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.

We love dessert bar recipes from Pecan Pie Bars to Baklava and Strawberry Pretzel Salad, because they are easy to make and crowd-pleasing desserts. These lemon bars are no exception.

Lemon bars stacked on a blue plate

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Fresh lemons make everything better from Lemon Blueberry Cake to Homemade Lemonade. If you are a fan of lemon, this recipe for Lemon Bars is a must-try!

Lemon Bar Video

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Classic Lemon Bar Recipe

Take one bite and you will fall in love with these lemon bars. The lemon custard filling is similar to our Lemon Curd Recipe and 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.

lemon bar dusted with powdered sugar

Ingredients for Lemon Bars

  • Eggs – Add richness and help the custard thicken. We use large eggs.
  • Granulated sugar – it may seem like a lot of sugar, but it’s needed to combat the tanginess of the lemon juice. You can adjust it depending on the type of lemons used (see next section).
  • Lemons – you’ll need the lemon zest and juice so be sure to zest the lemon before juicing it.
  • All-purpose flour– helps to thicken up the lemon custard filling.
  • Confectioners sugar – to dust the top for serving.
  • For the Shortbread Crust – this easy cookie crust is made with butter, sugar, vanilla extract, flour, and salt. It creates a buttery crust that is crisp on the edges and tender to the bite.
Ingredients for making lemon bars with lemons, eggs, flour, butter, sugar, vanilla and salt

What are 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. 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 lemons so you’ll want to reduce the sugar in the filling to about 2 cups.

How to Make Lemon Bars

  1. Crust – Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, then add vanilla extract, flour, and salt and mix until crumbly. Press the mixture into a parchment-lined 9×13 casserole dish. Bake at 350˚F for 18-20 minutes. Cool slightly on a rack.
  2. Lemon Filling – In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Whisk in lemon juice and zest. Add flour and whisk until completely blended.
  3. 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.
  4. Chill– cool at room temperature on a wire rack for at least 1 hour then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  5. Serve – Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar to serve.
Baked lemon bars cut into squares with lemons

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

How to tell when lemon bars are done?

The center of the lemon bars should be fully set. If you give the pan a jolt, it should not wobble in the center.

How long do lemon bars last?

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).

Seeing air bubbles and brown spots?

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.

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.

Can I bake this in a different dish?

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.

Up close lemon bar with lemon custard filling

Make-Ahead Lemon Squares

Lemon bars keep really well in the refrigerator and in the freezer, making them one of my favorite make-ahead desserts.

  • 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. 
Lemon bars baked and ready for freezing

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.

More Recipes with Lemon

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 lemony recipes.

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Classic Lemon Bars Recipe

4.98 from 328 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
Lemon bars stacked and dusted with sugar
Lemon Bars with intense lemon flavor and a buttery shortbread crust. This recipe is so simple, can be made ahead and even frozen.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 20 people

For the Shortbread Crust:

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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Notes

*If using Meyer lemons, cut the sugar down to 2 cups for the filling.
**Avoid using more lemon juice than what is called for or the filling won’t set properly.

Nutrition Per Serving

314kcal Calories51g Carbs4g Protein11g Fat6g Saturated Fat1g Trans Fat82mg Cholesterol53mg Sodium59mg Potassium1g Fiber36g Sugar368IU Vitamin A5mg Vitamin C16mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Classic Lemon Bars Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
314
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
11
g
17
%
Saturated Fat
 
6
g
38
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
82
mg
27
%
Sodium
 
53
mg
2
%
Potassium
 
59
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
51
g
17
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
36
g
40
%
Protein
 
4
g
8
%
Vitamin A
 
368
IU
7
%
Vitamin C
 
5
mg
6
%
Calcium
 
16
mg
2
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon bar recipe, lemon bars
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 314

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Christina
    March 24, 2024

    Hi I’m trying to cut back on carbs and was wondering if I added half almond flour and regular flour if this would work with recipe?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 24, 2024

      Hi Christina! I haven’t tested that to advise. Please let us know if you experiment.

      Reply

  • Carol Wicke
    March 20, 2024

    These are going to be the Easter dessert I bring this year. They look wonderful.
    Where can I get the rectangle pan, with the square corners, you baked the bars in?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 21, 2024

      Hi Carol! I have the pan linked in the blog post under the section, “how to make lemon bars.” The red font words are links that can be clicked on.
      I hope you love the recipe!

      Reply

  • Barbara
    March 9, 2024

    I made my first batch last week. They turned out looking just like Natasha’s and are delicious!!!
    This is the best recipe for lemon bars and will be my go-to. If you like lemon bars, you NEED this recipe!!!

