These lemon bars have a graham cracker crust, and are so refreshingly tangy and zesty! The texture of the crust complements the gooey, sour lemon curd filling. It’s a party of texture and flavors! These lemon bars are great for summer parties and anytime you want a delightfully puckering treat. A surprisingly easy lemon dessert that’s perfect for any lemon lover.
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💛 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Easy: The crust and filling are so easy to make and you don't even need an electric mixer!
- Lemon: The filling is a gooey sweet and tangy lemon filling that's packed full of lemon flavor!
- Graham crust: It's crumbly, toasty, and the perfect crunchy texture. It contrasts so nicely with the creamy tangy lemon flavor.
If you love lemon bars, you need to try these tangy lemon raspberry bars!
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
- Graham cracker crumbs: I used store-bought graham cracker crumbs but you can crush up whole graham crackers in a food processer. If you don't have a food processor, place the graham crackers into a bag, close it leaving an inch open for air to escape, and crush it with a rolling pin or bottle.
- Lemons: You'll need around 4 large lemons - for ¾ cups lemon juice. Use fresh squeezed lemon juice. It has so much more flavor than lemon juice in bottles!
- Eggs: 1 whole egg and 3 egg yolks are used to thicken the lemon filling and give it a bright yellow color.
- Flour: All purpose flour helps thicken the filling so that it's sliceable and holds together well.
For an easy lemon topping that you can put on anything, try my lemon curd recipe.
👩🍳 How to make lemon bars
Graham cracker crust step by step
Step 1: Line an eight inch or nine inch square baking pan with parchment paper. I like to use two strips and crossing them in the middle, creating long handles on each side to be able to lift it out. Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C).
Step 2: In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, and graham crumbs. Stir together to combine evenly.
Step 3: Pour melted butter into the crust mixture and stir until evenly coated. Transfer into the lined baking pan, smooth, and use the back of a glass to pack the crust into a smooth, even layer.
Step 4: Bake for 6 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and smooth the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. This is to make sure that the crust is really packed in there and prevent too many crumbs.
Lemon bar filling step by step
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Rub the sugar mixture together with your fingers until fragrant, yellow, and moist.
Step 2: Add flour into the sugar mixture and stir with a whisk to break up all the lumps. Stir until even.
Step 3: Add yolks, egg, and lemon juice into the sugar mixture. Whisk to combine until a smooth mixture forms.
Step 4: Pour the lemon filling on top of the graham crust (it’s ok if it’s still hot). Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is still slightly jiggly. The center shouldn’t be liquid! Just slightly jiggly in the middle.
Step 5: Remove the pan from the oven and let the squares cool to room temperature.
Step 6: Carefully lift the lemon bars with graham cracker crust out of the pan by pulling them out using the parchment paper handles. Place them onto a cutting board and cut into 9 (3x3) or 16 (4x4) squares. For clean cuts, make sure to wipe the knife blade between every cut. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
✔️ Expert lemon bar tips
- Don't overmix the filling, and add the eggs and lemon juice at the same time. This will prevent too many air bubbles so that you can get a smooth, yellow topping after baking.
- Don't overbake: Or the surface will crack and have a gummy texture. The bars are ready when the edges are set and the filling is a little wiggly but isn't liquid. It'll continue to set as it cools and chills.
- Cool completely: They'll set even more once they're at room temperature or cooled in the fridge. They need to be thick enough to cut while still being ultra creamy.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
Store the bars refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store them in a single layer so the tops don't get ruined. You can also freeze them for up to two months in an airtight container or bag.
🧊 Can you freeze lemon bars?
Yes you can! The best way to freeze lemon bars is to freeze them in a single layer on a piece of parchment paper. Once they're frozen, transfer them into an airtight bag or container. This method will prevent the tops from getting ruined.
If you're not worrying about ruining the tops, you can place them inside an airtight bag or container before freezing.
Lemon bars freeze well for up to 2 months! Make sure to fully defrost them before eating. Don't heat them up because the lemon topping may melt and burn.
These lemon brownies are so easy to make and freeze really well too!
🍮 How to get a smooth top on lemon bars
Lemon bars can get all bubbly on top because of the air that can be incorporated into the eggs. To prevent this, add the lemon juice and eggs into the filling at the same time.
I don't recommend adding the eggs and yolks into the sugar and whisking before adding the lemon juice anymore. When you whisk just eggs and sugar together, it starts to thicken because of air bubbles added in as the mixture emulsifies.
That's why I recommend adding lemon juice at the same time as the eggs. It dilutes the eggs and prevents too much air to be incorporated into the filling.
If you do get some air bubbles on top of your lemon bars with graham cracker crust, you can use a blow torch to pop them. Just aim the torch at the bubbles briefly to pop them without cooking the top.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Yes, you should refrigerate lemon bars because they contain a lot of eggs which can start to breed bacteria after a few hours at room temperature. I highly recommend refrigerating them, and you should try cold lemon bars too - maybe you'll like them even better!
I haven't tried it but you definitely could try! Wild blueberries or even raspberries will work great because they're low moisture berries with lots of flavor. Add them on top of the lemon filling before baking. You should try these raspberry lemon bars that have a pink raspberry filling!
Yes, use my shortbread crust recipe I used in my lemon raspberry bars. It's perfectly buttery, crumbly, and tender.
🍋 More related recipes
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 ⅓ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup melted butter warm or room temperature
Lemon Filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest from about 2 lemons
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Line an eight or nine inch square baking pan with parchment paper. I like to use two strips and crossing them in the middle, creating long handles on each side to be able to lift it out. Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C).
- In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, and graham crumbs. Stir together to combine evenly.¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 2 ⅓ cups graham cracker crumbs
- Pour melted butter into the crust mixture and stir until evenly coated. Transfer into the lined baking pan, smooth, and use the back of a glass to pack the crust into a smooth, even layer.½ cup melted butter
- Bake for 6 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and smooth the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. This is to make sure that the crust is really packed in there and prevent too many crumbs.
Lemon Filling
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Rub the sugar mixture together with your fingers until fragrant, yellow, and moist.1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Add flour into the sugar mixture and stir with a whisk to break up all the lumps. Stir until even.½ cup all purpose flour
- Add yolks, egg, and lemon juice into the sugar mixture. Whisk to combine until a smooth mixture forms.3 large egg yolks, 1 large egg, ¾ cup lemon juice
- Pour the lemon filling on top of the graham crust (it’s ok if it’s still hot). Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is still slightly jiggly. The center shouldn’t be liquid! Just slightly jiggly in the middle.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the squares cool to room temperature.
- Carefully lift the bars out of the pan by pulling them out using the parchment paper handles. Place them onto a cutting board and cut into 9 (3x3) or 16 (4x4) squares. For clean cuts, make sure to wipe the knife blade between every cut. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Video
Notes
- Don't overmix the filling, and add the eggs and lemon juice at the same time. This will prevent too many air bubbles so that you can get a smooth, yellow topping.
- Don't overbake or the surface will crack and have a gummy texture.
- Cool completely to let them set.
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