| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 3 hr 25 min |
| Prep: | 30 min |
| Inactive: | 2 hr |
| Cook: | 55 min |
| Yield: | 20 to 24 servings |
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
- Raspberries, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking sheet (otherwise known as a quarter sheet pan) with some cooking spray.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or you can use a food processor), cream your butter with the sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy. Whisk the flour and salt in a small bowl, making sure there are no lumps. Turn the mixer speed to low, add the flour into your butter and mix until just incorporated. (Make sure not to over-mix.) Turn the dough onto the baking sheet, flour your hands and press it out evenly on the bottom and up the sides. Pop in the fridge for an hour (or overnight) to chill.
- Pop the crust in the oven and bake until a light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- For the filling: While the crust is cooling, make your filling. Crack your eggs into a large bowl and add the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour. Whisk until combined. Pour into the crust and spread evenly. Put back in the oven and bake until the filling is completely set, about 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
- Dust with confectioners’ sugar and then cut into 20 to 24 squares to serve. Garnish with raspberries, if desired.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 22 servings |
| Calories | 279 |
| Total Fat | 10 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 44 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 31 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 66 mg |
| Sodium | 46 mg |
Reviews
Let me start by saying lemon bars typically do not excite me but I needed a non-chocolate dessert for a friend who just had a baby. I saved half for our family and I could not stop eating them. I told all my friends and family how good they were. Needless to say, I now have a lemon bar recipe that I am really excited to make again. Absolutely delicious!
Delicious bars! The crust is a wonderful shortbread that is not hard or over-baked. The lemon filling is plentiful and not cloyingly sweet. I can halt the search….this recipe is a keeper!
AMAZING! i did these for our Easter celebration, I did the lemon and did a lime version of this and it was PHENOMENAL. I couldn’t have asked for a better result. Everything I want in a lemon bar. This will become my yearly contribution to our Easter celebration!
Fantastic….great recipe, easy to follow, stunningly delicious!
yummmm! easy to make and absolutely delicious! hey does anyone know what happen to Ann Thornton? Is she still doing her show or??
These are the best and I thought very easy. So far all of Anne Thornton’s recipes are absolutely delicious. So many times you try a recipe and you end up disapointed. So thank you Anne for giving us true recipes that come out great every time.
This recipe is SUBLIME! I make these for many family or congregation get togethers and there is never one bite left! The shortbread crust has a buttery and melt-in-your-mouth texture which is the perfect backdrop for the sweet, lemony tang of the topping! I love adding extra zest for extra zing! I even tweaked the crust recipe by replacing the vanilla (since I’d run out with raspberry extract and it was delicious!
These are fantastic!! Every time I make them, I get rave reviews from everyone who eats them, and I also remember how much I love them myself!! THe crust is soooo delicious that I have made other types of bars just so I can have more of the crust!!
VERY EASY and taste great!!!! I LOVE lemon anything:) and these won’t break your teeth.lol
The are easily some of the best lemon squares I have ever eaten. I’ve been searching for a recipe with the perfect lemon curd to shortbread ratio, and I’ve finally found it! The website labels this recipe “intermediate” in terms of the skill needed to pull it off, but I found it to be very easy! I’m taking my batch to work tomorrow. :
Try these– you will not be disappointed!
Update: My coworkers went gaga for these. They really capture the essence of what lemon bars are supposed to be.