    Reply

  • vick
    February 25, 2024

    This needs a stronger parchment paper if there is such a thing, mine just ripped so no sliding out, more like hammer and chisel to get the slab out of there. Tasted good but consumers need to know about the paper,

    Reply

  • Kathy
    February 25, 2024

    I was disappointed in this recipe! Way too much flour. The bars were too gummy. And, yes, I did follow the recipe .

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 26, 2024

      Hi Kathy, Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.

      Reply

  • Laura
    February 15, 2024

    Not sure what I did wrong but the top of them is cakey. It looks like three layers. A cake like layer, a lemony layer, and the bottom crust. Did I overwhip the filling?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      February 15, 2024

      HI Laura, I’ve never seen that happen before so it could be due to over-whipping. I suggest watching the video tutorial to see where things started to look different. Also consider if any substitutions were made?

      Reply

      • Mellany Whetstone
        March 15, 2024

        I made these a few weeks ago and they came out perfect! I made them yesterday and somehow they ended up like upside down lemon bars! The curd seeped through the crust and was on the bottom! They taste delicious they’re just odd looking.
        Maybe I let the crust cool too much before I added the lemon mixture? Any ideas?

        Reply

        • NatashasKitchen.com
          March 15, 2024

          Hi Mellany! Yes, that’s a possibility. It’s also possible that the crust lifted or wasn’t packed in tight enough so it created room for the custard to seep through.

          Reply

    • Liz
      March 23, 2024

      I had the same thing happen and I can confirm it was over-whipping the custard. I tried a second batch with less whipping and the issue was resolved.

      Reply

  • Debbie
    January 29, 2024

    Our neighbors sent over a bag of lemons, so I just made these for the second time and they came out perfect for the second time. Thank you for this delicious recipe!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 29, 2024

      That’s great, Debbie! So glad you’re enjoying it.

      Reply

  • Vicky
    January 5, 2024

    The best lemon bars ever! So easy to make. I used fresh lemons straight from the lemon tree. Thank you Natasha!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 5, 2024

      I’m so glad to hear that, Vicky!

      Reply

  • Brooke Franks
    January 4, 2024

    I’ve been asked to make these for a friend’s wedding in 2″ square cupcake liners. How would you adjust the baking time to ensure they come out the right consistency? I did a trial run and they were a bit firm.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 4, 2024

      HI Brooke, I haven’t tried that myself to advise on a bake time. I recommend running a test or two with different times to see which you like best. I wish I could be more helpful.

      Reply

  • Tina Andres
    January 3, 2024

    Not sure what the problem is but I followed the recipe EXACTLY. 35 minutes and the top is completely brown and it is still jiggly. Going to have to leave it in longer and see what happens. I was so careful too.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 3, 2024

      Hi Tina! Are you using a convection oven? This recipe is written for a conventional oven on regular bake mode. Also, I highly recommend getting an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to help ensure your oven is heating properly and not over heating. I hope that helps.

      Reply

    • Annette
      February 16, 2024

      I just made these and my top turned completely brown. Cooked for 35 minutes

      Reply

  • Ellen
    December 31, 2023

    Natasha~ I just made these and while they taste delicious after one hour of cooling and two more in the fridge the filling is not set. Was careful to use ONLY one cup of lemon juice. HELP!! 🙂 P.S. I love your website!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 1, 2024

      Hi Ellen! I’m sorry to hear that. The most common reasons are either not baking it long enough or not having the correct ratio of ingredients for the filling. I would look over the recipe again to see if you missed anything or measured incorrectly. Be sure to fully preheat your oven before baking them.

      Reply

  • Juanita Mair
    December 27, 2023

    I just tried this recipe and it was so worth the lemon zest and fresh juice!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 27, 2023

      Glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply

  • Aya
    December 25, 2023

    Dear Natasha,
    Thank you for your recipe!
    I think my execution made for a lot of errors.. but the taste of the filling was super nice, sweetness and tartness was just right and my family loved it! Do you have any possible insights as to why the shortbread crust came out on top instead of being at the bottom after I baked it? It turned upside-down. It’s amazing I could probably use that phenomenon on another recipe but as for lemon squares, it took me by surprise.
    Baking doesn’t come off as easy as cooking does for me. I think I need more practice.
    Again thank you for sharing your recipe!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 26, 2023

      Hi Aya! Usually, this happens either when there is a big space between the crust and the sides of the pan where the the custard can slip underneath, or the crust is cooled down too much before you add the filling.
      It could also be that your crust may have been over mixed. Here is what one of our readers wrote: “I figured it out – I made these for the eighth time yesterday and they came out upside down again – but after making them so many times, I figured out what went wrong – I OVERMIXED the crust ingredients… instead of crumbly, I got a cookie-dough consistency – and sure enough, the crust rose above the custard and it turned out as lemon crumble!!” I hope this helps.

