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Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Jun 23, 2014 · 2 Comments

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I just got back from dropping off a plateful of these lip-puckering lemon bars to my grandparents -- my grandparents, who are both from Minnesota. So, of course we were standing around in the kitchen, giggling, saying "bars" with that distinctive Minnesota (Minne-SOH-tah) accent. Dontcha know that accent?? These are the best lemon bars I've ever tasted. Tart filling, buttery crust. Just so good.

**This recipe and blog post were originally published on June 23, 2014.**

Since first sharing this post, my grandparents have both passed away. Oh how I wish I could drive a plate of these bars over to them, but man am I thankful for the memories.

The BEST Lemon Bars

My grandpa had a major sweet tooth, and he was known for his love of chocolate, but his favorite dessert was "lemon pie" as he called it - (lemon meringue pie) - so when I made these lemon bars all those years ago I knew I'd be surprising him with a delivery. The first thing he said when he took a bite was, "these taste just like lemon pie." Mission accomplished. And my grandma said they were the best lemon bars she'd ever had - hence the title.

These lemon bars feature a super simple, press-in shortbread crust. You just whiz the ingredients up in a food processor and it couldn't be easier. The crust mixture is very dry and powdery and you will think you've done something wrong. I promise you haven't. Just press the crust mixture into your parchment lined pan and all will be as it should.

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Lemon Bars


  • Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 24 bars 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

Crust:

  • 2 sticks cold butter, cut into pieces
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

  • 6 eggs
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • zest of one lemon (zest it before you juice it!)
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 9x13x2 inch baking pan, or spray generously with cooking spray. For extra safety, line the pan with parchment paper (butter or spray the paper too!) so that the edges hang over each side. This will help lift the bars out later. The filling can get sticky, so the buttering and spraying is really important, even if you have a non-stick pan.

Place all crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse several times until combined. You will have a dry, crumbly mixture. It won't come together like a dough, but don't worry.

Dump this mixture into the prepared baking pan. Gently even out the mixture, and begin pressing into the bottom of the pan with your fingers and build up about a ½ inch edge on all sides. It doesn't have to be perfectly even.

Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes until just beginning to brown around the edges.

While the crust bakes, prepare the filling:

Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to completely combine.

When the crust is done, pour over filling and return to oven for 25-30 minutes, until the filling is set.

Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. You can also refrigerate them overnight, which makes them even easier to slice. Either way, when ready to slice, slide a thin knife around the edges to make sure the bars are loose, and if you've used parchment you should be able to lift them out in one piece. Place on a cutting board and slice into bars, squares, or triangles and enjoy.

Notes

These are The Best Lemon Bars according to my beloved granny and I can't disagree! A tart, smooth filling on top of a tender, buttery crust? Nothing better!

  • Category: dessert
  • Method: baking

Keywords: Lemon Bars, The Best Lemon Bars

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @wild.thistle.kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #wildthistlekitchen

You might also love these other lemony recipes:

Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd Ice Cream

Lemon Olive Oil Semifreddo

Previous Post: « Fresh Raspberry Lemonade
Next Post: Peach Muffins »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. fudgingood says

    June 23, 2014 at 5:20 pm

    My Better half adores "lemon pie" so I can't wait to make these for him. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  2. sophiebowns says

    June 24, 2014 at 5:51 am

    They look so scrumptious!

    Reply

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My name is Anita and this is where I share rustic, comforting, seasonal recipes & nostalgic food memories from my farmhouse kitchen. I'm so happy you're here! xo - Anita

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