Gooey Lemon Bars
These gooey lemon bars are made with all-natural ingredients and are a great dessert for any occasion. With a tart lemon filling and a sweet, buttery crust, these bars are a citrusy treat with a deliciously tangy lemon gooey filling that will leave you wanting more.
There are two components: the buttery cookie crust on the bottom and the luscious lemony topping. A sprinkling of powdered sugar on top of the cooled bars is the perfect finishing touch.
Lemon lovers will love the creamy top and the zesty lemon flavor. The lemon layer is made with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and eggs. It’s essential to use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
The cookie crust is made with flour, butter, powdered sugar, natural flavoring, and baking soda. The baked results have notes of toffee, which perfectly offset the tart lemon filling.
Let’s look at how to make this citrus treat!
Ingredients
Cookie Crust Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup softened butter (1 1/2 sticks of butter)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
Gooey Lemon Filling
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 1/2 lemons)
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
Optional Topping
- Powdered Sugar
- Lemon slices
How To Make Lemon Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To make the bars easier to remove after baking, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Add the cookie crust ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix at low speed for 2 minutes, until the mixture is crumbly.
- Place the crust mixture into the prepared pan and use your fingers to press firmly to create a compacted, even layer.
- Bake the crust for 22 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack or towel.
- In a mixing bowl, add the ingredients for the lemon custard. Whisk by hand or mix on low speed with a stand mixer for 2 minutes, until smooth and silky. Pour the lemon custard over the crust.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Use a toothpick to make sure the lemon custard comes out clean.
- Place the 9×13 baking dish on a cooling rack for 1 hour until cooled. Transfer to the fridge and chill for 2 hours.
- Sift powdered sugar over the top and cut into 20 bars. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.
If you love bright, citrusy desserts, be sure to try my Ooey Gooey Butter Cake for a rich, melt-in-your-mouth treat, Creamy Lemon Poke Cake for an easy, refreshing dessert, Small Batch Lemon Cupcakes for when you need just a few sweet bites, and Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake for a soft, bakery-style cake that’s perfect for any occasion.
Gooey Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To make the bars easier to remove after baking, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Add the cookie crust ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix at low speed for 2 minutes until the consistency is crumbly.
- Place the crust mixture into the prepared pan and use your fingers to press firmly to create a compacted even layer
- Bake the crust for 22 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack or towel.
- In a mixing bowl, add the lemon custard ingredients. Whisk by hand or mix on low using a stand mixer for 2 minutes until the consistency is smooth and silky. Pour the lemon custard over the crust.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Use a toothpick to make sure the lemon custard comes out clean.
- Place the 9×13 baking dish on a cooling rack for 1 hour until cooled. Transfer to the fridge for 2 hours or until chilled.
- Sift powdered sugar over top and cut into 20 bars. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.
Nutrition
Video
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Do lemon bars need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Wrap them in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
- The crust does not need to cool for as long as it takes to prepare the lemon custard.
- Garnish each bar with powdered sugar and sliced lemon, if desired.
- Use a glass baking dish, a ceramic pan, or a stainless-steel pan. Do not use a thin metal pan, as the lemon bars might taste metallic.
- The bars may seem wobbly and not fully set, even though the toothpick comes out clean, but they will continue to bake as they cool.
- The chill time is extremely important for the bars to be set entirely.
- These can be gluten-free by replacing the all-purpose flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Last Bite
Did you make these Lemon Bars? I’d love to hear what you thought! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to share or pin this recipe so you’ll have it handy whenever you’re craving a sweet, tangy treat.