      Reply

      • Aya
        January 15, 2024

        Dear Natasha, thank you for taking the time to reply!
        That checks out, I might have overmixed the crust and perhaps it was too cooled when I poured the filling in.
        I’ll have a go at it again and use your recipe for sure, it’s the best! Thanks again!

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          January 15, 2024

          You’re welcome, Aya! You got this & I hope you love it!

          Reply

  • Michelle
    December 21, 2023

    Hi Natasha
    These Lemon Bars are awesome! I have had so many compliments when I make them. I keep having an issue though with the parchment paper sticking to the crust. It’s a pain trying to peel it off before I cut them. Wondered if anyone else had this happen.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 21, 2023

      Hi Michelle, I found if you pull the parchment paper up slightly to easily loosen from the pan then transfer to a cutting board.

      Reply

  • Rose
    December 17, 2023

    I have not tried this recipe yet but I’m in a time crunch and wonder if I make the crust a day ahead? Thanks

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 18, 2023

      Hi Rose, I haven’t tried just making the crust a day ahead but I think that’s fine. You can make this recipe a head of time, just check the Make Ahead tips.

      Reply

  • Laura Bella
    December 10, 2023

    Merry Christmas

    I am used to Ina or Paula Deen’s recipe and then I came across yours and as excited to try as I love vanilla in most things? ;)I love that there is vanilla in the crust because I mean, c’mon who doesn’t love vanilla in most things? 😉
    For the gluten full recipe I followed to a T and the lemon custard is so rich and probably the best lemon bars I’ve ever made!

    I used this recipe to do a gluten free version so I can gift these to others and also enjoy a few myself without gluten.
    For the crust: I added 1/2 tsp of vanilla paste, 1/2 tsp of almond extract along w/the 1.5 tsp of homemade vanilla.
    I did 1/4 C of fine sugar & 1/4 C of powder sugar. I used Arrowhead Mills gluten free flour in place of AP.

    For the filling I used 2 C of sugar instead of 3.
    I added about 1/2 tsp of extra lemon zest.
    I added the 1 C of gf flour to the filling.

    It’s in the oven and since I’m not eating gluten (for the most part) I’ve been looking for gf recipes and I’m hopeful it’s going to be amazing!

    Thank you Natasha! Many blessings

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 10, 2023

      Hi Laura! Thank you for sharing that with us. I’m so glad you loved the recipe! Let us know how they turned out with the modifications for GF.

      Reply

  • Ellen
    November 15, 2023

    Hi,
    I just finished making the lemon bars and for some reason the filling turned brown (and burned) on top while beneath it was still uncooked. What did I do wrong? I followed the recipe exactly….

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 15, 2023

      Hi Ellen. It’s likely your oven running hot or not baking evenly. I would recommend using an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to see if your oven is calibrated well. Also- if you have a heating element at the top, be sure to position your oven rack so it’s not too close to the burner.
      This recipe is written for a conventional oven on regular bake mode. If you are using a different oven/setting you’ll likely need to make adjustments.

      Reply

  • Molly
    November 6, 2023

    Hi Natasha,
    I do not have a pan 13x9x2″. Would 9x9x2″ pan work?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 7, 2023

      Hi Molly, I haven’t tested that to advise but 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.

      Reply

  • Jake
    October 25, 2023

    Amazing. These are the perfect lemon bars. And the crust is so good I’m about to try making cookies out of it

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 25, 2023

      Thats a wonderful idea, Jake! I’m so glad you loved it!

      Reply

  • Harold Rail
    October 14, 2023

    I had lemons! But didn’t know what I could with all of them? So I looked at recipes and decided on using your lemon bars version because from experience I’ve found that your recipes are always clear, straightforward and successful. Plus watching your videos is always instructive and entertaining. They turned out great! You’re getting famous… and for good reason. I wish I could post an image, but I did on my FB page. People think I’m a good chef and I fool them because I use your recipes : ) Thank you.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 14, 2023

      That’s wonderful! Thank you for trying my recipe! I’m so glad you loved them.

      Reply

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