The Best Lemon Bars

This is the BEST recipe for Lemon Bars I have EVER tried! The shortbread crust is thick and tender, and the lemon custard on top is super tart and creamy. You will never go back!! 

The other day I casually mentioned to my friend Tawna that I made gluten free lemon bars. “Oh really?” she said, “I’ve never had a lemon bar.”

And then my brain EXPLODED.

Okay not really, but GAH!!! The thought of life without lemon bars. If I could only eat one dessert for the rest of my life, it would be this recipe for lemon bars, no lie. (Okay. I’m lying. If in some sick world I really did have to choose, I would flip a coin between these lemon bars and The Best Chocolate Cake I’ve Ever Had.)

Here’s what happens when your stack falls.

Tawna can’t eat gluten. I saw her again last weekend at a church breakfast event where I was loading up on doughnuts. She (again, so casually) mentioned that she’d never had a doughnut. I’M ON A MISSION, GUYS.

Although really I should just go to Sarah from Snixy Kitchen. Gluten-free baking definitely takes some practice and this girl has got it DOWN. Got any doughnut recipes up your sleeve, Sarah?? Spill!

But we can tackle doughnuts another time. Today I’m sharing this Lemon Bar recipe just for Sarah and her little #cheesebabygirl. A bunch of other bloggers and I are throwing a virtual baby shower for her today!! Woo woo partay! (Thanks Alanna and Todd for hosting!)

Sarah and I met at a blogging conference a couple years ago and since then she has literally saved my blog from the jaws of technical difficulties on a number of occasions. She also happens to be one of the most gifted photographers I know and even does food styling for the NY Times. She is crazy talented!!

I was at her house the other day and she showed me all the clothes that her mom has sewn for the baby. We are talking like an entire dresser-full, people, along with several blankets and knits. (Sherry, you are a master seamstress!) This kid is totally going to be better dressed than me, that is for sure.

This lemon bar recipe is an oooold favorite of mine. I perfected the recipe back in 2012 and published it here on the blog, but I love the recipe so much that I wanted to update the photos and tell all you lovely new people about it (since basically it was Eric and my mom reading back then.) I haven’t changed the recipe at all, and it’s too good to remain hidden in my archives.

But there’s a part of me that hates updating my old posts because I love to read the “old me.” It’s like reading pages from my own journal. So probably none of you will care, but for my own sake, here is the link to the original post, where you can read a story about the time I dropped my kid’s lunch on these lemon bars halfway through making them. (See who would want to forget that story?? wait..)

I will keep one of my old photos up though. I was soooooo proud of it. *pinches cheek of former self*

A few notes about the recipe: 1) you MUST make these in a 2-quart, 8×11 inch pan if you want the crust-to-custard ratio you see in the photos. It will definitely work in a 9×13 but the layers will be thinner, which in my opinion, ruins the lemon bars. I want a THICK layer of shortbread and a THICK layer of custard. If you do make these in a 9×13, make sure you lower the baking times.

2) I always make these lemon bars with regular all-purpose flour. But today, since Sarah does not eat gluten (and this is her baby shower after all), I tried these with a gluten-free flour blend. It worked beautifully! I didn’t change the recipe at all besides swapping flours. Score! I love having an easy and delicious recipe on hand for gluten-free friends. Here’s the kind I used:

Oh and on the right is how brown your crust should be.

You are going to be the best mom ever, Sarah! And not just because you will keep your kid dressed in something other than clothes that they have picked out themselves (always the stained hole-y ones, why, why??) Your cheesy little baby is going to be so happy in your family, because you are going to be an amazing mom.

(They call her cheese baby because Sarah has subsisted mostly on cheese throughout her pregnancy. I’m a little jealous. Can I go on a cheese diet?? No? How bout a lemon bar diet?)

If you try out this recipe (DO IT!), snap a photo and share on social using #TheFoodCharlatan. I’d love to see what you are making!

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Lemon Squares

Serves Makes 1 8x11 inch pan (serves 10-20)     adjust servings

Ingredients

For the crust

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour OR a gluten-free blend (I used Bob's Red Mill), spooned and leveled
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or a few shakes more, to taste)
• zest of one lemon

For the custard

• 1 and 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour OR a gluten-free blend (I used Bob's Red Mill), spooned and leveled
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 medium lemons)
• 4 large eggs
• zest of 2-3 lemons (more zest=more tart. I add tons.)
• powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. For the crust:
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8x11 inch pan by lining it with parchment paper or spraying with nonstick spray. Or you could use foil, make sure you spray it with nonstick spray.
3. In a medium bowl (or stand-mixer), beat together softened butter with 1/2 cup sugar, salt and zest.
4. Add 2 cups flour, either all-purpose or a gluten-free blend. Make sure you use a scoop or spoon to place the flour in your measuring cup, then level it off. You don't want to pack your flour.
5. Beat in the flour. It won't come together in a ball probably, but you want to get big clumps that are sticking together. Make sure the butter and flour are incorporated.
6. Press into the bottom of the prepared 8x11 inch pan. Wet your fingers a little if the dough sticks to your hands.
7. Bake at 350 for 24-26 minutes, or until golden around the edges.

