Ultimate Lemon Bars

Hello Spring!  My kitchen has been covered with lemons baking up all sorts of fun treats!  I keep getting emails from some of you asking for a lemon bar recipe and this one is my favorite!  It’s simple, easy and never lets me down.  I love the crust to filling ratio because the worst thing about lemon bars is when the crust is too thin! (Okaye burning your lemon bars would be worse than that…) If the crust is too thin they can break when you try to serve them from the pan.  But I mostly just love having a bite of crust with every bite of zesty lemon curd.  Enjoy my Ultimate Lemon Bars and say goodbye to cold and rainy weather!
The Best Lemon Bar 

Lemon Bars (or Lemonade Bars) are one of my favorite treats because it means summer is right around the corner! If you’ve never made lemon bars before, don’t be intimidated, they’re much easier to make than you may think.  Plus, anything looks professional when it’s dusted in powdered sugar These Ultimate Lemon Bars are going to be your new go-to dessert!  Plus, you can make these the night before any event so you don’t have to be stuck in the kitchen the day of your party!

How to Make Perfect Lemon Bars:

First things first… the crust!  Mix it up in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.  The mix will seem dry but don’t worry!  Dump it into your greased casserole dish (9×13) and then press it down evenly across the bottom of the pan.  The butter and sugar will melt in the oven and form your perfectly crumbly crust!

Beautiful Lemon Bars

So this is the traditional lemon bar.  Cooled to room temp and dusted with powdered sugar. It’s wonderful.  But if you want to be fancy you can add a sliced strawberry or a few raspberries to each slice.  Dressing up your lemon bars with a little fresh fruit really takes them to the next level with very little effort.  You can do this with brownies or even store-bought treats as well!

Ultimate Lemon Bars

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 1 hr

Ingredients

•     1 cup unsalted butter, softened
•     1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•     1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional
•     2 cups + 3 tablespoons white flour, separated
•     2 cups white sugar, separated
•     2 teaspoons lemon zest
•     2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ~4-5 small lemons
•     1 teaspoon salt, separated
•     4 large eggs
•     1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
•     1/4 teaspoon lemon extract, optional
•     1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Line a GLASS or CERAMIC 9 x 13 pan (metal pans tend to make the bars taste metallic) with parchment and lightly spray just the bottom with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, beat together the softened butter, 1/2 cup white sugar, 2 cups of flour, almond extract, vanilla extract, and 3/4 teaspoon salt until well combined.
3. Press down evenly on the bottom of the pan and up the sides 1/2 inch and then place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown at the edges.
4. Meanwhile, place your lemons in the microwave for 15 seconds. Remove, and knead against the counter with your hand. (These two steps help to get your lemons super juicy.)
5. Very finely zest a lemon to get 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Be careful to avoid the white pith of the lemons as that will make your bars bitter. Juice the lemons until you have 2/3rds cup of lemon juice. Pulse the remaining 1 and 1/2 cups white sugar with the 2 teaspoons lemon zest in a food processor or blender -- just a few times to break down the zest and get it incorporated with the sugar.
6. Juice the lemons. Remove 3 tablespoons lemon juice and whisk it in a small separate bowl with the flour until smooth (this will make sure you don't have flour lumps in the mixture!). In another large bowl, lightly beat the 4 large eggs together. Add in the lemon juice along with the lemon juice + flour slurry. Add the sugar and zest mixture, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, lemon extract, and heavy whipping cream. Whisk until well combined.
7. Pour evenly over the HOT crust through a fine mesh sieve (right out of the oven) and bake for another 18-22 minutes. Allow to cool and then chill in the fridge until the lemon layer is firm.
8. In my opinion these are best made the night before, stored in the fridge overnight, and enjoyed the next day!
9. Before enjoying, sprinkle the top of the bars with powdered sugar (through a fine mesh sieve). Slice and enjoy!

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