The Best Homemade Lemon Bars Recipe (2024)

With a perfectly chewy crust, tart lemon filling and powdered sugar topping, these are the best Homemade Lemon Bars you'll ever eat.

I’ve never actually read the book about love languages, but I’m pretty sure my husband’s love language would be these Homemade Lemon Bars, or as some people call them, lemon squares.

These are the best homemade lemon bars I have ever tasted and I am pretty picky.

I usually give all of my baked good leftovers away to our neighbors so I don’t eat all of them, and this is the only recipe my husband forbids me to give away, so you know it’s good.

How to make Homemade Lemon Bars:

These lemon bars are made in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan so they are thicker than other lemon bars. While we normally bake these in a 9 x 13-inch glass pan, they can be made in a metal pan as well.

I’m usually not much of a crust person, but the crust on these lemon squares is soft, chewy and absolutely perfect!

This recipe has a simple crust made with all-purpose flour, sugar, butter and a little bit of salt so you probably have all the ingredients you need to make it on hand.

We recommend that you don’t use any substitutions in this recipe for the best result.

By baking the crust first, you are ensuring that the lemon mixture doesn’t seep through and make a soggy crust.

Bake the crust by itself for 15 minutes, just until it starts to turn a light golden brown (you don’t want it too dark, otherwise it will get overcooked in the next step).

While crust is cooking, make the filling by mixing some lemon zest, lemon juice, and a few other simple ingredients and then pour it over the hot crust and bake a while longer.

You’ll know they’re done when the edges are a very light golden brown – again, don’t let them get too dark or they’ll be overcooked.

Related Article: If you’re a girl scout cookie lover, these Tagalong Bars were made just for you!

If you’re worried about the center being too jiggly, wait for them to cool before cutting. A lot of the time, they just need to set up a little longer outside the oven to get that perfect lemon-bar texture.

To finish, top them with powdered sugar. I’m pretty generous when it comes to the powdered sugar on top, to the point where you can’t inhale when you go to take a bite or you might choke. Haha!

For a clean cut, make sure the bars are completely cooled and then cut them with a sharp knife that has been run under warm water.

Related recipe: If you love lemon bars, our Raspberry Lemon Bars are the ultimate treat for spring and summer!

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How to store Homemade Lemon Bars:

If you can gather up enough self control to not devour the whole pan, you can store them for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

To do so, place the lemon bars in an airtight container separate the bars with wax paper or parchment paper.

If you want to freeze these bars, let them reach room temperature, then wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap and place them all in a resealable freezer bag. For best results, we recommend using them within one month.

OTHER LEMON TREATS:

Gooey Lemon Bars (made with a cake mix)
Coconut Lemon Bars (made with a Nilla Wafer crust)
Lemon Bar Cookie Cups
Frozen Lemon Fluff Dessert
Lemon Meringue Pie
Easy Lemon Sheet Cake
Lemon Raspberry Bars
Lemon Brownies with Lemon Frosting

Serves: 24

The Best Homemade Lemon Bars Recipe

5 from 3 votes

These are the best homemade lemon bars! These bars have a perfectly chewy crust, zesty lemon filling and dusted with powder sugar.

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

PrintPin

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup butter softened
½ cup sugar
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt

Filling

3 cups sugar
6 large eggs beaten
1 lemon zested
1 cup lemon juice fresh or bottled
1 cup flour

Topping

½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Cream together softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add flour and salt and mix until blended.
Press into the bottom of prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.
While crust is cooking, make filling by mixing together sugar, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour filling over hot crust and bake for about 25 -30 minutes or until set.
Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar.
Cool completely and cut into squares.

Notes

If you can gather up enough self control to not devour the whole pan, you canstore them for 2-3 daysin the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 267 kcal · Carbohydrates: 45 g · Protein: 3 g · Fat: 9 g · Saturated Fat: 5 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 61 mg · Sodium: 108 mg · Potassium: 51 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 32 g · Vitamin A: 297 IU · Vitamin C: 6 mg · Calcium: 13 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Equipment

9×13-inch Baking Pan
Non-stick Cooking Spray
Large Mixing Bowl
Medium Mixing Bowl
Hand mixer

Recipe Details

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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Liz says:

Love the lemon bars. Thank you and have a great weekend.
Dakota D. says:

Looks delicious!?????Dakota D.http://fannypacksandvisors.com
Melanie@Toots + Dill says:

Lemon bars are one of my favorite desserts!! Always a crowd pleaser!! =)
Analee Harris says:

My sister who loved making lemon squares is coming home from her mission this week and I wanted to do something special for her. I'm so glad I was able to find this recipe! Thanks so much!
Cyd says:

Hi Analee, That is so awesome your sister is returning home from serving a full time mission! What a fun time for your family! Best of luck with the lemon bars!!
Hattie Farr says:

What kind of flour do you use, is it all purpose or self rising flour? We love lemon bars. I am going to make these this weekend. Thank you.
Cyd says:

We use all purpose flour.
Anne says:

