Classic Lemon Bars Recipe (VIDEO)
Thick and gooey Lemon Bars with shortbread crust and vibrant lemon flavor are the perfect dessert. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is to bake homemade lemon bars.
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Fresh lemons make everything better from Lemon Blueberry Cake to Homemade Lemonade. If you are a fan of lemon, this Lemon Bar Recipe is a must-try!
Lemon Bar Video Tutorial:
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Why You Will Love These Lemon Bars
Take one bite and you will fall in love. The lemon custard filling is brimming with satisfying tangy lemon flavor, and it’s balanced in sweetness.
I learned how to make Lemon Bars years ago from one of Ina Garten’s early cookbooks, Barefoot Contessa Parties (I literally have all 12 of her cookbooks because I admire her very much and her recipes are sound). This is very close to the original recipe except we add vanilla to the crust and you’ll love the tip for making the crust even easier to mold.
The Best Lemons for Lemon Bars?
I always use regular lemons because they have tons of tang and lemon flavor. Since lemons are the star ingredient, you should avoid using bottled lemon juice or concentrate. Also, use no more than 1 cup of lemon juice or the custard won’t set properly and if your lemons are refrigerated, bring them to room temperature first. P.S. Here’s my favorite citrus squeezer.
Can I use Meyer Lemons: Meyer lemons aren’t quite as tart as regular lemon so you’ll want to reduce the sugar in the filling to about 2 cups.
How to Make Lemon Bars
- Crust – Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, then add vanilla extract, flour and salt and mix until crumbly. Press mixture into a parchment-lined 9×13 casserole dish. Bake at 350˚F for 18-20 minutes. Cool slightly on a rack.
- Lemon Filling – In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Whisk in lemon juice and zest. Add flour and whisk until completely blended.
- Add filling and Bake – pour filling over the warm crust and bake at 350˚F for 30-35 minutes until the center is set and no longer wobbly.
- Chill– cool at room temperature on a wire rack for at least 1 hour then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Serve – Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar to serve.
Pro Slicing Tip: Just like with a cheesecake, for clean and pretty slices, wipe the knife blade clean with a damp paper towel between slices.
Common Questions:
The center of the lemon bars should be fully set. If you give the pan a jolt, it should not wobble in the center.
Lemon bars can be kept at room temperature for a few hours but should be refrigerated after that. Refrigerate up to a week or freeze for 3-4 months (see make-ahead instructions below).
The air bubbles that rise to the surface while baking is normal. These are bubbles from whisking the eggs. Since the bubbles rise above the surface, they tend to brown which causes the brown spots. They are easy to cover up with powdered sugar.
You can substitute with grapefruit, orange juice, or lime to change up the flavor of your bars, but use less sugar when using sweeter citrus.
A glass or ceramic 9×13 pan works great for lemon bars. Note that a glass pan will bake faster and darker than a metal pan so check for doneness a little earlier.
Make-Ahead
- Refrigerating: If baking the bars ahead, cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
- To Freeze: Once lemon bars are fully chilled in the refrigerator, cover the baking dish with a couple of layers of plastic wrap and freeze for 3-4 months. You can also transfer leftover pieces to a freezer-safe zip bag for easier storage. The lemon custard doesn’t fully solidify in the freezer so there’s no need to thaw. They’re so good right out of the freezer.
When life gives you lemons, put them in lemon bars! This recipe will become your go-to for potlucks, parties, and holidays like Easter or Christmas. It’s a keeper of a recipe.
Have Extra Lemons?
If you end up with a bumper crop of lemons or just a big bag from the grocery store, we have you covered. Check out our post on all the genius Ways to use Lemons, from zesting to juicing and freezing then try some of our favorite sweet and savory Lemony recipes.
- Strawberry Lemonade
- Lemon Curd Tartlets
- Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
- Broiled Lobster Tails with Lemon Butter
- Lemon Chicken with Lemon Sauce
- Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce
Classic Lemon Bars Recipe
Lemon Bars with intense lemon flavor and a buttery shortbread crust. This recipe is so simple, can be made ahead and even frozen.
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Crust:
- 1/2 lb unsalted butter, (16 Tbsp) room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the Lemon Filling:
- 7 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest, from 4 to 5 lemons
- 1 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (from 5 large or 8 medium lemons)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Confectioners sugar, to dust
Instructions
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PREP: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a 13x9x2” baking pan with parchment paper (it should go most of the way up the sides so filling doesn’t spill over.
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CRUST: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together softened butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Add 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 cups flour and 1/4 tsp salt. Continue mixing until mixture is crumbly and no dry flour remains. Spread the dough evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Press it with your fingertips to flatten and even out the dough. Bake crust at 350˚F for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden at the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
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FILLING: While the crust is baking, zest then squeeze the lemons and prepare your filling. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until blended. Add Lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk to combine. Add 1 cup flour and whisk until smooth and very well blended and no traces of flour remain.
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BAKING: Pour filling over the warm crust and bake in the center of a preheated oven at 350˚F for 30-35 minutes or until the filling is set. As soon as the filling is no longer wobbly in the center, remove from the oven so you don’t over-bake. Cool in the pan at room temperature for at least 1 hour then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
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TO SERVE: Pull the parchment paper up slightly to loosen from the pan then transfer to a cutting board and cut into 18-20 squares then dust the tops with powdered sugar.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Hi Natasha,
Could I halve or reduce the sugar by 1/4 in the lemon filling? 600gm just seems way too much. I am making these for a work baking competition
Hello Kim, I haven’t tried it that way. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
I’ve made these twice now. The first time I rated them 4 stars, but after a tweak or two, they are outa the park home runs!
So the first tweak was to add the zest to the sugar and pulse it well in a food processor. The result is a wonderful pale yellow sugar that smells and tastes outstanding. I do believe that it made a difference in the final outcome.
