Best Lemon Bar Recipe

Lemon squares are deliciously tart pastries and a summertime favorite. If you make a pan of lemon bars for a bake sale, you'd better make two because they go fast! This classic recipe for lemon squares calls for fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, so it's perfect for citrus season. You can also adapt the recipe to make lime bars. Like any decadent desser, lemon bars contain a good amount of sugar. But they are also a great source of vitamin C and complete protein, so you can feel a little less guilty for indulging in these tart treats.

Crust Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 pinch of salt

Filling Ingredients:

6 large eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 or 5 lemons, room temperature)
1 to 2 tbsp lemon zest
2 ½ cups sugar
3/4 cup flour
powdered sugar for serving

Step 1: Cream the butter, sugar, and salt for the crust using an electric beater. Gradually add the flour until you have a kneadable ball of dough. Gently knead and roll the lemon bar crust on a surface dusted with flour. Press the dough into a non-stick or lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan, creating a border on the sides of the pan about 1/2 an inch tall. Refrigerate the crust for 30 minutes, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 300&3176;F, or just until the crust is lightly browned.

Step 2: Let the crust cool, and turn the oven temperature up to 350&3176;F. Roll the lemons against the countertop to soften them so that you can more easily extract the juice. Wash the lemons thoroughly, zest them, and then juice them.

Step 3: In a large bowl, blend all of the filling ingredients. Use an electic beater set to medium, and beat for about one minute.

Step 4: Pour the lemon filling over the cooled crust, then bake for about 30 minutes. The lemon bars will be done when the center is just slightly jiggly. Let the bars cool for 30 minutes, then cover the pan and refrigerate for several hours

Step 5: Cut the lemon bars into triangular wedges or squares (lemon squares!). Dust with powdered sugar as desired and serve after dinner or lunch. Lemon squares do not need to be refrigerated since the sugar acts as a preservative. However, you should keep them covered in a container that can be tightly sealed