This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy for additional information.
Why You’ll Love My Recipe
These Creamy Lemon Bars are sunshine on a plate! With a buttery shortbread crust and a silky lemon filling, they bring the perfect pop of citrus to every bite. Sweet, tart, and timeless, these bars are a favorite no matter the season!
Can’t get enough lemon? Keep the citrus party going with my Lemon Cookies, Lemon Blackberry Muffins, or a slice of classic Lemon Meringue Pie. When a lemon craving hits, one treat is never enough!
Reader Review
I love anything Lemon, these look wonderful. Going onto my ever-growing must-try list 🙂
Karlynn’s Recipe Notes
- Skill Level: These Creamy Lemon Bars are easy to make, with simple steps and bold lemon flavor!
- Total Time: Your bars come together in about 35 minutes from start to finish.
- Variations: Finish these lemon bars with a dusting of powdered sugar, fresh berries, or a dollop of homemade Lemon Whipped Cream. You can also drizzle them with a Powdered Sugar Glaze, or add coconut and warm spices like ginger or cardamom for a fun twist!
- Tools For This Recipe: You will need two medium mixing bowls, a pastry cutter (or scissors), an 8×8-inch baking pan, a hand mixer or whisk, and a knife for slicing and serving.
What You’ll Need for Ingredients
Flour: All-purpose flour is used in both the shortbread-style crust and the lemon filling to add structure and thicken the lemon filling just right! Karlynn’s Tip: Spoon and level your flour instead of scooping to avoid dense or dry bars.
Lemon: Fresh lemon zest, juice, and rind give these bars their bright citrus flavor and signature tangy finish. Karlynn’s Tip: Zest and remove the rind before juicing your lemons, and always use fresh lemons for the best taste!
Butter: Butter is the key to a rich, tender shortbread base! Karlynn’s Tip: Use room-temperature butter so it blends easily into the crust without overmixing.
White Sugar: White sugar helps keep the bars light, sweet, and perfectly balanced against the tart citrus.
Eggs: Four eggs plus an extra yolk give the filling its rich, silky consistency. Karlynn’s Tip: Save the leftover egg whites for meringue, macarons, or an omelet later in the week!
How To Make Creamy Lemon Bars
This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients & complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar, then cut in the butter.
- Add the lemon zest and mix, then press into the bottom of an 8×8 pan.
- Bake in the oven for 9-12 minutes until the base has browned. Remove and set to the side.
- Mix the sugar, baking soda and flour in a small bowl for the filling.
- Whisk the eggs, whipping cream, and egg yolk in a bowl, then add the lemon juice and rind.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until well-combined.
- Pour the filling on the crust and bake until the middle is set, about 25 minutes.
Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Creamy Lemon Bars
- Keep the Top Light: The slightly lower oven temperature keeps the top from browning too much. Many recipes call for covering browned tops with powdered sugar anyway, so feel free to dust these bars just because!
- Chill Before Slicing: For extra-clean, bakery-style slices, refrigerate your bars for 30–60 minutes before cutting.
- Balance the Citrus: If your lemons are especially tart, a light dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of glaze helps balance the bright citrus notes beautifully!
Storage Instructions
These Creamy Lemon Bars store wonderfully and taste just as delicious when eaten later on – if they last that long!
Refrigerator: Store your bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4–5 days. Chilling helps maintain their creamy texture and keeps the lemon filling nicely set.
Freezer: Once completely cooled, slice the bars and place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, according to USDA food safety guidelines. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving!
More Delicious Bars & Squares Recipes
If you love Bars & Squares recipes, these favorites are worth baking next:
- Butterscotch Tiger Bars are rich, chewy, and packed with irresistible butterscotch goodness.
- Ambrosia Salad Squares combine retro charm with a creamy, fruit-filled twist.
- My classic Lemon Bars are another must-try treat for citrus fans!
And just like that, you have a batch of Creamy Lemon Bars bursting with fresh, bright flavor! Whether you’re baking for a gathering or just treating yourself, these bars bring a little brightness to any day.
Give this recipe a try and let me know how your bars turn out in the comments below! You know that I always love hearing about your kitchen adventures.
Happy Baking!
Karlynn
Creamy Lemon Bars
Ingredients
- ¾ cup of butter, Crust
- ½ cup of white sugar
- 2 cups of flour
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 4 eggs , Filling
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons lemon rind
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1 ¼ cups white sugar
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Kick the tires and light the fires to 325 degrees F.
- Mix the flour and sugar then cut the butter in.
- Add the lemon zest.
- Mix completely then press into the bottom of an 8×8 baking pan.
- Bake in the oven for 9-12 minutes until the base has browned. Remove and set to the side.
- Continue with the filling. Mix the sugar, baking soda and flour together.
- Whip the eggs, one yolk and whipping cream in a bowl, add the lemon juice and rind, then add the dry ingredients in.
- Pour the filling on the crust. Bake in a 325 degree oven until the middle is set. The lower temperature makes the top end up a lot less brown, as most recipes tell you at the end to cover the too-browned top with icing sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Jocelyn says
I made these (not your recipe, but similar) once and the icing sugar on top kept ‘disappearing’ (it melted into the lemon layer) even after everything was cool, so they didn’t look as nice as other lemon bars I’ve had. Any idea what I did wrong?
I will definitely try yours next. ?
Anna Marie says
How long do I bake them for?
Brenda Spann says
The recipe instructions for the crust stops after adding the lemon zest with no further instructions on preparing it before adding the filling. Please fill in the blanks
The Kitchen Magpie says
I just shared the link above for you!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Absolutely! Freeze away!
Arleigh Gladwin Stockwell says
I want these. Any idea if they might freeze well? I don’t want to eat the whole pan.
Jean Carreiro Velez says
Oh, the lemon coconut sound delicious! Do you have that posted anywhere? I’d love to try them 🙂
littlekitchenbigtaste.com says
I love anything Lemon,these look wonderful,going onto my ever growing must try list:)
Holly Dumont-Englehart says
It’s called CHAOS 🙁 but lemon bars would make it all better …
Pamela Marriott says
I want the coconut lemon.recipe
Rob Kate Wigmore says
Oh my gosh, MUST try these..
Lynne says
i love lemon bars! these look amazing!
Memoria says
These bars look fantastic. I love the shortbread crust.