Additionally, I didn’t bake quite as long the second time around. The first time thorough I baked 34 minutes, and while very, very good, the “gooey” part turned out just a bit overcooked in my opinion, based on the both how it looked and tasted. It was a muted yellow and tasted just a tiny bitter. The second time I cooked about 31 minutes, until there was just a bit of a “jiggle” left in the center. It firmed up just fine after cooling, and the filling was bright yellow and very lemony!
Hi Bill, I’m happy to know that it was a huge success after trying again. Thanks for sharing that with us, that is helpful!
Excellent dessert! My husband said this was the best dessert I’ve ever made and I bake a lot. Next time I’ll make sure I have help with the clean up, there were a lot of dirty bowls etc. 🙂 Thank you for the yummy recipe!
You’re so welcome! I’m glad ti was enjoyed. 🙂
Dear Natasha, I’ve been staring T your recipe for Lemon Bars. I’m gonna give them a try. Church Picnic coming up so wish me luck!! Looking forward to more recipes from you.
Thank You!’
Mariana
I hope it becomes your new favorite!
I have made lemon bars for years using the same recipe but these bars are amazing!
Love it! Thanks a lot for your wonderful comment and feedback, Judy.
These lemon bars are delightful 🍋 They turned out perfect! I will definitely be making these again.
So glad to hear that, Amber! 🙂
OMG Natasha! Thank you! I have been searching for the ultimate recipe for lemon bars forever and after trying yours, I can honestly say the hunt is finally over! The gooey center and beautiful crust makes this a homerun. Oh and the dusting of powdered sugar too. Every other recipe I tried before always came out either with rubbery centers, rock hard crusts or just tasted bland. Not anymore, this recipe is a keeper. Will be checking out more of your recipes in the future.
Hi Sandra! That’s great. So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the review and I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy on my blog.
Hi Natasha.
I would love to make these but as many of your other recipes you use a “stand mixer”. I don’t have one and will not be purchasing one ant any time soon. Can I use a hand held mixer?
Love the recipe.
Hi Diana. You could use a handheld mixer for this. It may take a little longer to cream but it should be just fine. 🙂
I made 5 batches of these for a friend’s celebration of life gathering. I followed the recipe exactly as written. I made these two days before the event, cooled them, chilled them and cut them in bars and stored them in the fridge. HUGE HIT. Had a few dozen left over so put them in the freezer and weeks later I am still enjoying them. CRAZY GOOD. Thank you.
That’s great! I’m so glad they were a hit.
First if all thank you Natasha for sharing the recipe. I’ve made these many times, and wanted to share what I learned. So if you have a convection oven, then don’t use the fan for these lemon bars. When I first made these I used my normal setting which is with the fan turned on, but it made the top brown WAY to quickly but the inside was WAY to wobbly so I would end up burning them, they still tasted good but didn’t look good at all. So I tried without the fan and they turned out perfect, looked exactly the same as yours in the picture and the bake time was the same as yours.
Hi Nat, thank you for sharing that with us. We use regular bake mode over here, so if using a convection oven, you may need to make some adjustments! I’m so glad you found a way to make this work!
The flavour is amazing but they don’t cut cleanly. Mine were very sticky and hard to cut. They didn’t look very presentable like yours. What did I do wrong?
blessings
Sylvia
Hi Sylvia, did you refrigerate them for 2 hrs before cutting? They should be completely chilled, you can even put them in the freezer and then cut them. If they are still sticking, you can run the knife through warm water, wipe it dry with a clean dish towel/paper towel, and make the cut. Repeat this for every cut. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha.
I’m from the Philippines and I’m planning to make lemon bars. Instead of using butter, can I use crisco vegetable shortening instead?
Hi Ana! The butter is an important ingredient in the texture of the crust. I have not tested shortening to advise what the outcome would be.
You are such a good and beautiful,funny cook and love and tried your recipes.
That is very kind, Betty. Thank you.
I am making the lemon bars for a luncheon but will not have enough time to make them in the morning. If I make them the day before, should I put them in the refrigerator then or leave on the counter. Dust with powdered sugar before serving?
Hi Carol! you can reference the make-ahead note in the recipe. “Refrigerating: If baking the bars ahead, cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.” I hope that helps!
Hi! Can this recipe be halved? I followed this recipe and while they were so delicious, it was a little too much for me. Especially now since eggs are so expensive! Thanks!
Hi Grace, yes, you can but you’ll have to change the size pan. Also, these can be frozen for 3-4 months (see make-ahead instructions in the recipe notes).
Love your videos and recipes. I have been making lemon bars for years. Similar recipe but my crust contains baker’s shredded coconut and less flour. I also use less flour in the lemon curd. In a pinch, bottled lemon juice works fine but as you said, nothing compare to fresh squeezed.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Anne!
Love all your recipes! Always check yours first.
My husband doesn’t like lemons but this recipe, he likes it!!
Thank you and more power to you! God bless!
You’re welcome, Joy. Thank you for trusting in my recipes, I hope you’ll love the recipes that you will try!
I made these but used gluten free flour. The short bread was a little too crumbly (joys of gf flour) but they where delicious!!!! No one could even tell it was gluten free and they kept coming back for more. I will definitely be making them again but will go a little lighter on the gf flour in the crust. Thanks!!!
Thank you for sharing with us, Nylia!
Best…best…best ever…I’ve made these so many times and it’s the one dessert everyone always asks for
So glad you enjoy this recipe! Thank you for sharing.
I tried this recipe twice. I found that the crust is too thick, hard and difficult to cut. It did not brown up well and I baked it longer than the suggested time and there seemed to be a doughy layer between the crust and filling. Anyone else have this problem??
Hi Kate, I haven’t had that experience and it turns out as it shows in the photos and video. I highly recommend watching the video to see where yours started to look different which might give a clue as to what happened. Did you possibly change any of the proportions in the ingredient list?
hi can i skip the powdered sugar at the end? will the bars taste different?
