Does any dessert scream summer quite like lemon bars? (If you have a different response you can just keep it to yourself)
They’re tart, they’re cold, they’re bright and cheery. They’re everything I need on these 90+ degree days.
Even better, lemon bars have always been Husband’s favorite dessert that I make. He ate probably half the tray in the pictured batch.
This recipe for lemon bars is super simple – no frills. I don’t use food coloring, I find that it’s generally plenty yellow between the egg yolks and lemon. However, if you really crave that neon look, you can add some yellow food coloring.
As hard as it can be, try to be patient with these lemon bars: let them cool completely when they come out of the oven, then refrigerate for at least a few hours. If you eat them warm, the texture is a little funny, not your typical lemon bar jelly.
You can also view this recipe as a step-by-step web story here.
Get the Recipe:
Classic Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2/3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Lemon Mixture:
- 6 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 6 tbsp flour
- 3-4 drops yellow food coloring
- 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar, reserved for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine all the ingredients for the crust in your mixer until crumbly, or use a fork. Press into the bottom of a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes in preheated oven, or until edges are golden.
- While the crust is cooking, combine the ingredients for the lemon mixture and whip until frothy. Pour over the hot crust.
- Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until baking dish can be wiggled without the center of the bars jiggling.
- Let cool for at least 20 minutes, or until no longer hot. Wrap with saran wrap and transfer to fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Sprinkle the remaining confectioner’s sugar before serving.