Description
Sweet and tangy “the best lemon bars” promise a zesty paradise of buttery shortbread crust and silky lemon custard. California citrus sunshine dances across your palate, delivering pure dessert bliss you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Flour and Sugar:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Seasoning and Zest:
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Meticulously prepare the baking environment by heating the oven to 350°F and strategically lining a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, ensuring complete surface coverage.
- Craft the foundational shortbread layer by blending flour, powdered sugar, and salt into a harmonious dry mixture. Integrate cold butter using a pastry cutter, transforming the ingredients into a delicate, crumbly texture.
- Carefully compress the butter-infused mixture into the prepared pan, creating an even, uniform base. Roast in the preheated oven until the crust achieves a gentle golden hue, approximately 18-20 minutes.
- Simultaneously, orchestrate the vibrant lemon filling by whisking sugar, flour, eggs, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and aromatic zest until the mixture reaches a silky, uniform consistency.
- Immediately after removing the golden crust, cascade the lemon mixture across the hot surface, ensuring complete and even distribution.
- Return the pan to the oven, allowing the filling to transform and set, maintaining a slight wobble for approximately 20-25 minutes.
- Extract from the oven and permit thorough cooling at room temperature, then refrigerate for a minimum of two hours to solidify the delicate structure.
- Prior to serving, delicately dust the chilled dessert with a pristine layer of powdered sugar, creating an elegant snow-like finish.
- Slice into precise squares and serve directly from the refrigerator for optimal texture and flavor preservation.
Notes
- Chill butter before cutting into the crust for extra flaky texture that melts in your mouth.
- Use fresh, room-temperature lemons for maximum zesty flavor and bright citrus punch.
- Ensure parchment paper hangs over pan edges for easy bar removal and clean slicing.
- Adjust sugar levels to create a more tart or sweeter version depending on personal preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 204
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2.5 g
- Cholesterol: 62 mg