Hi Amira! That would be fine. They will be a little less sweet but still delicious!
Hi Natasha. You mentioned in the video that you can freeze the Lemon Bars. What do you recommend doing to freeze them?
Hi Jane, please check the “Make Ahead” section in the recipe as I have given some tips on freezing them.
Made lemon bars they were a flop. I followed instructions step by step. They stuck to the parchment paper I couldn’t pull it out of my baking dish.also they are way to sweet…I wasted 7 eggs and 2 cup of sugar all my fresh squeezed lemons 🍋 don’t know what went wrong. HELP PLEASE I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE THEM…
Hi Emilie, were you possibly using wax paper instead of parchment? wax paper would stick badly. Also, make sure you are using regular lemons as meyer lemons are more mild and would make the mixture sweeter. Normally this is a great balance of sweet and tangy and we don’t love overly sweet desserts either.
Please put your recipes in a cookbook. You make me feel good everytime I see one of your recipes. Cooking should be fun and you and your husband make it fun.your food is so good ,I would buy 5 of your cookbooks.please.
Hi Rick! Thank you, I’m glad you enjoy our recipes and videos. I am currently working on a cookbook. No release date yet, but please stay tuned for when we announce this.
QUESTION:
Can I double the crust and put it into a jelly roll pan?
I haven’t tested that. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Can this recipe be cut in half to bake in a 9×9 inch pan? If so should I use 3 or 4 eggs? Love all your recipes I’ve tried. Thank you, Julie
Hi Julie, if you cut the recipe in half, you can use 3.5 eggs. You need to whisk it up and then divide it into two by taking two tablespoons out. I hope that helps.
wow just made these yummy lemon bars they are so good and easy thank you so much for sharing this very yummy treat and fun to make with fresh lemons i used some oranges perfect sweet and sour treat to eat thanks again for all your hard work and great recipes
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Griff! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hello Natasha. Thank you for sharing your lovely recipes. I noticed some of your commenters are unhappy with their results and believe they might benefit from this article about humidity considerations. You have fans all over the world living in vastly different climates. Perhaps this article will provide additional thought. https://www.bakingkneads.com/baking-in-high-humidity/
Hi Heather, thank you for sharing this. Hopefully, it will help.
Wow. These turned out so perfect, and absolutely divine! Best lemon bar I have ever had. Thank you for another amazing recipe.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Elizabeth!
Hi Natasha
Love your videos and instructions.
I have never tuned in to baking how’s but yours was so easy to watch and the recipes are so suited for a family
So grateful
❤️🌹
Hello Louise, thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it.
my recipe is so similar to this but I add a cup of coconut and 1/2 tsp of citric acid and 1/2 tsp baking powder to filling everything else the same great recipe.
Sounds good, thank you for sharing that with us!
Would love to try these. Could GF cup for cup flour be substituted for flour in this recipe?
Hi Kim, I have not tested this but one of my other readers said this, “Thank you so much for another wonderful recipe! I am happy to report I subbed gluten-free flour (Cup4Cup brand) and dairy-free butter sticks with great success.” I hope this helps.
I made these lemon bars and I was so excited because I’ve only had really good lemon bars at very fancy restaurants or bakeries. And I really love lemon bars and I was so disappointed. I followed the video to a T, I watched it many times, I read the recipe over and over and over again and the curd came out so hard and not gooey. Ended up in the trash
Hi Susan, that is really unusual and I have never had that issue. It sounds like either the filling was overcooked or not enough lemon juice was used? I recommend watching the video tutorial to see where yours started to look different from mine. I hope that helps.
I tried it again and there is no cooking of Curd except in the oven to back. I baked it in a tested 350oven for 30 min and not wobbly so took it out and cooled it for 1 hour. This time I tried tasting it before putting it in the fridge and it was still so dry. bummed. But I will still continue making food from your site. All my family and friends say all I talk about is my new crack Natashaskitchen
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Hello, I made these the other day. Delouse! It is true these get better the longer they are in the refrigerator. My only bad thing is that I found the crust to be to think. I did use a 9X13 glass pan so my question is should I have poked holes in the crust or did I not push it down hard enough. Or do I bring it up the sides? The crust it self was 1/4″ thick and the whole bar was 1″. I thought about a bigger pan but don’t want to loose the filling thickness which I found to be perfect. I have read all of the review and notice you state that it is important to use a 9X13 pan. So my question is do you have any suggestions for the crust or is it supposed to be that thick.
Hi Katherine, that sounds correct and is about the same proportion of the lemon bars in the photos for crust to filling. If the crust gets too thin, they are difficult to hold and eat and you’d have to just use a fork to enjoy it off a plate.
I love Ina’s recipe too! And I plan to try the vanilla in the crust next time. One improvement I have made is instead of powdered sugar on the top, I make an icing of powdered sugar and lemon juice with a dash of salt ,and put that on top . Then people don’t breath in the powdered sugar and choke. Everyone at my house likes it better!!
THat’s great to know, Sue. Thank you for sharing that with us and for leaving a review, I’m happy that you enjoyed it!
I baked these on Wednesday to take to brunch on Sunday morning. I had a couple fresh duck eggs from my friend’s yard which I used along with his fresh chicken eggs. The duck eggs are wonderful for baking but larger than the others and I didn’t use fewer eggs over all, so my center took a little more time in the oven to set. But they look great! I can’t wait to try. I’m also baking for my niece’s wedding reception cookie table this summer and will definitely be representing natashaskitchen.com there. Thank you! And Happy Resurrection Day!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Judy. Glad it was a hit! I hope the guests will love these lemon bars too.
These turned out delicious! Followed the recipe and turned out perfect!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha, thanks for the lemon bar recipe, every recipe of yours came out perfect for 1st time making specially tiramisu, I followed up exactly every step for lemon bar recipe, but unfortunately the parchment paper sticks to the cake-bar in the pan. I wasn’t sure if it’s cooked or not so cooked another 15 minutes more, could this be the reason?
