The Unlikely Baker

Easy and Delicious Recipes for the Home Baker!

Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

By 52 Comments

These lemon bars with shortbread crust are perfectly sweet and tangy, a burst of sunny lemony flavour in every bite.

Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

I have been professing my love for lemony desserts from the beginning (if there was a club, I would be president). And I think every self-proclaimed lemon dessert lover like me would (should) have a beloved lemon bar recipe in their arsenal. Here’s mine.

Crust to Filling Ratio

Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Now the crust-to-filling ratio for lemon bars is a real thing. It’s a serious topic of discussion among lemon…connoisseurs. Some people like it 20% crust, 80% filling. Others want it the other way around. This recipe is approximately 40-60. You get an almost equal amount of buttery shortbread crust to complement the sweet-tangy lemon filling. I’m no expert (I just love lemons) but to me, that is perfect.

Lemon bars with shortbread crust

And yes, shortbread crust is a must. I tried graham cracker crust once and the filling just bled into the crust; it was one soggy mess. This buttery shortbread crust, on the other hand, is sturdy enough to hold the filling together but doesn’t get too hard (you bake it twice) that you risk breaking your teeth as you bite into it.

Chewy is the way to go

Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Because lemon bars must be chewy and not hard and crispy. To achieve that, do not over bake. Take them out as soon as they look set (I always take mine out at the 30-minute mark). They will look underdone and way too jiggly but they will continue to harden as they cool and become the chewy lemon bar you’re craving for.

Little bars of sunshine

Lemon bars go perfectly with everything. They’re great with tea. After a meal. For a picnic. Warmer weather is finally here so we’re very excited to bust our bikes out of storage and go for our first bike ride of the season. Guess what I will have in my bike basket (yes, I have one of those girly girl Dutch bikes don’t judge me)? Lemon bars with shortbread crust (naturally).

Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

I get so hungry just talking about this. So go ahead and try this beloved recipe. And bask in the sunshine while you’re at it.

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Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

These lemon bars with buttery shortbread crust are perfectly sweet and tangy and are very easy to make. They are little bars of sunshine!

Ingredients

    For the Crust:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    For the Filling:
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 3 medium sized lemons)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
    For Dusting:
  • Confectioner's sugar

Instructions

    For the Crust:
  1. Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper (see how in my Baking Cheatsheet below).
  2. In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 1 cup butter, 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt until it resembles a coarse meal. Do not over beat. You'll know you're done when no big chunks of butter remain.
  3. Press evenly and firmly onto the bottom of your pan (be conscientious about this - make sure the crust is packed tightly and evenly - so you won't have to deal with a possible seeping situation later).
  4. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until it turns a light golden brown.
  5. Take out of the oven and allow to cool completely while you work on your filling. Do not turn off your oven.
    For the Filling:
  1. Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour until combined.
  2. Beat the 4 eggs then add to the flour mixture. Then add the 1/2 cup lemon juice and 2 tablespoons lemon zest and continue whisking. Stop when the mixture gets foamy.
  3. Pour the filling over your cooled crust and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
  4. Take the bars out and leave on the counter to cool completely before cutting into squares. Serve with a dusting of confectioner's sugar.

Notes

I usually refrigerate these bars and serve them the next day. They achieve their perfect chewiness overnight!

https://theunlikelybaker.com/lemon-bars/

(This recipe adapted from All Recipes).

Happy baking!

Did you make these lemon bars with shortbread crust? Tell me about it in the comments section below. I’d love to hear all about it. If you love lemony desserts like I do, you can find more here.

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Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I love lemon bars! I’ll have to pin this recipe to try out a new recipe. Lemon just reminds me of Spring for some reason. It’s snowing here today. Again. So I could use a little “sunshine.”

    Reply

  4. I love lemon bars and these look incredibly delicious! Congrats to an awesome recipe.
    P.S. I can’t believe you have one of those girly bikes with a cute little basket, I’m so jealous!! I have been dreaming of a bike like that for ages 🙂

    Reply

    • Thanks Natanja! And yeah, I love my bike. It’s a 3-speed one though so I really struggle uphill but it’s pretty with a pretty wicker basket so I don’t care if everyone overtakes me lol! You should totally get one and cruise around Vienna. It will be awesome.

      Reply

    • Hi Hollie! If you love lemons I think you would enjoy these lemon bars. Try to get a hold of Meyer lemons if you can 🙂 Let me know how it goes!

      Reply

    • Hi Alicia! Give the recipe a shot, promise it’s easy 🙂 Then you can have lemon bars whenever you like! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

      Reply

  11. I looove lemon dessert pies, tart or bar. You are spot on with 40 60 ratio. If I want 20 80 ratio I can always eat a tart! But these bars look amazing. And everyone should have at least one citrus bar recipe.

    Reply

    • Hello Suchi! Haha thanks for your support on my ratio stand 🙂 And yeah, everyone – especially lemon dessert lovers like us – must have a favourite bar recipe. What’s yours?

      Reply

    • Bake-offs are so fun aren’t they? 🙂 My sister lives in a different country but recently learned to bake too so we have virtual bake-offs…but mostly we send each pictures of our baking fails lol! Thanks for passing by Yadah!

      Reply

    • They are IMO! 🙂 Try to make them with Meyer lemons, they are awesomer. Hope you enjoy these as much as I do! Thanks for passing by Angelle

      Reply

  17. I used to dislike combining lemons with my dessert….now I’m all about it! These look scrumptious.

    By the way, I’m a late bloomer too!

    Reply

    • I’m glad you came over into the dark side lol. Do you mean a late bloomer baker? That’s great! I think it’s awesome how people discover things they love to do whatever stage they are in their lives 🙂 Thanks for passing by Jenny!

      Reply

    • Aren’t they just the best?? Something about being both sweet and tangy 🙂 Thanks for passing by Christine!

      Reply

    • Hi Candy! Have you tried making them? If you love lemons (or just anything sweet and tangy), you will love these lemon bars 🙂

      Reply

  25. You are so right about the crust to filling ratio debate! I have a classic recipe that I always make, but I sometimes question, does it need more filling? As a fellow lemon lover, the answer is probably yes, and it’s time for me to try something new!

    Reply

    • Hi Liz! The ratio debate is a real thing right?? 🙂 Haha. Hope you like my 40-60. Happy Saturday!

      Reply

  27. Well, I’d be in your lemon club too! I absolutely LOVE lemon and lemon dessert….so much! And I think it’s cute you have a girly bike 😉 I could eat these year round! That shortbread crust sounds like the perfect base for the lemon. Pinning this and trying soon! Absolutely delicious!

    Reply

    • Hi Dawn! Thanks for sharing 🙂 And yay! My first every member I think haha 🙂 (I love my girly girl bike but because it only has 3 speeds, the really intense bikers overtake me all the time and I can feel their judgement at my relaxed “cruising” speed lol!)

      Reply

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