About this recipe

Bright, tangy, and perfectly sweet — these classic lemon bars have a buttery shortbread crust topped with a smooth, silky lemon curd filling and a dusting of powdered sugar. A timeless crowd-pleaser that's surprisingly simple to pull off at home. The crust bakes first for a crisp base, and the lemon filling sets up into a firm yet creamy layer that slices cleanly every time.

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to ![350°F]. Grease a baking dish and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides — this makes lifting the bars out much easier later.

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingertips (or a hand mixer on ^[low]) to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse, crumbly sand with pea-sized bits of butter throughout. Don't overwork it — a few dry streaks are fine.

3. 3

   Pour the crumbly mixture into the prepared baking dish and press it firmly and evenly into the bottom using your hands or the flat bottom of a measuring cups. The crust should be compact and uniform, about ¼-inch thick.

4. 4

   Bake the crust for 18–20 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the center looks set and dry. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes while you prepare the filling. Keep the oven on.

5. 5

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until smooth and pale, about 1 minute. Add the all-purpose flour and salt and whisk again until fully incorporated with no lumps.

6. 6

   Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. The mixture will be thin and pourable — that's exactly right.

7. 7

   Pour the lemon filling over the warm (not cold) crust. Carefully transfer the pan back to the oven and bake for 22–25 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges and only has a very slight jiggle in the very center when you gently shake the pan.

8. 8

   Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan at room temperature, about 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight). The filling will firm up fully as it cools — do not cut while warm.

9. 9

   Once fully chilled and set, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the slab out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into 16 bars, wiping the blade clean between cuts for neat edges. Dust generously with powdered sugar just before serving.