I made these for a friend who loves Lemon Bars. He said they were the best ever and now requests them all the time.
Laurel says:

If I don’t have a glass pan can I make this in a cake pan?
See Also
Chicken Cobbler (Easy Chicken Casserole Recipe)
Cyd says:

You can use a metal 9 x 13 inch pan also.
Natalie says:

I don’t have a fresh lemon for the lemon zest. Could I go without it or would it ruin the recipe?
Cyd says:

It will still turn out fine, just not as much lemony flavor. The zest gives it a kick!
Frankie says:

I tried these today with my five year old daughter. Not sure what we did wrong but these seemed a little tart and were still jiggly after the 30 minutes baking in the oven? This is my first time making lemon bars and we had to use to pie pans as I didn't have a glass pan on hand. maybe this contributed to the bake time? For next time, how can you tell if they are done for sure? I left them in until the edges were light brown and the middle was firm.
Cyd says:

I'm sure your pan may have had a lot to do with them not baking properly. We used a 9 x 13 inch pan. If they were still jiggly, they would need more cooking time.
Justamom says:

I got rave reviews on these bars. I like how the top carmelizes just a bit for a nice contrast with the gooey lemony center. They're heaven. Much better than a box mix!
Katie says:

I made these today and they are just a little too tart in the center for me. Also the top got brown before 25 minutes was up so I took it out and it is still a little gooey for me.
Cindy says:

Have you ever tried this recipe with a gluten free flour??
Cyd says:

Hi Cindy. We have not used GF flour in this recipe.
Cathy says:

If you make the night before do you need to refrigerate?
Cyd says:

Either refrigerate or leave in a cool place. Be sure to cover.
Cindy says:

I made these for Easter. I love lemon desserts and love lemon bars which I have never made before. These were so easy and they were wonderful ❤️ I was a little nervous of the jiggle so I baked them about 15 min longer. The top got a little brown and they set up nicely. I just sprinkled alot of powdered sugar on top. They were excellent. Will definitely make them again.
Cyd says:

We are so glad you loved the lemon bars. We love all things lemon too! Happy Spring and stay safe.
Kris says:

I made these today with a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour and they came out perfect. It can be done 😊. I did end up cooking them about 10 minutes longer than the recipe says but I don’t know if that was the flour or just coincidence. These are delicious - enjoy!
Cyd says:

So good to know that you can easily make them Gluten free. Thanks so much for letting us know!
Emily Borden says:

If I make a half recipe and use a smaller pan, should I decrease the baking time for the crust as well as the final bake? I’ve made a full recipe of these before and they were so delicious! Thank you!
Momma Cyd says:

Maybe slightly. Just watch them closely. If they are about the same thickness, it may be close to the same cooking time.
Shelley says:

Well I goofed and put a cup of sugar in the crust but didn’t realize my brain fart till after it was all mixed and didn’t want to toss it sooo I proceeded as directed. Not knowing how the crust was supposed to look after 15 min I poured the lemon mix over and uh oh the crust started to mix with lemon mix:( it’s in the oven now so we will see! Either way I’m sure they will still taste great ... after all the are lemon bars! I shall update on the finished product in about an hour!
Denise says:

Sounds like a lot of eggs
Momma Cyd says:

It's 6 eggs. Most Lemon bars call for 4-6 eggs when made in a 9 x 13 inch pan.
Jan Chugg says:

Hey Cyd - found this recipe while looking for a way to use up some of my mountain of Arizona lemons. These are by far the best lemon bars I’ve made. Thanks for sharing!
Momma Cyd says:

Hi Jan!! What a fun surprise to actually see a name of someone I know! So glad you found a way to use some of your lemons!
Debbee says:

Just made these with Meyer lemons and used gluten-free flour for the crust, they are delightful!!! So easy and so delicious!
Angela H says:

This recipe is amazing. I’ve made it twice now, both times it was a hit. The lemon flavor is perfect— it is SO lemony and the perfect level of sweetness. Also! I remember reading a question about whether this can be made with gluten free flour. The answer is YES! Both times I’ve made it I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 GF flour and there isn’t any weirdness in texture at all. Thanks for the killer recipe!
Sandra Wolter says:

I have made these delicious Lemon Bars twice now and they turned out perfectly both times. I added grated lemon rind of 2 lemons for more intense lemon flavour. Followed the recipe to the letter except I lined the 9x13 pan with parchment paper for ease of removal and less crispy ends. It was a loved by all guests at both events. Thanks for perfecting this favourite. :)
Angie Braxton says:

Hello just found this recipe. I love lemon bars and want to take some to a friend that her husband passed away this week. And to put in our church bake sale this coming weekend. I don't have regular flour only self rising flour. Will that be a problem or will it work out ok?
Momma Cyd says:

We have not made these lemon bars with self rising flour. I did find this article on Self rising flour in place of regular. https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2015/09/09/substitute-self-rising-flour-purpose-flour

About The Author:

Momma Cyd

Cyd is the mom of the six sisters and joined the team early on to help out. She shares the best of the best recipes from her kitchen.

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