Thanks
Hi Vartan, it’s hard to say without being there. I recommend ensuring there were no substitutions or changes made. The parchment paper should help prevent the sticking.
Hi Natasha, thanks for the response, how about if I butter the parchment paper?
Thanks
I just made these delicious Lemons Bars this morning using lemons from my tree! Oh my gosh…perfection! A little extra cooking time for my oven, but just watch them carefully and see what works best for yours! I sent them as a treat for my daughter’s office and they were a hit! This is the best recipe I’ve tried for Lemon Bars.
I bet this was so good with home-fresh-grown lemons! Thank you for sharing your lovely review with me, Janice!
I followed the recipe perfectly including the pan size & they just would not set. Will try again next weekend to see if same happens, again. I ended up eating the filling like pudding (so it was definitely tasty! LOL)
Hi Em, if there is too much lemon juice, that can happen or under-baking. Was your oven fully preheated? Some ovens don’t preheat properly (like my own) and I highly recommend getting an in-oven thermometer to hang in the center of your oven to track accuracy of the oven.
I had the SAME problem. Middle is not set. Runny lemon bars and company coming in 1.5 hours! My oven was heated for over an hour. I followed recipe exactly. Additionally the bottomdough was never crumbly before baking that. And I cooked the middle with 1 cup exactly of lemon juice. Not too much. Bars are ruined and I have no back up dessert.
Hi Jennifer, make sure to use the same size pan as recommended and also make sure to use the same measurements of the remaining filling ingredients (i.e. large sized eggs, accurate flour and sugar measurements without ingredient substitutions). Also, I highly recommend using an in-oven thermometer to check your ovens temperature settings. Some ovens can be off 25 degrees or more (like my own)
I’m so sad…I have made this twice. Read and followed the directions to a T. And both times, there is too much filling. It takes longer than 45 minutes to bake. I had to leave the house today and left it in the oven at a lower temperature and it was finally not jiggly when I returned 30 minutes later. I dont even think they’re going to be edible. The photos you show are a pretty 1/2 inch thick treat and my filling is easily 2 times that! Going to search for a different recipe since I’ve wasted enough time, energy and money on this one. Glad it works for other people…but not for me.
Hi Stephanie, make sure you are using the same size pan. It sounds like yours was maybe too small of a pan. If yours was significantly thicker, it would take much longer to bake through.
Hi Natasha, if I want to freeze the lemon bars, would I sprinkle them with the icing sugar AFTER I’ve taken them out of the freezer and plate them?
Hi Clori, I bet that would be best!
Hey Natasha !
Was planning on making these lemon cars, but my oven is too small and a 9*13 inch pan won’t fit.. So what changes should i make if I bake them in a 8/9/10 inch square cake pan
Hi Divya, The lemon bars can be halved but you would want to use a half size of the pan to keep the same thickness of the bars without modifying the bake time.
I made these bars, LOVED THEM.. quick question though.. if I wanted to use the crust and do something entirely different that needs no baking.. how long would I have to bake the crust to get a nice golden crust.. 18-20 min is the pre bake time then you have 30-35 min.. again what would you suggest for just baking the crust, I want to add my one peanut butter spread and chocolate ganache on top, because I LOVE the crust!! Thank you!!
Hi Elvira, It’s hard to say what the outcome will be with other recipes. If you happen to experiment, I’d love to know how you like it!
Guess i’ll start off with 20 min and go in increments of 8 min to see what good baking time would be.. thanks for responding.. I actually made them and posted on your site, family loved them.. Almost makes me a lemon lover too!! 🙂
Another absolutely delicious and easy to make recipe, thank you so much!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Anna!
These are my favorite dessert bars to take to any outing or party. They are always a hit!
I’m so happy to hear that, I agree these are always a hit!
Hi Natasha! I tried you chocolate cake and was a blast! Came here to recreate your recipe again! So, can I halve this recipe? And also I want to substitute the lemon with lime, so what exceptions will I have to make? Thanks in advance.
Hi Zabin, I’m so glad you loved the chocolate cake. The lemon bars can be halved but you would want to use a half size of the pan to keep the same thickness of the bars without modifying the bake time.
Natasha!
My 15 year old daughter made a batch of these and they are to die for!!
We actually froze most of the bars in small batches and when we have a lemon craving… walah! We grab a few bars out of the freezer and they still taste incredible 🙂
Thanks for such a simple recipe that’s so easy to follow.
Isn’t it the best that they freeze well?! I’m so glad you all enjoyed these! They really are the perfect treat!
Since discovering you I find myself watching as often as I can…you are just so much fun! And so easy to follow. When a recipe of yours is posted and it’s only the recipe and not your demo I’m disappointed. Will very much look forward to holiday demos in the next few months. Thanks for being a bright light!
Hi Jan, great to hear from you and thank you so much for your good comments and feedback. I only post 1 video recipe per week as I focus on creating quality videos more than quantity. But thanks for your feedback, hope we can do more videos in the future.
Hi Natasha! I always love your giggle! I haven’t tried this yet but I always watch your videos.
Thanks for always watching! Hope you’ll be able to try my recipes too.
I made these lemon bars with my girlfriend last weekend, as they were a present for her mom. She loved them, and so did we! I’ve been wanting to learn how to make lemon bars for a while, so when I saw this video I was just so excited! I was surprised at how easy it was, and wow the fresh lemons and lemon sugar make a huge difference! So amazing. Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re welcome, glad you and the others loved it! Thank you for sharing this review with us, Mark.
Hi there.
They are delicious, however, mine come out completely brown on top and the lemon part is almost 2 different layers. Gooey at the bottom and Cakey on the top. What could be wrong?
