Hi Bold Bakers!
This recipe is long in the making! Since the birth of Bigger Bolder Baking have all been asking for an easy Lemon Bars recipe. Well, brace yourselves!
It’s finally here!
My Lemon Bars Recipe has all the best bits of classic lemon bars, but made even easier. Some lemon bars require pre-cooking the filling, or extra equipment, but these tangy & rich lemon bars are made in one bowl and by hand.
Made with a classic sweet and buttery shortbread base topped with a super fresh lemony custard, these lemon bars boast a crackle top, gooey center, and crunchy sweet base. Basically, these lemon bars are going to make all of your friends and family swoon!
What is shortbread?
Shortbread, or shortcrust pastry, is the beginning of my easy lemon bars recipe. Shortbread is defined by a super crunchy and flaky texture that has a sweet flavor. Made by hand with just butter, flour, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar, you can imagine why this crust is also the base of millionaire’s shortbread — as they taste like a million bucks.
The rich sweet crust bakes ahead of the filling to ensure it’s cooked through. After baking for 25 minutes, I fill them will the custard filling and then it’s just a matter of time!
How do you make this lemon bars recipe?
These homemade Lemon Bars are made with an easy lemon custard filling. Made by combining egg yolks, sugar, and lots of fresh lemon juice and zest, the filling of this lemon bar has all the component of the best homemade lemon curd.
[ This recipe calls for vanilla! Did you know you can make your own extracts? ]
The difference is that there’s no fussy cooking over a stove or worrying about curdled eggs. All of the ingredients are combined then poured over the shortbread crust. They bake somewhat low and slow, and this is what allows the lemon custard filling to develop its thick custard center and golden brown top.
Are lemon bars best-served cold?
While I really like the idea of warm gooey lemon bars I do find them easier to cut into squares when they are fully cooled. This is an important step in setting the center of the lemon bars. After cooling I love to dust these easy lemon bars with powdered sugar for that extra touch of sweetness.
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NOTE: THIS RECIPE HAS BEEN EDITED ON 9/6/2018 TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FILLING. WE HAVE RESOLVED ANY ISSUE WITH THE RECIPE. Gemma 🙂