BEST LEMON BARS EVER !!

Menu The BEST Freaking Lemon Bars on Earth You think I’m kidding? I’m not. I swore a long time ago that I would only put up my very best recipes on the blog- and this one is absolutely freaking awesome. And easy too. You will never, ever, buy the ready-to-make box of pseudo-lemon bars again. This one is the be all and end all. The crust is like shortbread- heck, no- it IS shortbread. Buttery, buttery shortbread. Topped with lemony, lemony, tangy lemon curd. EVEN Bean eats these- he calls them HIS lemon square bars. Make them. Now. Today. And then return and report. I want to hear how they made your knees weak… Bean’s Lemon Square Bars Preheat oven to 350 degrees 3 cups all purpose flour 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 1/2 cups of butter (3 sticks) melted completley Mix flour and powdered sugar together, then pour the butter over the dry ingredients. Mix together gently, until just crumbly. Lightly spray a 9 x 13″ casserole pan (metal with straight sides is best for this) with cooking spray, and then press the crumbs firmly into the pan in an even-ish layer. I like to leave little bumps from my fingers- gives it a rustic texture, but you can do whatever you want. (I also like a thick crust, so if you like it thinner, don’t use all the mix, or make two pans) Bake for 15 minutes at 350. While that’s baking, make the lemon curd: 6 whole eggs 3 cups white sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup flour 1/3 cup FRESH lemon juice. NO skimping with frozen or the squeezie lemon on this one. Don’t do it. the outer yellow zest from 2 or 3 lemons. In bowl (I use the same one I made the crust in, just rinsed out) whip the six eggs with a whisk until they are uniform and light. Add the sugar, baking powder and flour, and stir to combine well. With a microplane or small grater, zest only the outer yellow skin from two of your fresh, washed lemons. Probably about 2 Tablespoons. Add tot he egg/sugar mixture. Squeeze the lemons, straining out the pips and  pulp, and add the 1/3 cup of juice. After 15 minutes, pull the crust from the oven, and immediately pour the curd mixture over the hot crust, scraping the bowl to get all the lemony goodness. Pop it back in the over for 45 minutes, or until set and it doesn’t jiggle in the center. Let cool COMPLETELY (it will be a mess if you rush it, trust me!) before slicing into neat squares. Dust with powdered sugar, and watch your knees give out as you taste them. This is one of the foods I miss most from before gluten and my histamines got in a land war. About these ads Share this: Facebook1K+Twitter8PrintEmail Loading... Related Jam Shortbread Jewels Recipe: German Apple Pancake In "Making Stuff" Recipe: Bean's Breakfast Muffins In "Recipes" May 29, 2010 « Previous Next » Natasha on May 29, 2010 at 10:59 pm Ya, I made some gluten-free lemon squares and I was the only person who liked them. They weren’t as good as gluteny squares but I was just happy to be able to indulge in something, and of course the lemon part was the same. I have never had a lemon square that even comes close to being as good as Martha’s (the recipe I use) but I can tell that yours would. Most people make them sickly sweet. If you don’t like sour stuff, don’t use lemons. I like tart. OF COURSE you only use real lemons and fresh butter. jen on May 30, 2010 at 12:49 am We will have to try these soon – they sound heavenly! Sunny on May 30, 2010 at 2:04 am I’ll be right over. Save me some. kadusey on May 30, 2010 at 2:36 am I adore homemade lemon bars. None of the recipes I have tried making myself before have quite turned out right. The lemon doesn’t set up or the crust is too crumbly or burns onto the pan or something always seems to go wrong. I am definitely going to have to try these. Hopefully I don’t mess them up. They sound easy and delicious though, so as long as I can get my oven temp right (it is over-zealous with how hot it gets) I think they ought to turn out amazing. Carrie on May 30, 2010 at 8:57 am I am so going to make these. Maybe even today. I have a bunch of lemons on our tree that are asking to be picked and used. Bek on May 30, 2010 at 9:20 am Yum. Since we are a glisten intolerent house too I am going to try them with almond or coconut flour and artificial sweetener. I’ll let you know. Do you ever have ezekial bread? It’s from sprouts but is ok. We also just tried the gleutin free brownie mix… So so Sunny on May 31, 2010 at 12:21 pm Made these yesterday. Oh. My. Heavens. They are beyond good. And even better today, now that the filling is really really set and the flavors have settled in. I can’t get enough. I wanted to make them to share with a couple of families, but I can’t bear the thought of parting with any. While ya’ll are hung up on gluten, I’m gonna call these “Glutton Bars”, cuz that’s what they make me. Guess I’ll have to make another pan to share. Side note: I had to bake them 6 or 7 extra minutes to get the middle to set, which