Hi Lisa, I would make sure your oven is calibrated to the right temperature. Make sure you have it at the center of the oven and not towards the top. Also, make sure you are using regular bake mode. not convection or broil
Hi Natasha! I made this today and these lemon bars are really good. I just find it a little sweet. Is it possible to use 2 cups of sugar instead of 3 cups as the recipe stated?
Thanks🙂
Glad you loved it, Ellen. I saw someone else shared this comment “, I am now a big fan of lemon squares! Made these for the 2nd time with 2 cups sugar instead and I may have added a little bit more zest. The lemon flavor is awesome! I’m looking forward to trying your other lemony recipes” Hope that helps
Yes, I reduced the sugar to 2.5 cups and it worked just fine. My sister reduced it to 2 cups and again it was perfect.
Natasha, I’m from Idaho living in Arizona. Please show us how to make Idaho finger steaks. Nobody knows what they are here! Thanks, Michael Wiscombe ps love your shows!
Thanks for your suggestion, Michael. I’ll try to add that to our list, thanks to you all for the support!
Hi Natasha,
My dough mixture was thin and wet in some spots, not dry and crumbly throughout like yours. Also, my bars had cracks in them. Any idea what I can improve upon next time? All in all, they tasted great. Thanks!
Hi Alyssa, I recommend reading through the recipe notes to ensure nothing was omitted or substituted in the process and with the ingredients.
Can I use a graham cracker crust instead
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe!
First time making this recipe it was a success hubby loves it thank you 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Shivana!
Sorry, Natasha, but 3-1/2 cups of sugar is off the charts and overkill as far as I’m concerned!! Could you come up with a recipe for these lemon bars for diabetics? That much sugar is not good for anyone. Thank you for your consideration
hi! I also have concerns for the huge amount of sugar in this recipe. Usually when I find a recipe that in going to try, I add minimum 1/2 the amount of sweetener that the recipe recommends, and that usually turns out good enough. The only problem is, that with lemon bars, I think that the sugar is there to firm up the curd, so i’m not quite sure what would happen if you removed that much sugar from the filling. If, you’re still willing to try the recipe which less sugar, do tell what the results were.
Hi Natasha,
This is my 1st time making lemon bars! I’m not much of a baker so I’m anxious to see how they turned out once they’re done. My question is about the cooling time. Your recipe says to cool for 1 hr after taking it out of the oven then putting it in the fridge for 2 hrs. Can any of the cooling time be cut shorter? I’m in a time crunch and don’t have a full 3 hrs to let cool before serving. I’d like to sprinkle powdered sugar over it but I’m worried that it might still be too warm. Any thoughts on how I can cool it faster so I can put powdered sugar on it without it melting? Thanks 😊
Hi LisaMarie, I haven’t tried cutting that cooling time; it really needs to get the right consistency.
Hi
I tried lemon bars,it is look like cake sponge from inside and from up it like Caramel .
Plz guide
Want to share with you pics also… how?
Hi Bushra! You can upload your images to Social media – FB or IG and hashtag or tag #natashaskitchen for me to see your photos!
Hi Bushra, I would suggest watching the video to see where things started to look different. I’m not sure exactly what you mean or why that would happen?
Thank you so much for another wonderful recipe! I am happy to report I subbed gluten free flour (Cup4Cup brand) and dairy-free butter sticks with great success. Yumm!
You’re welcome, Val! I’m so glad to hear it worked with a gluten-free option!
Dear Natasha, you are so cute!!!!
I do like your video presentations, Definitely, I’ll make the lemon bar! Just viewing the video, my mouth starts watering.
Also, today I did make the banana bread, without the risen! Thank you so much!!
You’re welcome! I love it when my readers enjoy my recipes! Thank you for that wonderful feedback!
I love your posts and tutorials. I made these lemon bars for a special event this week, and they were a hit — the best lemon bars I have made or tasted. Thanks for quality recipes!
Aren’t they the best! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Glenda!
Just made these for fathers day and they were just delicious!!! Cant wait to make them again.
Aww that’s so great, Marina! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Hi Natasha I love all your recipes and I want to bake the lemon bars for father’s day, I wonder if I could substitute one cup of sugar for a can of sweetened condensed milk?
Thanks 🙂
Hi there, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment before Fathers day, please share with us how it turns out.
Thanks for your answer, I will let you know how it goes 😊
Hey Natasha!
I tried this recipe for my mother’s birthday and it turned out beautifully and my family loved it. Thank you….
Hello Emma, thanks for sharing that with us. I’m glad the cake was a success and it was a hit!
I don’t have a paddle attachment. Can I use the regular beaters or a whisk attachment?
Hi Roxanne, a handheld electric mixer should work for this recipe.
I just made this and loved it. I’ve been using an old recipe from an aunt and it was definitely not this great. It always ended up thin and not enough lemon filling on top
This one turned out really amazing! My daughter loved it!
This will be my go-to recipe now.
Thank you!!!
Love it, Jesse!I’m glad you found your new favorite.
Hi Natasha, I just made these, they came out fantastic. I added almond extract to the crust as I ran out of vanilla.
I was wondering if I could make a creamsicle bar, mixing orange and heavy cream? Do you think it would set?
Hi Anila, this can work with orange. See the section in our recipe titled: “Can I substitute a different citrus juice?” –
You can substitute with grapefruit, orange juice, or lime to change up the flavor of your bars, but use less sugar when using sweeter citrus.
Thank you
Made these for my husband’s birthday this week with our Meyer lemons, thanks for the adjustment for them. They came out sooo good. Everyone loved them, said they were the best❣️
Hello Diana, that is so great! I’m glad these lemon bars were a hit. Thanks for your great review and feedback.
Hi Natasha… Just tried these lemon bars . The center is cooked..but don’t understand why the right side hasn’t cooked properly ..
Hi Z, I recommend checking your oven for even cooking. If an ingredient or process was altered, that might also be the culprit.
Absolutely perfect Lemon Bars!
