The Best Lemon Bars Recipe

The Best Lemon Bars Recipe: soft and luxurious lemon bars with a bright zippy flavor and light cookie base. These are the best lemon squares we’ve ever had!

Lemon Bars

Little squares of pure sunshine… That’s what I’ve got for you today.

I’m sharing what we think is The Best Lemon Bars Recipe in the whole wide world! They are perfect for Spring picnics, Summer BBQ’s and pretty much any time you need a light dessert to lift your spirits!

Lemon bars are a treat I treasure intensely. I’m crazy over the buttery crust, and the tart custard filling. Together they make a delicately balanced dessert that is great for any occasion.

Every time I make them, I secretly want to keep them all for myself. But in the end… I do share.

Lemon Bar Recipe

Get your shopping list ready because if you’re missing any of these ingredients you won’t be able to make this fabulous Lemon Bar Recipe!

For the Filling:

• eggs – regular eggs will do.
• sugar – this can’t be a dessert without sugar, plus it balances out the acidic lemon.
• all-purpose flour – not bread flour and not cake flour.
• lemon zest – freshly zested is best.
• freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice – or regular lemons.
• whole milk – whole milk works best for this recipe so if you normally don’t buy whole milk, try getting a half gallon size or smaller.

For the Crust:

• cake flour – this can also be made mixing all purpose flour and corn starch together.
• sugar – more sugar!
• salt – as a flavor enhancer and balancer.
• vanilla extract – vanilla flavored cookie crust, yum!
• melted butter – this helps hold all the dry ingredients together.
• white chocolate chips – pushed into the cookie crust to create hidden gems in each bite.

Lemon Squares

This Lemon Squares Recipe is my personal favorite variation. The bright flavor comes from Meyer lemon juice and zest, and just the right amount of sugar to create a tangy-sweet sensation.

Meyer lemons have a unique lemon essence. They are slightly less acidic than standard lemons, with a light floral after taste.

If you can’t find them, it’s ok to use regular lemons.

Cookie Crust

Besides this amazing soft cookie crust, my surprise ingredient is a layer of white chocolate chips that are pressed into the crust. The little pops of sweet creamy white chocolate are a lovely contrast to the acidic citrus layer.

Just press them into the crust, then pour the filling over the top.

If you’re allergic to chocolate or just aren’t feeling this addition, feel free to leave the white chocolate chips out and proceed with the recipe.

Lemon Squares Recipe

After baking, let the bars cool completely before cutting. Then slice them into squares or rectangular bars, and sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar.

Once you taste these, you will understand the intrigue.

Hand-held happiness you can sink your teeth into!

How To Make Lemon Bars

1. Make the Crust: Pour cake flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse in the vanilla extract and melted butter until the mixture is soft and crumbly. Dump the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Press the crumbs into an even layer. Then sprinkle the white chocolate chips over the crust and press them into the dough. Bake the crust!
2. Make the Lemon Filling: Zest the lemons, making sure not to zest too deeply. You only want the yellow flesh, not the white bitter skin below. Place the eggs, sugar, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk in a bowl. Whisk well to combine. Then pour the filling over the baked crust.
3. Finishing Up: Bake until the filling is set in the center. Cool to room temperature. Then lift the entire sheet of bars out of the pan by the edges of the foil and cut into pieces. *You can sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar if you like!

Voila! A delicious lemony dessert perfect for Springtime!

Do Lemon Bars Have To Be Refrigerated?

My recommendation for storage is you can leave the bars out at room temperature for up to three days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days.

I personally like to make my lemon squares last as long as possible and store them in the fridge, unless I made them for a gathering.

In that case, leaving them out is fine.

Give these lemon bars a try for your next big gathering or just because! They are sure to brighten the mood in your life as well as others.

And don’t forget to leave a comment and review down below to tell us how you liked this recipe!

See The Recipe Card Below For How To Make The Best Lemon Bars. Enjoy!

other lemon recipes you might like:

• Perfect Homemade Lemon Curd
• Lemon Chicken Recipe (Paleo)
• Carson’s Stevia Lemonade
• Lemon Cookie Recipe
• Lemon Spaghetti from Real House Moms

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The Best Lemon Bars Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

The Best Lemon Bars Recipe: soft and luxurious lemon bars with a bright zippy flavor and light cookie base. These are the best lemon squares we've ever had!

Servings: 36 bars

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

For the Crust:

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour, or 2 cups all-purpose flour + 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

For the Filling:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest
• 2/3 cup fresh-squeezed Meyer lemon juice
• 1/3 cup whole milk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with foil or parchment paper.
• For the Crust: Pour cake flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor (or stand mixer.) Pulse in the vanilla extract and melted butter until the mixture is soft and crumbly. Dump the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Press the crumbs into an even layer. Then sprinkle the white chocolate chips over the crust and press them into the dough. Bake the crust for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, zest the lemons, making sure not to zest too deeply. You only want the yellow flesh, not the white bitter skin below. Place the eggs, sugar, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk in a bowl. Whisk well to combine. Then pour the filling over the baked crust.
• Bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the filling is set in the center. Cool to room temperature. Then lift the entire sheet of bars out of the pan by the edges of the foil and cut into pieces. *You can sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar if you like!

Video

Notes

You can leave the bars out at room temperature for up to three days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 134kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 108mg, Potassium: 30mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 145IU, Vitamin C: 2.1mg, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Sommer Collier

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