Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars
Dessert

Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars

Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars 

Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars are an absolute staple dessert in my house. I have a serious weakness for any kind of lemon treats. I’ve never been big on sweets, but desserts that are fruit-centered are always delicious. 

This recipe came to me from a woman named Terri. I regret the fact I never had the opportunity to meet her, because I think we would have had a lot of fun together and been great friends. But I am grateful that she gave me her son, who is my favorite person on the planet, and one of the most incredible friends I could ever ask for. 

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The best part about this recipe is that I get to know Terri through her recipes. I often make her oven baked french toast recipe. It is also a staple in my household. Recipes that have tradition and history are the best, in my opinion. Because people and memories live on through these recipes. I feel the same sense of nostalgia when I make Una’s Apple Cake

Food equals memories, traditions, and love. They are often the thing that brings people together. Being given this recipe to not only make but to share with you means the world to me. I always feel honored when someone shares a recipe like this with me. 

Have you tried making these deliciously simple homemade lemon bars yet? Come on in and let me tell you about it! 

Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars
Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars

Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars Ingredients 

Butter, 2 cubes, softened to room temperature 

Powdered Sugar, ½ cup 

Eggs, 4 

Sugar, 2 cups 

Flour, 2 cups plus 4 tablespoons 

Lemon juice, 4 tablespoons plus zest 

Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars
Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars

Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars Directions 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and powdered sugar together. 

Add in 2 cups of flour, and reserve the 4 tablespoons for later. Mix until you have a soft dough. 

Press the dough into a jelly roll pan and bake for 15 minutes at 325 degrees. 

While the dough is blind baking, you can start on the lemon filling! 

Grate the zest of 2 lemons using a microplane, and then juice the lemons. 

In the stand mixer, beat 4 eggs, 2 cups of sugar, and 4 tablespoons of flour. Next add in the lemon juice and zest. 

Pull the crust out of the oven, pour this mixture over the top of the hot crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes. They should still be soft in the middle, and have a tiny bit of jiggle when you move the pan. If they form a crust on top, that means they were over baked. They are still delicious, and you can just cover them with powdered sugar. But keep that in mind and adjust your cooking time for the next time you make them.  

Let the bars cool for at least an hour, and then dust with powdered sugar, if desired. 

Nothing left to do but enjoy them! 

Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars
Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars

Recipe Notes 

If you want to freeze these lemon bars for later, let them cool completely. Place them in the freezer for an hour, then pull them out and wrap them in plastic wrap. Once they are wrapped in plastic wrap, place them in a plastic bag, sealed container, or even a vacuum sealed bag. They should last about 3 months in the freezer. 

Lemon bars will last about 4 days before they start to get a little bit mushy, so I recommend eating or freezing them within four days. Since lemon bars are basically a custard, I do recommend refrigerating any leftovers after serving. I have heard of people leaving them out, but it isn’t something I do myself. 

I also recommend using fresh lemons and juicing them as opposed to using bottled lemon juice. It is absolutely possible to use bottled lemon juice, but it isn’t quite as good, in my opinion. Plus you’ll be missing the zest of the lemon, which will really mute the flavor. Be prepared for that if you do use bottled juice. 

If you see air bubbles rising, don’t be alarmed. These are bubbles that occur when the eggs are whisked together in the mixer. They may rise up and form small brown spots on the surface of your lemon bars. Don’t worry, they are super easy to cover up with powdered sugar. 

I’m going to be honest when I say that I read this recipe originally, and I had no clue what a jelly roll pan was. That was a new one to me, and it might be to you as well. But I will tell you that it is absolutely essential to this recipe. Because I’ve had so much trouble in the past trying to make lemon bars, and forming the crust and getting it to blind bake correctly. This pan really is a game changer! 

Can you use a cookie sheet or glass pan for lemon bars? Carefully, but I wouldn’t recommend it. A jelly roll pan has higher sides than a cookie sheet, so you won’t spill the lemon mixture when you add it to the crust, and the design allows for a perfectly even blind bake on the crust. Because the crust on lemon bars is everything. With a glass pan, it will bake both faster and darker than a metal pan. So you’ll want to keep an eye on that if you use one. I’ve never had good luck making the crust until I tried the jelly roll pan. Terri knew what she was talking about with that one! 

Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars
Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars

Why I Love This Recipe 

Lemon bars have always seemed so complicated to me, and I’ve screwed up more lemon bar crust than I can even begin to tell you about. But with this recipe, it really was simple and straightforward. This is a recipe that anyone of any skill level can follow and make an amazing dessert. 

Lemon desserts have always been my weakness. I love the combination of sweet and tart together. I rarely like chocolate, or overly sweet dishes. Give me a lemon dessert any day, and I’m beyond happy. When my favorite person gave me this recipe of his mom’s, I was very excited. I’ve made it several times and had amazing results. 

My husband, Nathan, and I made these Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars together, along with dinner for the night, and I prepared tomorrow’s dinner at the same time. It really is that simple, that it can be made while doing other things in the kitchen. He devoured these deliciously simple homemade lemon bars once they had cooled as well, going back for seconds. Although I think he took enough for seconds the first time around. 

This is a recipe that I have made all year long. But during the summer, I always find lemon desserts to be even more refreshing and delicious than any other time. I also plan on making it during the holidays to take to family gatherings. It is the ultimate crowd-pleasing dessert. 

Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars
Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars

Discussion 

Have you tried making these deliciously simple homemade lemon bars yourself yet? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

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Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars
Deliciously Simple Homemade Lemon Bars

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