Love all your videos!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying these lemon bars, Chuck! They’re so fresh and the perfect treat for these warm summer nights!
This went really great! I was nervous because I’ve never made anything like this before, but it was easy and came out really well. My family liked them a lot and I’ve already been asked to make more!
That’s so great, Mikey! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I really want to make this because my husband loves lemon bars but the servings says for 20 people, that’s just to much and when I try and adjust the recipe it messes with the measurements and I don’t understand it. When it says 20 people does that mean 20 pieces of lemon bars?
Hi Mari, it depends on how large you cut the pieces, but 20 means a full 9×13 pan of lemon bars. If you cut it down to 10 servings, it will be a half size of the recipe.
Hi. If I only have salted butter, how much should I decrease the salt?
Hi Salli, you can omit it from the recipe or decrease it.
OMGoodness…….this is the 2nd time making these bars in 2 weeks. They are so so so yummy and my new favorite <3
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, MJ!
I made the lemon bars. Everyone enjoyed them! I started with butter that was too soft so it never was crumbly to be pressed into the pan. I spread the soft paste (that’s the best description) over the bottom and baked it. It took a little longer but it was quite good in the finished product. Next time I make it, I will remember not to let the butter soften too much. I must be able to cut it!
I will also try other recipes which all look really good!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Judy-Ann. That is so helpful, we appreciate that. I’m glad you and your friends or family enjoyed the recipe!
Hello! I just made these for Mother’s Day and they turned out perfect!
I followed the recipe exactly. It was not too sweet or too tart and was a hit! I also had no issues with the crust coming together or the baking time, and definitely didn’t have any “layers switching places” issues!
Easy and great for spring/summer, I will use this recipe from now on!
Thank you ~
Love it! Thanks for sharing that with us, Jennifer. Glad the recipe was a hit!
These are classic lemon bars featuring a soft butter shortbread crust and a tangy sweet lemon curd filling that’s baked to the perfect consistency. The lemon layer is thick and substantial, not thin or flimsy like most other lemon bar recipes. So I just have one question…do you have a sister ??
Lol thanks for your good comments, yes I have a sister! haha
I only have 3 lemons, can I use lemon extract? If yes, how much?
Thank You,
Diana
Hi Diana, I haven’t tried that substitution. You can adjust the recipe to fit three lemons, though, and you may get fewer lemon bars though.
I finally tried this recipe after my husband showed it to me (he really, really likes lemon squares). I am not a big fan of lemon-y baked goods but I really enjoyed eating a half a square almost every day! (I cut each square to half so I won’t be tempted to gobble gobble 🙂 It was really worth making this recipe. Keep on making and posting wonderful recipes Natasha. For sure, I will make this again and is on my list of must-have recipes.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful feedback with me, Maria! I’m so glad you enjoyed that.
Because of this recipe, I am now a big fan of lemon squares! Made these for the 2nd time with 2 cups sugar instead and I may have added a little bit more zest. The lemon flavor is awesome! I’m looking forward to trying your other lemony recipes 👍
PS: for someone who is not a fan of lemony desserts, this recipe changed my mind.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Maria! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
You are 100% correct, I am a believer in Lemon Bars now.. am hoping to try a Lime bar for my sisters 60th Birthday next month.. was also hoping to make other desserts with the amazing crust!!!
Never had lemon bars before (from the UK) and as soon as I saw your video I knew I had to try them and they did not disappoint! 10/10 amazing! Everyone loved them and they’re a new fave for me! Perfect sweetness to tartness! Thank you for this recipe!x
Love your perfect review and feedback. Thank you so much, that made me so happy too!
I had never baked in my life until I found your tres leches recipe. It was a massive success. Then I made chocolate chip cookies but added M&Ms, again, from your recipe. I saw tons of people eating my M&M and chocolate chip cookies with huge smiles at a get together of vaccinated people.
I made these lemon bars last night, set them in the fridge, and cut and dusted them this morning. They are absolutely freaking delicious.
You have hooked me on baking. I have baked 3 separate things this week, all off of your videos. I think what makes your stuff great is that it makes me feel unafraid to just try something completely new. You are SO good at explaining what you do and showing videos of what you are doing so that a complete beginner can make this stuf.
Thanks 🙂 I think I found a new hobby.
Love it! I’m glad you’re enjoying the process, Erin. Thanks for sharing that with us and I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
Way too much sugar, rather taste the lemon as opposed to sugar taste. If I make it again I will cut the sugar in half.
Hi Claudette, I haven’t had that experience but I am happy to help troubleshoot. The sugar balances the lemon juice very well in this recipe, unless you use sweeter Meyer lemons (as I mentioned in the post) or unless you use less lemon juice then you would want to reduce it. It would be very tart with less sugar using regular yellow lemons.
Can I skip zest?
HI Amy, I think it would still work, but the zest adds wonderful flavor.
Hi Amy, we absolutely love it with zest, but yes, that should work.
I halved the recipe since I had 4 lemons to use up, and didn’t need a whole batch. Wow what a great lemon taste! I froze them to pull out for Mother’s Day but had a sliver of the edge and they were awesome. Thanks for another great recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Katie!
Your recipes are seriously great! I am not a confident baker, but following your written recipes and watching the videos gives me the confidence I need to try the recipes. The Classic Lemon Bars are amazing – my children were absolutely delighted with them. Thank you so much for helping me become a better baker!
Sarah
That makes me happy too, Sarah. Knowing that you are learning a lot and that you loved this recipe. Keep up the awesome work!
Just ran across this recipe and love lemon bars. I am definitely going to make these.
I have a question not about the recipe, but I loved the refrigerator with the bins on the side. I’m remodeling my kitchen and would love to know what brand it is. Thanks
Hi Debbie, I linked the brand here in my Dream Kitchen Tour blog post.
