Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

These are the most luscious, lemony lemon bars with shortbread crust. Melt in your mouth, buttery shortbread is layered with a fresh, full-bodied lemon custard baked on top.

Lemon Bars can be made ahead of time and chilled.. (Courtesy of Amy Dong)

Lemon Bars With Shortbread Crust

It’s a paradox that lemons, like most citrus fruits, peak during winter throughout much of the country, because sunshine-bright lemons just scream spring and summer.  Besides their happy and fresh look, you’ll want to grab plenty of fresh lemons for these lemon bars with shortbread crust. These lemon bars are the season’s mascot.

What You’ll Love About This

• This lemon bar recipe contains the perfect balance of sweetness to tanginess ratio.
• You’ll get to use up 3 large lemons plus zest. This is especially awesome if you’re a lucky lemon tree owner.
• The smooth lemon filling rests atop a mouthwatering buttery shortbread crust that tastes of perfection.
• These homemade lemon bars are heads and shoulders above any store bought lemon bars.
• Homemade lemon bars are super budget friendly (you won’t even want coffee shop lemon bars after you try these.)
• These lemon bars keep well for up to a week in the fridge.

Make the most out of fresh lemon juice and zest. (Courtesy of Amy Dong)

How To Make The Best Lemon Bars

• For the shortbread crust, be sure your butter is chilled to begin with.
• Freeze butter just long enough so that it can be easily grated using large-hole grater. This makes it so much easier to form the crust.
• Allow the finished lemon bars to fully chill before slicing in. The filling will set completely while it chills.
• Lining baking dish with foil that extends beyond the dish will allow for easy removal of the entire dessert onto a cutting board.
• Leftover lemon bars keep well for up to a week, covered and chilled in the fridge.

Luscious lemon custard layered on top of buttery shortbread. (Courtesy of Amy Dong)

Other Treats To Bake And Eat

• 3-Ingredient Buttery Shortbread Cookies
• Chewy Soft Lemon Cookies
• 4-Ingredient Nutella Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
• 15 Best Lemon Recipes
• Lemon Olive Oil Yogurt Cake
• Lemony Butter Spritz Cookies
• Award Winning Almond Dessert Bars

Lemon Bars With Shortbread Crust

Prep Time: 30minutes mins Cook Time: 40minutes mins Servings: 20 Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
• ⅔ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• 12 TB salted butter, chilled and cut into 1 inch pieces

For the Filling

• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 TB all purpose flour
• Juice of 3 large lemons, 2/3 cup
• Zest of 2 lemons
• ⅓ cup whole milk
• ⅛ tsp table salt

Instructions

For the Crust: Preheat oven to 350F with oven rack at middle position. Press a long piece of foil into 13×9 baking dish, so that the ends hang over the dish (helps with removal of bars). Grease the foil and set aside.

Blend flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt in food processor until fully combined, about 15 seconds. Add butter and process to blend, about 10 seconds. Then pulse until the mixture looks pale yellow, resembling a coarse meal. If you’re doing it by hand, mix the dry ingredients together in large bowl.

Freeze butter and grate it on large holes of a grater, into the bowl and toss pieces to coat with flour mixture. Rub the bits with fingers until flour turns pale yellow and resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle crust mixture into prepared pan and firmly press into an even layer over bottom of pan. Place pan in freezer for 10 minutes. Then bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

For the Filling: Whisk eggs, sugar, and flour in large bowl. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, milk, and salt to incorporate.

Reduce oven temp to 325F. Stir filling mixture well, and pour into warm crust. Bake until filling feels firm upon a very light touch, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely to room temp.

Tightly cover and chill in fridge before serving. Once chilled, remove entire dessert with foil sling, and cut into squares with a very sharp knife or serrated knife. Dust with powdered sugar upon serving, if desired.

Notes

If dusting with powdered sugar on top, wait until you’re ready to serve. Otherwise, powdered sugar will dissolve.

Lemon bars keep well in the fridge. Wrap them airtight for up to 4 days.

Baked lemon bars can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 271IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

This article was originally published on chewoutloud.com. Follow on Instagram