With the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness, these go out to all the lemon bar lovers out there.
Prep Time20mins
Cook Time45mins
Cooling Time2hrs
Total Time3hrs5mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: how to make lemon squares, lemon bars recipe, lemon squares recipe
Servings: 20Squares
Calories: 257kcal
Author: Katie Workman
Ingredients
For the Crust
1 ½cupsall-purpose flour
½cupgranulated sugar
½teaspoonkosher or coarse salt
¾cupplus 2 tablespoons (1 ¾ sticks) cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
For the Filling
5large eggs
2 ½cupsgranulated sugar
1cupfresh lemon juice
2tablespoonsheavy cream
¾cupall-purpose flour
¼cupconfectioners’ sugarfor dusting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13-inch pan, or spray with nonstick cooking spray, and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper cut so that it fits cleanly on the bottom of the pan, but hangs over the two long sides (you will use this to lift out the squares once they are baked and cooled).
In a food processor combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse corneal (alternately you can cut in the butter into the flour mixture in a bowl using two knives, a pastry cutter, or your fingers). Transfer the mixture into the pan, and press the mixture evenly into the bottom. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden and a bit firm to the touch.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the eggs and granulated sugar, and whisk or beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the lemon juice and cream, and then beat in the flour, until very smooth. When the crust is golden and set pour in the filling, return the pan to the oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes., until it doesn’t jiggle at all when you gently shake the pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack to room temperature.
Place the ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar into a small sieve and dust it over the lemon bars just before serving. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and cut the bars into 20 squares. Remove the bars with a spatula, or carefully use the overhanging edges of the parchment to smoothly lift out the lemon bars.