them for a treat throughout the week! It’s a luscious bit of sunshine on a plate!

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter melted
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour spoon and leveled

For the lemon filling:

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup lemon juice
  • confectioners’ sugar optional, for dusting

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Line the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out. Set aside.
  • Mix the melted butter, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the vanilla extract, and the salt together in a medium bowl.
  • Add the 2 cups and 2 tablespoons of the flour and stir to completely combine. The dough will be thick.
  • Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan, making sure the layer of crust is nice and even.
  • Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 20-22 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the oven.
  • Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the warm crust but not all the way through the crust. Set the crust aside.
  • Sift 2 cups of the sugar and the 6 tablespoons of the flour together in a large bowl.
  • Add the eggs and lemon juice and whisk until completely combined.
  • Pour the filling mixture over the warm crust.
  • Bake the bars until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles, about 22-26 minutes.
  • Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool completely at room temperature.
  • Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Dust the top with the confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares before serving.
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