Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust are a timeless dessert. They feature a smooth and zesty lemon filling baked on a buttery, barely sweetened crust.

The Best Lemon Bars

I could probably write a poem dedicated to how much I love lemon desserts. And to claim something is the best? That takes some proof. So, I give you this recipe for Ina Garten lemon bars.

The sweet and sour, tangy and tasty all blend together into a luscious dessert that I can’t make often enough. I’ve played with many different lemon bar recipes over the years and I keep coming back to Ina Garten’s lemon bars.

My family has adapted the recipe just a tiny bit over time. We prefer powdered sugar in the crust over granulated sugar, for a shortbread that tends to melt in your mouth. However, either one will work nicely.

This has been my favorite lemon dessert ever since childhood and I’m so excited to share these easy lemon bars with you today.

Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

The smooth, slightly tart filling pairs like a dream with the sweet, buttery shortbread. There are a couple of things to remember when working with this crust.

First of all, you will need to press the crust dough into the pan and pre-bake the crust before adding the custard. This is important, my friends. The mixture will be very dry and crumbly, but it will press nicely into the bottom of the pan.

Several people have commented that their crust rose to the top while baking (still delicious, but not the desired result here) and that’s often due to the fact that they skipped that step.

Second, you will need to prick the crust a few times with a fork before baking. This is called docking the crust. The holes allow steam to escape, enabling the crust to stay flat against the baking dish when it isn’t held down by a filling.

Without docking, the crust may puff up irregularly during baking. The goal here is a flat shortbread crust to hold the lemon filling.

Easy Lemon Bars

What’s not to love about a creamy, tangy, sweet Lemon Bar? Is there anyone who does not love them??

Lemon desserts have a way of brightening up the gloomiest of winter days. The beautiful yellow color alone is cheery. Just writing about the crisp citrus flavor makes my mouth water.

These very easy lemon bars are made by pouring a lemon custard filling over the baked and fully-cooled shortbread crust.

The eggs in the custard create a bright, clear consistency for the filling. An entire cup of fresh lemon juice, plus lemon zest as well, gives the filling plenty of lemon flavor and tartness.

Easy Lemon Bar Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. To make the crust, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy.
2. Gently stir in the flour just until combined. Press the dough into the bottom of the 9×13-inch pan. Prick the crust with a fork a few times.
3. Bake at 350 F for 16-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, to make the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour.
5. Pour over the cooled crust. Bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until the filling is set. Let cool. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Why do my lemon bars have a crust on top?

A thin crust on top of lemon bars is a common feature and is usually formed as a result of the baking process. (See above for a close-up photo of the top crust.) The crust forms when the sugar in the lemon bar mixture caramelizes and browns during baking, creating a slightly firm, crispy layer over the bars.

The top crust isn’t always visible, as we all enjoy sprinkling powdered sugar on top of the bars before serving. On very rare occasions, when making lemon bars, the shortbread may rise to the surface. (I’ve seen this happen once in 20+ years of making lemon bars.)

This happens because the filling has found its way to the bottom of the pan, either through cracks in the crust or gaps at the edges of the pan.

To prevent this, take care to press the crust firmly into the pan and don’t leave any gaps or cracks in the bottom. If there are any nooks or crannies when the crust doesn’t cover the bottom and edge of the pan, it won’t stay at the bottom.

Have I mentioned enough that I can’t have too many lemon desserts in my life? I make lemon crinkle cookies and Lemon Blueberry Bread on a regular basis – and when I must, I even share them with my family and friends.

Fresh blackberry frosting and citrusy lemon combine in a delicious way in this ultra-moist Lemon Blackberry Cake. Every bite of this cake reminds me of summer.

This creamy, tangy no-bake lemon cheesecake with a graham cracker crust is smooth and bursting with lemon flavor, a bright and refreshing dessert for lemon lovers. The best part is it only takes a handful of ingredients.

Cherry, bright yellow lemon desserts always look lovely on a potluck table and are a fun change from the usual chocolate treats at that type of event. It’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll come home with an empty pan every time.

{originally published 7/7/16 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/28/23}