Best Homemade Lemon Bar Recipe

The very best homemade lemon bar recipe is creamy, tart, sweet and sits on an irresistible buttery crust!

A quote from Si:

“Laurie’s Lemon Bars are the cream of the crop, just the right amount of tangy and sweet in one dessert. I’ve tried one lemon bar recipe after another for years. Many were good, but this recipe ended my search for the perfect lemon bar!”

When’s the last time you enjoyed creamy lemon curd with a melt-in-your-mouth crust? The ABK team recently revisited this classic recipe and found it even better than we had remembered!  It’s like a taste of springtime in every bite.

What is in the best homemade lemon bar recipe?

1. A substantial, buttery shortbread crust.

2. A full lemon flavor with a sweet and tangy balance.

3. A thick layer of lemony filling.

This recipe nails all three elements. You’re going to love it!

Ingredients for the best Lemon Bars

With only 6 ingredients, and a presentation as bright as it tastes, lemon bars are an ideal spring and summer dessert. Here are the ingredients:

Flour, sugar, salt, and butter: These ingredients create a tender pastry that complements the layer of lemon filling.

Lemons: We use fresh lemon juice as well as zest in the filling for added lemony flavor. Don’t use bottled juice. Fresh lemon juice makes all the difference! With so few ingredients, and lemon being the key ingredient, it is extremely important to use fresh lemon juice in this recipe.

Eggs, sugar, and flour: The right combination of these ingredients combines with the lemon for a perfect curd that is both tart and sweet.

Try these garnishes for special occasions

Perfect for any wedding or baby shower, Laurie’s Lemon Bars can be cut into tiny squares or triangles and served with a raspberry or a little slice of lemon on top.

To make a lemon garnish, slice a small lemon and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Bake at 325 degrees until lemons dry and begin to shrink (about 30 minutes). Remove from the oven, sprinkle with sugar, and let cool. When ready to serve, top each lemon bar or every other lemon bar with a prepared lemon slice.

The best Pan for making Lemon Bars

We can’t say enough about USA Pan bakeware. We love the 9×13-inch USA Pan rectangular cake pan for lemon bars, and we also use this pan for everything from bar cookies to brownies, to breakfast casseroles. The light-colored heavy-duty metal keeps baked goods cooking at an even temperature, and the straight sides and square corners make every piece look clean and neat. 

Why i use Laurie’s lemon bar recipe

Laurie is the author of many other recipes at ABK. We have loved using her recipes for years. As with many of Laurie’s recipes, this recipe for best homemade lemon bar recipe is exceptional. These are a few of our favorites: Amazing Chocolate Cake, Coconut Lime Bars, and Laurie’s Amazing Carrot Cake.

Laurie’s Lemon Bars originally posted in 2011, updated in 2021 and 2026 with new content and photos

Best Homemade Lemon Bar Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin

Author: Si Foster

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

chill time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Servings: 24 bars

Creamy, tart, sweet and buttery, this lemon bar recipe is the very best we have made!

Ingredients 

Pastry

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Lemon filling

• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest – remember to zest before juicing the lemons!
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 5 large lemons)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar

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Instructions

Pastry

• Whisk flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl.
• Add butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter until medium crumbs are formed and are sand-like in texture, containing small bits of butter. Do not use a mixer.
• Press pastry dough evenly in the bottom of an ungreased 9×13-inch pan. The dough will still have a sand-like quality and not combine like a pie crust does. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• While the dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in the center of the oven.
• Bake pastry crust for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned on top. It is important to bake the crust until lightly golden on top. This helps the pastry support the thick layer of lemon filling.

Lemon Filling

• While the crust is baking, wipe out the bowl used for the pastry dough and then add eggs and sugar. Whisk for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is light yellow and the sugar is dissolved.
• Add lemon juice, zest, and flour to the mixture and whisk until all ingredients are incorporated.
• Just before pouring the lemon filling over the baked pastry, whisk again to ensure all ingredients are blended well.
• Pour lemon filling over the baked pastry and bake for 35-40 minutes or until set. The center should not jiggle. Let cool completely.
• Dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares or triangles.

Notes

• If using salted butter, omit the salt in the pastry.
• Check the center of the lemon bars with a knife. A knife inserted in the center comes out clean when the bars are done. This usually takes 35-40 minutes.
• Keep these lemon bars refrigerated until ready to serve. They taste great chilled or at room temperature.
• The 9×13-inch USA Pan rectangular cake pan is a versatile, heavy-duty pan that we highly recommend. Straight sides and square corners make the final product look professional. 

Equipment

• 1 9×13-inch, pan