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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My tender Zesty Lemon Cookie Bars Recipe makes a generous batch of perfectly sweet-tart baked treats.
- Dreamy texture: The bars bake up beautifully soft and crumbly.
- Zingy citrus: My refreshing lemon cookies are sweet without being cloying.
- Bright and cheerful! These sunny yellow cookies taste like spring.
- Crowd-pleaser: Perfect for holidays and celebrations, school snacks, or gifting to friends.
- Super-fast: Good news if you’re having a lemon craving—these are ready in under an hour.
This Zesty Lemon Cookie Bars Recipe ticks all the boxes: it’s a knock-out dessert, ready in a flash, portable, and pretty! I love bar cookies—there’s no fussy rolling or cutting, they’re sturdy, and you can even cut the bars smaller if you want more cookies. You’ll also love my Best-Ever Blondies, Millionaire’s Shortbread, and Irresistible S’mores Bar Recipe.
Zesty Lemon Cookie Bars Recipe is fabulous to have in your back pocket! My baker’s tip for you is to be careful not to overbake these lemon sugar cookie bars so they won’t dry out. One great thing about this lemon bar recipe is the cookies freeze well (unglazed) for about six weeks. I’ve made whole trays, divided the batch in two, and frozen each half separately. Then it’s really easy for me to grab a half-batch and mix up a quick glaze, drizzle it over the bars, and send them to George’s school or give to friends.
Table of Contents
- What are Zesty Lemon Cookie Bars?
- Tools You Need
- Key Ingredients and Why
- How to Make Zesty Lemon Cookie Bars
- Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
- FAQs
- More Lemony Recipes
What are Zesty Lemon Cookie Bars?
- Zesty Lemon Cookie Bars are soft bar cookies flavored with lemon juice and lemon zest. A powdered sugar and lemon juice glaze adds another layer of tangy flavor.
- Although lemon is the predominant flavor, the richness of butter and vanilla’s soft floral, creamy notes round out the citrus flavor and give these cookie bars a multi-dimensional flavor.
- My Zesty Lemon Cookie Bars are a mouthwatering mash-up of traditional lemon squares, with their shortbread crust and lemon filling, and sugar or butter cookies.
Tools You Need
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Glass measuring jug
- Kitchen scale (optional)
- 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan
- Parchment paper
- Whisk
- Stand mixer with a paddle attachment
Key Ingredients and Why
All-purpose flour
- All-purpose flour gives the bar cookies structure.
- Because all-purpose flour has a protein content of 9-11%, it has enough gluten to hold the mixture together while still yielding wonderfully soft bars.
- Substitutions: You can use an equal amount of my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix, or check other gluten-free flour options.
Baking powder
- When mixed with liquid, baking powder causes a chemical reaction, creating carbon dioxide. This creates bubbles in the batter and gives the cookies a lighter texture.
- Make your own with Learn How to Make Baking Powder and Baking Soda Explained, and you’ll never run out.
Salt
- Salt adds depth of flavor to the cookies.
Butter
- The fat in butter gives the lemon cookie bars a soft, pleasantly crumbly texture.
- Butter also contributes a delicious richness.
- It’s crucial to have your butter at room temperature so you can cream it correctly. Here’s how to soften butter if you’re short on time.
Granulated sugar
- Sugar sweetens cookies.
- Additionally, sugar attracts and holds moisture, keeping bars soft.
- During creaming, sugar and butter create air pockets, which contribute to a melt-in-you-mouth texture.
- Substitution:
- Instead of granulated sugar, you can use an equal amount of light brown sugar.
- Note that using light brown sugar will make the cookie bars softer and darker in color.
Eggs
- Eggs emulsify the ingredients, bringing them together in a cohesive whole and holding the batter together.
- The eggs add lift, keeping the cookie texture from being overly heavy.
- Unless otherwise specified, always use room-temperature eggs in baking. Here’s how to quickly take the chill off eggs.
- Substitutions:
- Eggs give moisture and provide structure to these lemon cookie bars. You can get a similar result using 1/2 cup (4 oz/115g) of yogurt or sour cream instead of the two eggs.
- For more substitution ideas, check out my 12 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking & How to Use Them.
Lemon juice
- In the cookie bar:
- Lemon juice not only adds a tangy citrus flavor but also provides extra moisture.
- I recommend using fresh lemon juice for the ultimate lemon flavor.
- In the glaze:
- Lemon juice mixed with powdered sugar gives extra lemony flavor!
Lemon zest
- Zest, the outer layer of lemon peel, holds the most flavor and will add a burst of citrusy freshness.
Vanilla extract
- Vanilla extract highlights the lemon’s tartness and adds a creamy, warm, floral taste.
- Substitutions:
- If you prefer, use an equal amount of vanilla bean paste.
- Instead of using the vanilla extract, you can use 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract (you use less because almond extract is more concentrated than vanilla extract).
