Best Lemon Bars
This recipe is old but not old fashioned; the Best Lemon Bars never go out of style! Combine a tart lemon curd with a shortbread crust and the result is divine, a family favorite for almost 40 years!
A friend recently requested a copy of my recipe for Lemon Bars so I thought that a good reason to make some for me too, right? There are many recipes online but this is the one I’ve been using forever; didn’t realize how long forever was until I went to get the recipe and spied the awful photos. In this case forever was 2009.
Good excuse for me to make some more right? The recipe is from a cookbook that was a gift from my parents when I first showed an interest in cooking and baking; the Artist in the Kitchen is a cookbook published in 1977 for the St. Louis Art Museum and put together by the Friends of The St. Louis Art Museum. All recipes are from the personal archives of members and the Museum staff. Not unlike a Junior League cookbook…they are the best recipes from member’s personal archives.
I realize that I’ve got two favorites in this book and how easy they are to find; the pages are pretty evident since they are the only two with butter fingerprints and signs of regular use..I need to try something else don’t I?
One recipe is for these Lemon Bars and the other for a delicious Zucchini and Cream Cheese Casserole. It’s easy and rich and I have always said I could eat the entire dish of that zucchini!
What makes them the best lemon bars (or squares…same thing!)? Well, there are a million variations but this one has always worked so well for me; I think it’s got a bit of extra lemon juice and has been a favorite of friends and family for years so I won’t tempt fate by trying another!
I had a darling friend who passed a few years ago who begged me to make them for him occasionally; he’s the one who insisted they were THE BEST LEMON BARS! I’ve also revised the recipe a bit in another post, Luscious Lemon Bars for a Crowd, if you need a dessert that will serve more people.
You’ll find the same photos and a similar recipe but I’ve revised that recipe a bit with more filling so you can stretch this treat to feed more people.
If you want to try something similar but over the top, check out these Lemon Coconut Bars with Mascarpone Cheese from Nordstrom’s Cafe. My daughter and I ordered lemon bars for dessert one day and this was their version. More work but also amazing.
When everyone is looking for the next best thing; I often find more comfort in something vintage, reliable and so delicious and these Lemon Bars fit the bill perfectly.
Lemon Bars have been a favorite for so long and I never see that changing; so whether you’ve been making them for years or are ready to take your first plunge; this recipe is simply the BEST!
More Favorite Dessert Bars
- Orange Chocolate Chip Blondies
- Browned Butter Blondies with White Chocolate Chips and Pecans
- Milk Bar Pie Bars
- Southern Pecan Bread
- Cranberry Bliss Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate Brownies with Salted Caramel Glaze
- Salted Chocolate and Caramel Shortbread Bars
- Lemon Coconut Bars with Mascarpone Cheese
- Lemon Bars for a Crowd (more filling; cut into smaller pieces)
- Toffee Apple Bars
- Old Fashioned Date Bars
- Orange Creamsicle Bars
PIN IT! ‘The Best Lemon Bars’
The Best Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups flour
For the Filling
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
- Powdered sugar for top
Instructions
To Prepare the Crust
- Blend butter with powdered sugar and flour. Press on the bottom of a 9X13X2 inch pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly colored.
To Prepare the Filling
- Beat the eggs and blend with sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, baking powder, salt, lemon juice and rind. Pour over baked crust.
- Return to oven and continue baking for 25-30 minutes. Sift powdered sugar over the top. Cool and cut into squares or bars.
Behangerbedrijf Kamp Enschede is een professioneel behangbedrijf dat bekend staat om zijn vakmanschap en hoogwaardige service. Gevestigd in Enschede, Nederland, richt dit bedrijf zich op het transformeren van ruimtes met prachtig aangebracht behang, zowel voor particuliere als zakelijke klanten.
I just sampled the lemon bars thanks to the fabulous baking of my friend Barb Mays, and they were the best lemon bars I’ve ever tasted – and I’m a lemon bar fan from way back! Thank Babs!