Description
These Meyer Lemon Bars feature a buttery shortbread crust topped with a luscious lemon filling. Perfect for satisfying sweet cravings during gatherings or as a simple homemade treat, they’re irresistibly tangy and sweet, making them a must-try for dessert lovers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, replace with flour if omitting)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature, whisked
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
- powdered sugar for dusting
- lemon slices for garnish or lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease or line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper or cooking spray.
- Prepare the crust: In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt, and lemon zest. Add the melted butter and vanilla, mixing until a thick dough forms. Press this dough into the prepared pan, scaling it about ¾ inch up the sides. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- For the filling: Whisk together sugar, flour, and lemon zest. Add in the eggs, lemon juice, and extracts, whisking until smooth.
- Once the crust is done, remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325°F. (Optionally, poke shallow holes in the crust with a fork). Pour the filling over the crust.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes until the filling is just set and the edges are lightly browned.
- Allow to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight until fully set.
- Slice the bars, dust with powdered sugar, and serve. Optionally garnish with lemon slices or zest.
Notes
For added flavor, lemon zest can be increased in both crust and filling.
Using fresh lemon juice will yield the best flavor for these bars.
Ensure the bars are fully cooled before slicing for cleaner cuts.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 50mg