Lemon bars are a classic of American baking: a buttery shortbread base topped with a lemon filling that sets in the oven. Sweet, tangy and very easy to make.
Recipe · Baking
Lemon bars
- 10 ingredients
- 13 steps
Ingredients
For the base
- 115 g butter, at room temperature
- 50 g sugar
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch of salt
For the filling
- 2 large eggs
- 200 g sugar
- 80 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Step-by-step preparation
- Preheat the oven to 175 °C and line a 20 cm square pan with parchment paper.
- Beat the butter with the sugar until creamy.
- Add the flour and salt and mix until you have a crumbly dough.
- Press the dough into the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the base is lightly golden.
- While the base bakes, make the filling.
- Whisk the eggs with the sugar and lemon juice until well combined.
- Add the flour and baking powder and whisk until there are no lumps.
- Pour the filling over the freshly baked base.
- Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is set and lightly golden.
- Let cool completely in the pan.
- Dust with powdered sugar.
- Cut into squares and serve.
They keep for up to four days in the fridge in an airtight container. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving so it doesn’t turn damp.