Hi Natasha, I love watching your videos. I feel relaxed watching you cooking. Tomorrow I will try the lemon bars recipe. I hope I´ll do well on it. By the way I live in Chile , South America.
Thank you for that thoughtful feedback. I hope you love the lemon bars and every recipe you try!
Hi Natasha I need to half the recipe can u please let me know baking time for crust and once I put the filling?
Hi Catherine, I would suggest using a pan that is half the size if cutting the recipe in half and then baking at the same temperature and time since the thickness of the lemon bars will be about the same.
This lemon bar recipe is just absolutely amazing. I tried it yesterday. Thank you for it. Greeting from Romania. 🙂
I’m glad you loved it!
Hi Natasha!
I loved this recipe and the lemon flavor was perfect. I followed everything and watched the video a few times but the entire top of the squares burnt. This didn’t really take away from the flavor but it didn’t look “pretty”. I baked it at 350 and the oven was not set to convection. What did I do wrong?
Hi Mena, if you whip the mixture on high speed, it increases the amount of air incorporated which forms bubbles in the oven as they rise and those bubbles tend to darken.
Thanks this makes sense. I used the electric stand mixer to whip everything together instead of by hand. Thanks!
Made these yesterday and they are great. Really enjoyed.
Hello Beverly, great to hear that you enjoyed it! Thanks for your good feedback.
Can I use a hand mixer, or a pastry blender to do shortbread crust
Hi Amy, yes either of those would work fine.
Hi Natasha,
Tried these tonight and they turned dark brown on top within the first 10 minutes of baking. What should I do next time to prevent that?
Hi Amanda, I would make sure your oven is calibrated to the right temperature. Make sure you have it at the center of the oven and not towards the top. Also, make sure you are using regular bake mode. not convection or broil
Let me start by saying “I am NOT a baker”……but I still keep trying. I made these the other night. I used a pyrex 9 x 13 pan and the paper trick did not work well on the rounded corners. I could not get the cookie ingredients to form crumbles. I thought maybe I only used 1 cup of flour, so added more flour. Still didn’t make crumbles. I finally gave up trying and just used what I had. It took way longer to bake to “golden edges” but I still kept going for the golden edges. Added the lemon mixture and baked. It was set at the appropriate time. I followed the directions – 1 hour cooling and then chilling over night. The next day I put the 10x on, cut and tasted. The flavor was outstanding; however, the layers changed places – cookie on the top and the lemon on bottom. I, like another reviewer, thought I must have a magic oven!!! The custard layer was more dense than I thought it would be,but, having never eaten a lemon bar, I didn’t know what to expect. There were very yummy and I may try again to get it right the next time.
Hi Merry, are you using 2 sticks or 1/2 lb of butter? It should come together into the dough if you continue mixing as long as the correct proportion of ingredients are used. If the dough is too dry and doesn’t come together at all, the crumbs won’t’ bake properly and the mixture won’t stay in place. I would highly recommend reviewing our post on measuring ingredients which will help with success for all baking recipes.
Very easy to make and so delicious, thank you:)
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Zhanna!
Hi Natasha I tried the lemon bars but the crust didn’t go crumbly I’m just wondering how long should I have beaten it maybe I didn’t do it long enough.I have also done the chicken pot pie,egg rolls, cupcakes and also lasagna all were gorgeous.
Hi Mary, It’s better to overmix than to undermix with this one – you don’t want to see any of the dry flour in the mixture. Also, make sure not to change any of the proportions of ingredients for the right blend of wet to dry ingredients that form the dough.
Hi Natasha
Love both Ina Garten’s and your recipes… this is a win win !!!
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles
Hi Natasha! Love your recipes and your videos – WAYYY better than FoodNetwork, etc. Made these bars and followed recipe EXACTLY, but when I took them out of the oven and let them cool, the cake was on the TOP and the filling on the BOTTOM! Any ideas as to why this happened? Or do I have a magic oven??
Either way, they were AWESOME!
Hi Carmine, did you pre-bake your crust? If you skip that step, I could see something like that happening.
Thanks for responding… yes, I did pre-bake the crust… it must be my magic oven, then… we’re going to try again and see if it does it again.. I’ll let you know
You have to make sure you have the crust all the way to the edges and there are no cracks or spots for the custard to leak through. Otherwise the custard will leak to the bottom and cause the crust to rise.
Hi Carmine,
I too have a magic oven lol.
The lemon square were still delicious .
Hi Natasha! I tried the lemon bars again, and this time there was no magic in the oven – they came out exactly right – crust on bottom!! Yayyyyyy… go figure… 🤷🏻♂️
Carmine
Sounds perfect! I’m glad it turned out awesome.
My kids are licking their plates. Zesty lemony flavor. Best recipe for this that I’ve ever found!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
These bars are delicious. I must say they are extremely rich and dense. So I think the big piece Natasha had in the video is probably way too filling. Also it took about 45-50 min. for filling to set, much longer than the recipe.
Hello Yuri, so nice to hear from you. Thanks for your good comments and feedback on this recipe. Good to know that you enjoyed it!
Hi,
Have tried this recipe and they are very tasty. Now I am searching for a great butter cookie recipe, do you have any video. I follow you, your recipes are very easy and because of you, I have become a great cook jaja.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Ida. I do not at this time but thank you for that suggestion; you can find our favorite cookie recipes HERE.
Hi Natasha! I have just discovered your blog and recipes. Everything looks delicious and I have saved several recipes. Looking forward to trying them and I am signing up for more! My kind of cooking and eating—yum!
I’m so glad you discovered our blog! Welcome! I hope you try and love our recipes soon!
Hi Natasha! Can you tell me what brand of baking pan you used? All mine have rounded off corners.
Hi Dawn, you can find all of our favorite kitchen tools in our Amazon Affiliate Shop HERE.
Natasha!
Just wanted to let you know that your tutorial and recipe is truly easy to follow!