got the top a little brown, but not burnt by any means. My oven may run a little hot. Next time I’ll either drop the temp a bit or lower the rack (but it was already one below the middle). Any suggestions? Peggy Candela Pettis on July 22, 2013 at 12:51 pm Do yourself a huge favor and buy a thermometer for your oven and you’ll have a much easier time baking, roasting, etc… I always have one hooked on my oven rack. I can’t wait to try these babies! Tracy M on May 31, 2010 at 2:59 pm Hmm… not sure, Sunny. I bake mine in the mid-upper rack of my oven. I guess it just depends on the oven. I’m so glad you liked them though! I know, if i wouldn’t go into a histamine coma, I’d seriously eat the whole pan. Sunny on May 31, 2010 at 10:10 pm And we did. Kaelee on June 1, 2010 at 3:14 pm My goodness Tracy… these were DIVINE. I made them for the roommates late last night, and they were gone before we all went to bed. Granted, my roommates are the sort who can [and will] eat five corndogs apiece in one sitting and gain nary a pound…. but still. Six of us gobbled up the entire batch in merely a few hours. One of my roommates even went out and bought more lemons this morning so I can make these bars again tonight. No joke. I LOVE these. And you, but that goes without saying. Oh, and my roommates say thanks. Tracy M on June 1, 2010 at 3:50 pm Kaelee, that’s fantastic! Hooray for good recipes and foodie friends! Melissa on June 4, 2010 at 6:43 am Freakin’ wow! These are fantastic and way easier than the recipe I usually use. I’m making another batch today to share with friends. Thanks! Susan on September 7, 2010 at 10:22 am When I sprinkle powdered sugar over finished bars the sugar always melts into the bar and ‘disappears’. How do you do this so the powdered sugar still shows on the top of the bar? Does it need some kind of egg wash seal? Tracy M on September 7, 2010 at 1:06 pm Susan, nope. You wait until they are completely cooled, slice them, THEN powedered-sugar them. Good luck! susan on September 7, 2010 at 8:46 pm I do let them completely cool. The sugar does not stay, it still melts away…. Tracy M on September 7, 2010 at 9:49 pm Hmmmm…. well, that’s very odd. Is it super humid where you live? I’ve never had that happen, and am perplexed. Humidity is the only thing I can imagine might do that. Jennifer on February 14, 2011 at 7:16 pm This is a great and easy recipe. It was a great hit; everyone enjoy it! ErinAnn on February 14, 2011 at 9:56 pm Okay…I’ve been wanting to make lemon bars, but I decided not to because I have to substitute coconut oil for the butter. (My baby doesn’t like his Mama milk to have cow milk in it.) But now THIS got woken up and I think it must be a sign. Your’s look fantastic! I love that they’re so solid AND made specifically with fresh lemon juice. Have you tried substituting a flour mix for your cookie base? I have some gluten-free flour (Bob’s), so I think I’ll give it a whirl. That way I can take some to my gluten-free buddies too. Pingback: Barrinhas de Limão « bichinhasnacozinha Pingback: Barrinhas de Limão | bichinhasnacozinha Pingback: Barrinhas de Limão « Entre Fraldas e Panelas Sage on July 18, 2011 at 12:57 am I’m going to try these with my gluten-free flour. In high school my friend and I made a pan of these and ate the wholething ourselves! (Now I’ll have to share or I’ll gain five pounds)! I’ve been loking for ones as goodever since (and that was 25 years ago). Jody on November 17, 2011 at 8:08 am Are you sure about the 3 sticks of butter in the crust? There is nothing crumbly about that mixture? It appears to be very greasy?? Karen Peterson on September 5, 2012 at 10:40 am Mine was not very crumbly either; it bake up fine though. The timing was too long for me as mine turned out brown on the top (didn’t check them early though) vicki on January 22, 2012 at 8:37 pm Easy to make,wonderful to eat!!! Fool proof recipe, made them after a neighbor gave me a bag of fresh lemons. The crust was great and the lemon was sweet and refreshing, not overwhelming. All around great recipe!!! WVS on February 26, 2012 at 3:55 pm I’d do this, but I’ve got no lemons. Booo. Pingback: Barrinhas de Limão | Sabores Com História Kelly Light on April 30, 2012 at 2:25 pm These were spectacular! I don’t bake but wanted to give it a try… this was an easy recipe to follow and the bars were a huge hit!!! Thank you!! laena on March 1, 2013 at 12:57 am I made these exactly to the recipe but cannot taste ANY trace of lemon. So disappointed I just used 3 stick of valuable butter and am left with my terrible craving i knew the 3 cups of sugar would be so much and only 1/3 cup of juice for all that filling. I’m so sad I’ll go weep now . René on March 4, 2013 at 1:08 pm I used about twice the amount of lemon juice and the zest from three lemons, and the lemon taste did come through quite well. I prefer to be punched in the face with lemon flavor, so next time I make this I will add even more lemon juice and zest. Also