I made these lemon bars to take to my first tennis match of the season. It was my first time making them and I don’t really know why I have not made them before now. I take that back I do know why. I like them too much! To me there is nothing better than a sweet and tart dessert. I love lemon meringue pie and lemon cake. Now I have another favorite. It is easy to put together. The bars have just two layers, but you don’t have to let the first layer cool before pouring in the lemon layer. After baking you’ll have to let them cool for about two hours before cutting them. Sorry that you can’t dig right in.
The first layer is a buttery shortbread crust. The crust is so good! Top that with a refreshing lemon filling and a dusting of powdered sugar and you have the perfect lemon bar. You know what I might just be making these luscious bars for every tennis match and change their name to Lucky Lemon Bars. Yes, I won my tennis match thanks to my partner Angela and to the Lucky Lemon Bars!
Luscious Lucky Lemon Bars from Southern Living
Makes about 2 dozen
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over the sides.
- Stir together 2 cups of flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large bowl until smooth; whisk in granulated sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir together baking powder and remaining 1/4 cup of flour: whisk into egg mixture. Pour mixture over hot baked crust.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Lift from pan, using sides of paper as handles. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes). Cut into bars; sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Happy Cooking,
The Teacher Cooks
The Teacher Cooks 
Those lemon bars look luscious and your photography is superb! Thanks for reminding me of a long forgotten dessert that I used to make at least once a month! Your blog is awesome and provides both great ideas and recipes. Now, can you just teach me how to make biscuits? That really is an art! Happy cooking to you and your students!
Anna, You are so sweet. I can teach you the art of making biscuits. Thanks for the wonderful comment!
Luscious lemons bars and stunning photography. A winning combination. Great seeing you at the Food Blog Forum this weekend.
Thanks so much Lynn. It was great to see you, too.
Oh my goodness you had me at shortbread. I have been craving lemon bars ALL DAY. I’m not joking, I really have been. That’s so cool that you won the match! I bet they are lucky somehow…heehee. Thanks for sharing this!
Beautiful lemon bars. I love lemon desserts. These would just make me smile 🙂
Hi fellow food bloggers!
After attending the foodblogforum last weekend, a couple of us decided it would be great to get together on a regular basis to talk about blogging, what’s working, what’s not and help each other out. It’s a chance for great networking and we’ll plan it around a meal. We’re planning on having our first meeting Wed. Sept 22 at 10:00 at OK Cafe near I-75 and West Paces Ferry Road. Please let me know if you can come. Hope to see you there!
Becky Reynolds Smith
http://whats4dinnertonite.wordpress.com/
These are also a family favourite at our house.
🙂
Valerie
I didn’t know that lemon zest gives for an authentic flavor in the lemon bars.
I didn’t know that lemon zest gave the bars a more natural lemon taste.
These were really good and it was really cool that you brought them in for us to try!
These lemon bars were really good and it was really nice of you to bring them in and share them with us. I cant waite to be able to go home and try and make them!!
I didnt know that u could save them and then eat them later as a great snack.
I love these! I also love how you add the powdered sugar on top. It adds a very great taste to the bars!
what is the diffenece in a large egg and a normal one.
Those lemon bars were so good! My mom never makes them so I really enjoyed eating them last week.
The lemon bars you let us sample were really good! Might look up the recipe and try making them at home! 🙂
i though the lemon bars were very delicious i see that you use lemon zest instead of like lemon icing of lemons period cause ive never heard of lemon zest.
I did not know that you had to let them cool for two hours before cutting them.
I didnt know if you didnt let them cool for two hours it could take away from the flavor and i also didnt know that you could line the 9×13 pan with parchment paper!
I learned that it has two layers and you don’t have to let the first layer cool before pooring in the lemon layer.
I think its interesting how you can cook the lemon bars and they’re still really soft and sticky.
I have never had lemon bars before and they look very good. It’s interseting to me that you have to let them cool down for 2 hours before cutting them so they dont get ruined
i learned that you have to put 1 tsp. lemon zest
I learned that you don’t have to let the first layer cool before pouring in the lemon layer.
I didn’t realize that there are two layers in the lemon bars
I didnt know that you had to wait 2 hours before cutting them into squares
I learned that you have to let the crust cool before you put in the filling.(:*
they had a soft squishy texture they appealing to the eye. that was the first time i had lemon bars and they would not be something i would be interested in making at home.
I learned that there are two layers in the lemon bars.
this was the first time i had this, and it was good !
I learned that you don’t have to let the first layer cool before pouring in the lemon layer but you don’t have to let them cool for 2 hours before cutting them.
I always thought you could substitute powdered sugar for regular sugar and get the same result. I learnded that you cant.
I didn’t know you would use powdered sugar in the actual recipe, i thought you just sprinkled that on top.
i wouldnt expect them to need baking powder because most of the time its used to make cakes rise.
I learned that if you put lemon zest in it, it will have a stronger lemon taste
the lemon bars had a very interesting taste. i learned too much lemon can be a bad thing
I learned that lemon zest is the skin of a lemon.
These bars were delicious. I most definitely will try to make those later this week. I did not know that a lemon zest was the skin of a lemon and I had no idea it would give a dish such a pleasant lemony flavor.
I learn how to whisk sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest all together.
I didn’t know that you place parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. It seems like it would make for an easier clean-up.
I really liked these lemon bars. I never had one before so it was a nice refreshing treat. I plan on trying to make these at home.
I learned that the lemon zest it made from the lemon skin. They were really good, i didn’t think I would like it but I did.
i learned that the parchment paper can go right in the over. i thought for sure it would burn up.
those were delicious. I didnt know you could use lemon zest sted of leamon icing.
I didn’t know that lemon zest gave the bars a more natural lemon taste. I just thought it was for appearance.
I wasn’t aware that there were two layers and you don’t have to let the first layer cool before pouring in the second (lemon) layer.
i learned that you dont have to let the first layer cool before pouring in the lemon layer.
i learned that they cook for 20-25 mins and then you have to let them cool another 30.
i learned that you can line the pan with parchment paper
i didnt know you had to let foods cool before cutting them!
i happy to know this recipe so i can make at home
i didnt know you had to let foods cool before cutting them!
well i never knew you can use lemon zest for this dish but now i know but why do you use so many eggs??
These lemon bars look so good and sound so easy to make i should try to make them at home and let my family try them to
i like lemon bars. i learned to let them cool before you cut them.
there was alot that went in to this i was kind of confused on the process with the two layers though it looked good definatly was a good lab.
i learned that if you dont let the food cool it will mess it all up. I love lemon bars
Light delicious cake that melts in your mouth and super easy to make.highly recomend