These easy-to-make lemon bars taste delicious, take only about an hour total, and use only one bowl and one pan. So easy that kids can make these.

Lemon bars

  • Servings: 8-16
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

tray on black

  • 7 Tbsp. butter (salted or unsalted)
  • 1 C.  (base) and 2 tsp. (filling) flour
  • 1/4 C. confectioner’s (icing) sugar, plus more for dusting
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 C. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 lemon (zest + 2 Tbsp. juice)

Directions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350ºF
  2. Put butter in an 8″ x 8″ pan and place it in the oven to melt the butter (should take about 5 minutes depending on how long you’ve been pre-heating the oven)
  3. When butter has melted, add 1 C. flour and 1/4 C. confectioners’ sugar directly into pan.  Stir until combined then flatten into pan using a fork.  Bake this base for 15 minutes
  4. Beat eggs and sugar in medium bowl until fluffy
  5. Add the remaining ingredients except the confectioners’ sugar needed for dusting (2t. flour, zest of the lemon, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt) and blend until combined
  6. When base has baked for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and evenly spread the lemon layer on top of the hot base.
  7. Return pan to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes more.
  8. Remove the bars when they start to brown on the edge.  Let them cool in the pan.
  9. When bars are cool, using a small sieve, sprinkle the confectioners’ sugar on top.  Cut into squares.


Lessons Learned/Advice:

  • Because you are using the zest, make the effort to use an organic lemon (if you don’t already only use organic)
  • The amount of lemon juice can vary a little — generally use all the juice from one lemon.  I prefer the more tart regular (non-Meyer) lemons for this recipe
  • The edges get chewy – and the edge pieces are the most popular
  • It doesn’t matter when you sprinkle the extra confectioners’ sugar — before or after cutting, as long as the bars have cooled long enough for the sugar not to melt.

Credits:

Williams-Sonoma Kids Cookies is the source for this — fabulous cookies that are easy to make for kids and adults alike.

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