Lemon Bars
Tart, silky lemon curd baked over a crisp, buttery shortbread crust.
Ingredients
| Volume | Grams |
|---|---|
| Crust | |
| 2 cups all-purpose flour | 240 g |
| 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting | 56 g |
| 1/4 tsp table salt | 1.5 g |
| 1 cup unsalted butter, melted | 226 g |
| Filling | |
| 4 large eggs | 200 g |
| 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar | 297 g |
| 1/4 cup all-purpose flour | 30 g |
| 2/3 cup lemon juice, fresh | 149 g |
| 1 tbsp lemon zest | — |
Gram weights use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart; “—” means the ingredient isn’t on the chart, so measure it by volume or count. Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling, or better, weigh it.
Method
- Heat the oven to 350 °F and line the pan with parchment, leaving overhang.
- Stir the flour, powdered sugar, salt and melted butter into a soft dough and press evenly into the pan. Bake 20 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar, then whisk in the flour, lemon juice and zest until smooth.
- Pour over the hot crust and bake 20–25 minutes, until the filling no longer jiggles.
- Cool to room temperature, then chill at least 2 hours. Dust with powdered sugar and cut with a hot knife.
Tips
- Pouring the filling onto a hot crust helps the layers bond.
- About 4 large lemons give 2/3 cup juice.
Baking at elevation? See high-altitude adjustments. Different pan? Try the pan size converter.
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