Easy Lemon Bars

Easy Lemon Bars are the perfect spring dessert straight from grandma’s recipe box. Great for brunches, bake sales, bridal showers & more.

Who loves lemon? Lemon, and pretty much all citrus is so popular come this time of year. Everyone is so excited to have fresh produce, warmer weather and new life growing in the garden.

When I was looking through grandma’s old recipe box for spring recipes I came across her recipe for lemon bars. I didn’t remember seeing it in there before.

But I definitely remember her making them growing up – so I was pretty excited that this classic family recipe was in the mix of things that got passed down. I quickly got in the kitchen to make her famous dessert recipe.

What I love about this recipe is that sweet buttery shortbread crust. It pairs so perfectly with the tart but also sweet lemon layer.

Not only is this classic bar recipe as delicious as you could ever imagine, but it’s so incredibly easy to make too. You just can’t go wrong with these for all the warmer weather occasions! (be sure to check out my famous blueberry pie bars too)

lemon bars

Here are some commonly asked questions

Can these be made with a graham cracker crust?

Yes you can make these bars with a graham cracker crust. Just combine the following and then press into the bottom of the pan. Then bake for 20 minutes before adding the lemon layer and continuing with the rest of the recipe.

• 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 7 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 tbsp white sugar

lemon squares

How to soften the butter to room temperature?

First

There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.

I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.

But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.

Second

I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.

This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.

Third

My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.

How do I properly measure the flour?

The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.

However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.

lemon bar recipe

Can I use a gluten-free flour?

I’m not sure just yet. I have been meaning to give this a try but haven’t had a chance. If you do try this, I would recommend using a 1:1 flour like this one as I don’t believe it would require additional ingredients that are typically called for when trying to make baked recipes in a gluten-free version. Please come back & tell me how it turned out.

lemon squares recipe

Can I use a sugar substitute?

I have not personally tried it, so I can’t say how that would turn out. But if you would like to try it, I suggest a product that offers a 1:1 swap. Please let me know how it turns out.

best lemon bars

Can this recipe be doubled?

You can double the recipe and divide it between 2 baking pans and bake them side-by-side. They will turn out fine.

I don’t recommend doubling the recipe and trying to make them extra-thick in the 9×13 pan or spreading it out into a larger pan. I have not had success with either of those methods.

classic lemon bars

How do you know they are set?

The edges will be set and the center will have a slight jiggle to them. If they look too runny, you can bake them for a few minutes longer.

Can these bars be served frozen?

Yes, lemon bars are great when served frozen. We like to add a dollop of whipped topping or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top when we enjoy these from a frozen state.

Pro Tips for Making Lemon Bars

• First – ALWAYS use fresh lemon juice. When you are making a recipe where lemons are the main ingredient – you don’t want to skimp here. Trust me – you will want that amazing flavor from using fresh lemons.
• The bars will seem a bit under-done when you remove them from the oven. They are by nature already gooey – so when hot, they will seem extra jiggly. That’s fine. They will set as they cool.
• If you decide to freeze the bars, please do so before adding the confectioner’s sugar. This keeps the sugar from getting soggy. Just add a dusting right before serving so it is extra fresh and people will never know you made these ahead of time.
• Line the baking dish with parchment for super easy removal.
• Chill time is key – don’t rush it. You don’t want the bars to fall apart when serving – plus they taste so much better when they aren’t warm from baking.

homemade lemon bars

• all-purpose flour
• granulated sugar
• lemons or lemon juice
• lemon zest
• confectioner’s sugar
• 9×13 pan
• mixing bowl
• whisk

lemon bars from scratch

If you love this Easy Lemon Bars recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

old fashioned lemon squares recipe

If you love this recipe for Easy Lemon Bars as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!