The Best Lemon Bars You Will Ever Eat

Submitted by PBShakes

"This recipe comes from a friend of my mom. My fiance and I credit this recipe for getting us into our current home-I bribed my landlord with a batch when we turned in the rent application!! No one I know has ever tasted better lemon bars."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 15-20 bars

ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1⁄2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter (1/2lb) or 1 cup margarine, cold (1/2lb)
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 large lemons, juice of, about a 1/2 cup
• 1 pinch salt

directions

1. Crust:

2. Mix 2 cups flour and powdered sugar. Cut in the butter then use your hands to knead it into a moist ball. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and brush with melted butter. Pat the dough into an even layer at the bottom of the prepped pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
3. While crust is baking mix: eggs, granulated sugar, remaining flour, lemon juice and salt.
4. Pour over baked crust. Bake for 20 min more. If it's still a little loose in the middle turn off the oven, open the door for one minute to allow heat to escape then close it and leave in cooling oven for another 5-10 minutes until it has set.
5. Remove from oven. Using the parchment as a sling carefully move uncut bar to a cutting surface. Cut immediately into squares with a long sharp knife (run knife under hot water before and between cuts) and sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar (optional). Allow to cool.

Reviews

[heavenslice]

Very yummy! I followed the directions as written and did not find them hard to make, the crust reminded me of pie crust and I may try it in the food processor next time (and there will be a next time). The parchment paper sling really helped to cut the bars while they were still hot (then I just slung them back in the pan after they were cut but more carefully as I had cut some of the parchment paper, too). I cut them into 32 bars and it was a good size for us. Definitely going in my keeper book.

 

[Lori Ann D]

I wish I could give a separate rating for taste and for preparation. Definitely a 5+ for taste, but maybe a 3 for prep. I've never made lemon bars before, so maybe that was my problem. I wasn't sure if the butter should be melted or softened. I softened it and it made sort of a sticky, pasty mess which was VERY difficult to spread in the pan. Be sure to spray the sides of the pan as well as the bottom. The crust stuck to the sides of the pan and ripped off the bars when I removed them (and the crust is the best part IMHO!). Very important - cut the bars IMMEDIATELY upon removing from the oven - cut them even before you sprinkle with powdered sugar. The top formed a layer before I had finished putting on the powdered sugar, and it made the bars VERY messy to cut. They basically tore apart. Bottom line.... the bars taste WONDERFUL... they just don't look very wonderful! I think I'll try the recipe again though with the changes I mentioned above. :)