About
Tart, rich Homemade Lemon Bars are sure to be a hit! The lemon filling is the perfect balance of sweetness and lemon flavor, and it is surrounded by a warm, crunchy crust. Homemade Lemon Bars are the perfect dessert for a party, or you can make and store them for a treat throughout the week! It’s a luscious bit of sunshine on a plate!
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, spoon and leveled
- For the lemon filling:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup lemon juice
- confectioners’ sugar, optional, for dusting
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Step 2 -Line the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out. Set aside.
Step 3 -Mix the melted butter, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the vanilla extract, and the salt together in a medium bowl.
Step 4 -Add the 2 cups and 2 tablespoons of the flour and stir to completely combine. The dough will be thick.
Step 5 -Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan, making sure the layer of crust is nice and even.
Step 6 -Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 20-22 minutes.
Step 7 -Remove the pan from the oven.
Step 8 -Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the warm crust but not all the way through the crust. Set the crust aside.
Step 9 -Sift 2 cups of the sugar and the 6 tablespoons of the flour together in a large bowl.
Step 10 -Add the eggs and lemon juice and whisk until completely combined.
Step 11 -Pour the filling mixture over the warm crust.
Step 12 -Bake the bars until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles, about 22-26 minutes.
Step 13 -Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool completely at room temperature.
Step 14 -Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Dust the top with the confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares before serving.