My 15 year old daughter had no trouble making these and they turned out scrumptious 🙂 🙂
Thanks for a great one!
You’re welcome, Natalya. Thank you so much for sharing your great feedback with us!
Hi Natasha! If I bake half of the recipe, can I use 8×8 square pan? Tnx
Hi Chuchie, yes, you can halve the recipe. I can’t say if an 8×8 will work without testing it. I hope you love this recipe.
Thank you for the lemon recipes I made lemon bars it was a hit
You are very welcome, Theresa. Glad it was a hit!
these are awesome.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I just made these for the first time today. They are perfect. The recipe is so easy. Thank you Natasha.
You are very welcome, Sarah. I hope you’ll love every recipe that you will try!
We made these yesterday and seriously all were devoured! Loved them!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Can I halve the recipe and use 9×9 pan?
Hi Faith, that should work well, but they will be a little thinner and spread out so they might bake a little faster.
I made these yesterday and they were a huge hit! Loved the parchment tip–worked perfectly 🙂 I’ve made many, many lemon bars in search of the perfect recipe, and this one made it into my box of favorites (reserved for only the best!).
Love it! So happy to know that you enjoyed this recipe, Susan. Thank you for sharing!
I made these yesterday and they were a huge hit! Loved the parchment tip–worked perfectly 🙂 I’ve made many, many lemon bars in search of the perfect recipe, and this one made it into my box of favorites (reserved for only the best!).
That sounds perfect! Thank you for your wonderful comments and review, Susan.
Hi Natasha,
I’m from the UK and love your recipes but we don’t have sticks of butter, our butter comes in 250g blocks. My question is how many grams is a stick of butter.
Thanks for your help.
Hi Elektra, you can convert the ingredients to grams just click Jump to recipe and click Metric to do that. I hope that helps!
Thank you so much Natasha, can’t wait to make these. X
Which powdered sugar duster do you use? Can’t wait to try!
Hi Judy, I go between a couple of different ones. This sifter/sieve from oxo is a great one and I love that it is a multi-purpose tool.
Hi,will surely make this lemon bars.My mouth got watery when watching your video.I’m # 1 fan of yours.
I would also want to know the brand of your refrigerator (in the background)
Thank you!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying our videos, Nida! You can find the brand in our Dream Kitchen tour and in our Fridge Tour post.
I really appreciated your tip on getting parchment paper to easily fit the pan. The lemon bar recipe looks yummy and I am a lemon fanatic. Thanks.
I’m so glad that was helpful! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Lemon Bar Recipe.
Made it, delicious! 1st time making this dessert buy not the last.
My cookie, 1st bake, took 30 in glass baking dish.
Using parchment paper all the way to the top of the pan was a must great tip.
Enjoy!
I took pictures and will try and post on IG. Happy Easter Natasha
I’m so happy you loved it so much you’d make it again! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review.
Yum!! Lemons and their versatility are simply delicious.
What a fabulous recipe!
Natasha. We appreciate you!
I’m so glad you love the recipe and thank you for your encouraging comment. I really appreciate you!
can these be frozen?
Hi Natasha! I do not own a stand mixer, so I don’t have that large paddle. would a hand held one electric mixer work ok for this recipe ?
Hi, a handheld electric mixer should work for this recipe.
Looking forward to making this recipe! Would love to know about freezing them.
Hi Charlene, please see this section in the recipe: How long do lemon bars last?. It reads, “Lemon bars can be kept at room temperature for a few hours but should be refrigerated after that. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for 3-4 months (see make-ahead instructions below).” I hope this helps.
Delicious lemon bars! Excellent texture and taste.
One of my favorite Spring treats! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I love Ina Garten and her recipes and have made this recipe. Thanks for the tip with the parchment paper for lining the baking pan. Always love your recipes Natasha, thanks!
Happy blessed Easter to you and your family!
I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes, Karen! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi, Natasha. Can you please add in recipes grammes and oven temperature in ° C, thanks a lot
Hi Alona, since we’re in America, we use Fahrenheit, but I recommend using a conversion chart or a quick online search for the conversation. If you scroll down to our printable recipe card, most of our recipes have a metric conversion option on the printable recipe card. We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes, but it is taking some time to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help.
Love your recipes but 3-1/2 cups of sugar????? Trying to kill us Natashia.
Hi Bob, divided into 20 servings, it’s not bad for a dessert – everything in moderation. The overall flavor is very well balanced. I don’t like overly sweet desserts either.
I used just under 2 cups and thought it was plenty sweet.
Can I use white parchment paper?
Hi, yes either one will work. The brown-colored one is just more photogenic for certain recipes but they can be used interchangeably.
Could you possibly use key lime juice instead of the lemon juice?
Hi Carol, yes that would work, please see the common questions section above.
Hi Natasha. Can i replace the lemons with oranges .And from the ingredients should i have to cut down as quantity (ex sugar) or everything stays the same .
Hi Eli, yes that would work, but you would want to cut down the sugar. See the Common questions section above.
Such an amazingly delicious recipe and perfect for spring! Looking forward to enjoying these again for Easter; they do not disappoint!
The perfect treat for springtime! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Can this be cut in half and bake in an 8×8 glass pyrex dish?
Hi Tish, yes, you can halve the recipe.
Hi Natasha. Is it possible to make these Keto friendly?
Hi Irina, I haven’t tested that to give advice on making these keto lemon bars. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
Lemon bars are always a hit with my family!! They are my favorite lemon dessert. So creamy & delicious!
Aren’t they so good and refreshing!! Perfect for a spring time treat!
These were a huge hit, the perfect spring dessert!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I love watching you and your recipes are so good. Do you have to use 7 eggs? I’m not a fan of eggs is there a partial substitute I could use? I love anything lemon 😋 thank you
Hi Joy, these don’t taste like eggs, but the egg is crucial to forming the custard otherwise it won’t thicken properly or have that silky custard consistency.