Lemon extract (optional)
- Lemon extract elevates the lemon taste without adding extra acidity.
Powdered sugar
- Powdered sugar (finely ground granulated sugar and also called confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar) is the base of the lemon glaze.
- You can make your own using my recipe for Powdered Sugar!
- Make sure to sift the powdered sugar first to ensure a smooth consistency.
How to Make Zesty Lemon Cookie Bars
Prepare to bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm). Set aside.
Make the lemon cookie bar dough
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Whip butter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add sugar: Add in the sugar and mix on medium-high speed for three minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs: Add in the eggs, one at a time and mix until completely incorporated.
- Add lemon: Stir in the lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract and lemon extract (if using).
- Finish dough: Turn the speed to low and mix in the flour mixture until just combined.
Bake the lemon cookie bars
- Bake cookies: Spread evenly into the baking dish and bake for 18-22 minutes, until just set and lightly golden around the edges. (Don’t overbake, or they will harden as they cool.) Set aside in the pan and let cool completely.
Glaze the lemon cookie bars
- Make glaze: In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice until smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable. If needed, add in the extra tablespoon of lemon juice a little at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- Finish and serve: Drizzle the glaze over the cookie and let set before cutting into bars.
FULL WRITTEN (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Room temp: Be sure that your butter and eggs are at room temperature for the best results!
- Proper creaming: Creaming the butter and sugar correctly is important here. My guide explains it all.
- Lemon prep: Before zesting and juicing the lemon, wash it and roll it on a firm surface to make juicing easier.
- Don’t overbake: Take care not to overbake these bars, or they can get too hard as they cool.
- Glaze substitution: The glaze is what really adds lemon flavor to these bars, but you could also simply sprinkle a few tablespoons of granulated sugar over the surface before baking for something more subtle.
- Storage tip: These bars can be frozen for longer storage (and defrosted at room temperature for about an hour), but it’s best to do this before adding the glaze because glaze can get a bit too moist and sticky as it defrosts.
- Flavorful additions: You can mix in 1 tablespoon of culinary lavender, freshly grated ginger, or 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom for some delicious variations.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
- Make ahead tips:
- Make the cookie dough and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
- You can also bake the cookies and store unglazed cookies in an airtight container in the freezer for up to six weeks.
- How to store leftovers:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
FAQs
Yes, you can use other citrus instead of the lemon in this recipe. Substitute either lime or ruby red grapefruit zest and juice for the lemon zest and juice.
Lime is more tart than lemon, so if you make lime cookie bars, use slightly less zest (1 1/4 teaspoons). You can also replace 1/2 teaspoon of the lime juice in the glaze with water.
Ruby red grapefruit has a milder flavor than lemon, so if you want to make grapefruit cookie bars, use slightly more grapefruit zest (2 teaspoons). For the glaze, you can also replace 1/2 teaspoon of the grapefruit juice with lemon juice.
Yes, you can make these zesty lemon bars gluten-free.
Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour mix in place of the all-purpose flour. Try our Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix!
Yes, you can make these bars without eggs.
Eggs give these bars structure and moisture. Using 1/2 cup of yogurt or sour cream instead of the two eggs would work well in this recipe.
For more substitution ideas, check out my 12 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking & How to Use Them.
To make sure your lemon bar cookies come out perfectly soft and tender, my most important tip is to not to overbake these bars.
Bake the lemon bar cookies for 18 to 22 minutes, until just set and lightly golden around the edges.
Additionally, when mixing after all of the ingredients are added, mix until just combined.
More Lemony Recipes
Try These Recipes!
Lemon Cookie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Sugar Cookie
- 2 ½ cups (12 ½ oz/ 355 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (8 oz/225 g) butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (12 oz/340 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs , at room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest (about 3 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon lemon extract, optional
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup (4 oz/115 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
To Make the Lemon Sugar Cookie Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add in the sugar and mix on medium high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time and until completely incorporated.
- Stir in the lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract and lemon extract (if using).
- Turn the speed to low and mix in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Spread evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 18-22 minutes, until just set and lightly golden around the edges. (Don’t over bake or they will harden as they cool.) Set aside in the pan and let cool completely.
To Make the Lemon Glaze
- In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice until smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable. If needed, add in the extra tablespoon of lemon juice a little at a time until a pourable consistency is reached.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cookie and let set before cutting into bars.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Extremely yummy!
This is a fantastic recipe! It is lemony in a good way– not too sweet or too sour. I think the three types of lemon balance the flavor nicely. And just the right amount of lemon. The cookie part is soft and the bars rather melt in your mouth. My husband loves lemon and these are his favorite.
TRY THIS RECIPE!!
Thanks for this delicious recipe 🤤🤤 I’ll going to substitute sugar for little bit of Splenda.
Making this today… should I use 1/4tsp salt if I use salted butter? These sound fantastic!