If you're looking for a homemade lemon bars recipe that is extra lemony, tart, and tangy you've found it! The tanginess of the lemon custard and the spicy sweetness of the crust work together to create a uniquely delicious bar cookie. Best of all it's super easy, too.
Table of Contents
Lemon Bars Ingredients
This is a simple recipe with easy to find ingredients - AND it's delicious!
- Lemons
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Butter
- Flour
- Gingersnaps or other suggested cookies
- Confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Blend cookies until they turn into find crumbs.
- Rub the butter into the crumbs.
- Spoon it into the greased pan.
- Press down firmly and bake.,
- Break room temperature eggs into a bowl
- Blend with a fork or whisk.
- In another bowl whisk together sugar, flour, and Confectioner's sugar.
- Grate the lemon zest over the bowl with the flour mixture.
- Stir in the zest.
- Whisk eggs into the sugar and flour mixture.
- Add lemon juice.
- Pour over the baked crust.
Tips
- Grease the pan and line with parchment - then grease the parchment. Let the parchment hang over the edge for easy removal.
- Use a food processor to get the gingersnap crumbs as fine as possible so when you press into the pan it forms a firm, yet tender, crust.
- Use cold butter to create the crumb crust.
- Once the crumbs are in the crust push down with a drinking glass to ensure the crust is evenly thick.
- Always bake the crust first. This keeps it from getting soggy.
- Be sure your ingredients are room temperature.
- For the best color use pasture raised eggs. The chickens have better access to a variety of natural foods and the yolks are darker and richer, in my opinion.
- Microwave your lemon a few seconds or firmly roll it on the counter for a minute or two. This will give you more juice from each lemon.
- If you like thinner bars use a 11x7-inch baking pan. If you like thicker bars use a 8x8-inch pan. You'll need to cook the thicker ones a little longer.
Variations
- Use lemon cookies instead of gingersnaps.
- Or, use graham crackers, 'Nilla Wafers, or butter cookies.
- Use part orange juice.
- Use all grapefruit juice.
- Try lime or key limes.
FAQs
Recipe rated: Easy - kids 8 - 12 can do this with help.
How long should you let them cool?
For the best results lemon bars should cool to room temperature (about an hour) and then be refrigerated for 2 hours before cutting.
Storage
These custard based bar cookies should be kept in the refrigerator. Plan on eating them within two days or so. You can also freeze them.
What is the best way to cut lemon bars?
After bars have chilled in the refrigerator pop them in the freezer for about 30 minutes so that they almost freeze. Pull up on the parchment to remove the uncut bars from the pan. Cut carefully with a very sharp chef's knife dipped in hot water.
How many lemons make a cup of juice?
You'll need 4 or 5 lemons for a cup of lemon juice.
Get the kids involved
Some of my best memories are of baking with my Mom, although those are few and far between. I was messy and she hated messes - it was not a great combination! Baking with your kids is a great way to make holiday memories and create new family traditions - even when the kids are small. Here are some ways to get the littles involved -
- Place paper doilies on top of the chilled lemon bars and let someone sift powdered sugar over the top. When you carefully lift the doily there's a beautiful design left behind!
- Use a reamer and let someone squeeze the lemons to get all the juice out.
- Mixing the butter and the cookie crumbs and then pressing it into the baking pan is simple - most kiddos over the age of 5 or 6 can do it.
Related recipes
Here are some more of my favorite holiday recipes!
- Lemon Snaps cookies are another way to get that tangy lemon flavor! So easy!
- Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake is so easy and so lemony!
- No Bake Lemon Cheesecake is like the one Woolworths use to serve.
- Lemon & Lavender Butter Cookies are pretty, delicate, and easy to make ahead.
Kaffeeklatsch
When I was little we lived in a small little town on the outskirts of a rather large city. There wasn't an all-inclusive grocery store back then; instead Mom picked up meat at the butcher shop, vegetables at the farm stand, and baked items at the bakery. I think there was one largish grocer for canned goods and boxed items as well.
That was back in the day when ladies changed out of their house-dresses and put on a dress, stockings, high heels, and lipstick to go to the store. It seems funny now... I mean have you ever been to the neighborhood everything store?
Exactly.
I loved watching my mom get ready and, although I was very much a tomboy, I didn't mind the puffy dress and patent leather shoes I had to put on because I knew that a trip to the bakery was ahead. Once at the bakery the ladies would gush over my curls and offer me lemon filled donuts.
Score!
Since then any kind of lemon filled pastry just fills me with contentment. After 7 years of curls and those extra tangy lemon bars I am conditioned to feel good about the world after eating one of these.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Bars with Gingersnap Crust
Print Pin Recipe SaveIngredients
Crust
- 3 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
- ¼ cup butter ice cold
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon Confectioner's sugar, plus more for sifting over the top of the bars
Filling
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons Confectioner's sugar
- Zest from one lemon
- 4 eggs
- ⅔ cup lemon juice
I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9x9 or 11 x7 - inch pan
- In a food processor, add gingersnap cookies and pulse until crumbly.
- Add butter and salt.
- Pulse until combined.
- Line gingersnap crust on the bottom of a glass baking pan; bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven.
Lemon Filling
- Whisk together sugar, flour, and Confectioner's sugar.
- Break eggs into a separate bowl and beat until well blended and frothy.
- Whisk them into the sugar and flour mixture.
- Add lemon juice.
- Pour over the baked crust.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until filling is set.
- Let bars come to room temperature then cover and chill for at least an hour.
- Dust with Confectioner's sugar and cut into squares.
Notes
- Grease the pan and line with parchment - then grease the parchment. Let the parchment hang over the edge for easy removal.
- Use a food processor to get the gingersnap crumbs as fine as possible so when you press into the pan it forms a firm, yet tender, crust.
- Use cold butter to create the crumb crust.
- Once the crumbs are in the crust push down with a drinking glass to ensure the crust is evenly thick.
- Always bake the crust first. This keeps it from getting soggy.
- Be sure your ingredients are room temperature.
- For the best color use pasture raised eggs. The chickens have better access to a variety of natural foods and the yolks are darker and richer, in my opinion.
- Microwave your lemon a few seconds or firmly roll it on the counter for a minute or two. This will give you more juice from each lemon.
- If you like thinner bars use a 11x7-inch baking pan. If you like thicker bars use a 8x8-inch pan. You'll need to cook the thicker ones a little longer.
- Store in the refrigerator or freeze.
- Use lemon cookies instead of gingersnaps.
- Or, use graham crackers, 'Nilla Wafers, or butter cookies.
- Use part orange juice.
- Use all grapefruit juice.
- Try lime or key limes.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Sign up for the emails and never miss another recipe!!
We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published December 16, 2018. Last updated March 9, 2020 to improve reader experience and speed up loading time.
Kelly D
I have been looking for a recipe with a gingersnap crust. It's mentioned a couple times to use cold butter for the crust, however, in the recipe directions it states "to add melted butter". So, should the butter be melted or added cold? Thanks.
Marye Audet
I had was adapting one of my crumb crust recipes and didn't change that part. It's fixed now.
Sandi
I am so excited to try these lemon bars. Our lemon tree is full of lemons and I was just looking for some lemon recipes. I love that you paired these with CK Mondavi's Chardonnay!
Betsy Cohen
Such wonderful memories you have of going to all of those stores. I would also be happy to get all dressed up for a trip to the bakery! Love that you baked your bars in a gingerbread crust for a lovely twist. Can't wait to try these with CK Mondavi Chardonnay, too.