For the Custard:

1. In a bowl (or using stand mixer), whisk together the remaining 1 and 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons flour. You can use the unwashed bowl you just used for the crust, but only if you scrape it out pretty well. You don't want clumps in your custard.
2. After whisking the flour and sugar, whisk in the lemon juice, eggs, and zest.
3. When the crust is done, pour the custard over the top. You don't have to wait for the crust to cool.
4. Bake for an additional 26-28 minutes in the preheated oven. The edges should be set with the center still a little wiggly (just a little). The bars will firm up as they cool.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until they are cold, then dust with powdered sugar right before serving. Don't bother doing it before because it will just seep into the custard and you won't see it.
6. Store covered in the fridge.

by The Food Charlatan

Recipe Notes

If you don't like your desserts extremely tart, (what is with you? :) decrease the lemon juice to 2/3 cup, and decrease the flour (in the custard layer) to 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon. Also decrease the zest, maybe do 1 and 1/2 lemons.

This recipe for lemon bars NEEDS to be baked in a 2 quart 8x11 inch dish (here's a link to one). You can absolutely make it in a 9x13 (adjust baking times-it will cook faster), but the bars will not be as thick, and in my opinion, that is what makes these the BEST lemon bars.

All images and text © The Food Charlatan

If you make this recipe, share it on Instagram using the hashtag #TheFoodCharlatan so I can see it!

Don’t forget to check out all the other recipes going up today for Sarah’s baby shower!

Cheesy Things

• the briny – Smoky Beans n’ Greens Enchiladas with Roasted Sweet Potato and Sunflower Seed Cheese
• Half Baked Harvest – Greek Falafel Melts
• Healthy Nibbles & Bits – Japanese-Spiced Goat Cheese Ball with Pistachios
• Just Putzing Around the Kitchen – Cheesy Fried Spinach & Artichoke Bites
• My Natural Kitchen – Brazilian Cheesy Thyme Popovers
• Vanilla And Bean – Almond-Sage Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Gruyere
• Fix Feast Flair – Mixed Greens Salad with Lilikoi Vinaigrette, Honey Macadamia Nuts, and Goat Cheese
• FoodieCrush – Cheesy Sausage Pizza Bread
• Foodness Gracious – Avocado Feta Bowl with Couscous Grilled Chicken and Charred Corn
• Will Frolic for Food – Vegan Walnut Parmesan Zucchini Noodles
• Vegetarian ‘Ventures – Pimento Mac & Cheese Bites
• MJ and Hungryman – Cheese Stuffed Kimchi Pancakes
• Savory Simple – Cheddar Chive Crackers

Sweet Things

• the pig + quill – Mini Vegan PB+J Cheesecakes
• The Kitchen McCabe – Meyer Lemon Pudding Cakes + Honeyed Chevre Whipped Cream
• The Little Epicurean – Matcha Mochi Waffles Sundae
• Shared Appetite – Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Mousse
• The Pancake Princess – Vegan Aquafaba Lemon Meringue Pie
• The Food Charlatan – Lemon Bars {gluten-free}
• Kale & Caramel – Spiced Caramel Chocolate Nut Clusters

Cheesy & Sweet Things

• The Bojon Gourmet – Blood Orange & Corn Flour Ricotta Cake with Whipped Mascarpone {gluten-free}
• HonestlyYUM – Sweet Cheese Puffs (for a Sweet Cheese Baby)
• fit for the soul – Queso Mais Ice cream {No-Churn}
• Completely Delicious – Chocolate Orange Ricotta Scones
• Good on Paper Design – Citrus Ricotta Mini Cakes {gluten-free}
• Floating Kitchen – No-Bake Meyer Lemon Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache Layer {gluten-free}
• Hungry Girl por Vida – Gluten-Free Pretzel Goat Cheesecake Bites
• Heartbeet Kitchen – Roasted Citrus Bowls with Honey Mascarpone
• Salted Plains – Pavlova with Mascarpone Coconut Cream and Candied Citrus
• The Kitchen Paper – Candied Citrus Ricotta Cake
• le jus d’orange – White Cheddar and Apple Mini Pies with Cinnamon-Infused Honey

Here are some other lemony recipes you will love!

Meyer Lemon Tart << Have you tried Meyer lemons yet? They are a little sweeter and more orange-y than a regular lemon and have such amazing flavor. Try this one out!

Here’s another recipe I should reshoot: Lemon Crinkle Cookies with Lemon Frosting. These are SO LEMONY! I love them:

^^Also, I should mention that the fabric in this photo is my shirt. A yellow button up shirt I used to wear all the time. I looked at all my normal food props and didn’t see anything yellow so I just went to my closet. I’m a normal person, I swear.

The Best Lemon Curd: << no lie, guys.

Here’s a recipe for Lemon Cake with Lemon Frosting. It’s one of my favorite cakes!

More lemon love from blog-land:

Lemon Bar Muddy Buddies from Lemon Tree Dwelling
Lemon Crumble Bars from House of Yumm << These look SO GOOD!!!
Lemon Ice Box Pie from Life, Love, and Sugar