Classic Lemon Bars with a meyer lemon twist are just what your Easter dessert table needs. A sweet, crumbly shortbread crust combines with a tart meyer lemon filling for the perfect springtime dessert.
Lemon is my all-time favorite dessert flavor. Just give me all the lemon things ok.
I just bought the most amazing dessert cookbook, Classic Southern Desserts by Southern Living and I am loving pretty much every recipe in it. I am a true Southern girl at heart although we only lived in the South for about 5 years. These lemon bars were for sure the first recipe I had to try from the cookbook.
Because I am digging this cookbook so much, I decided to start my first series on this blog. Occasionally, I will feature a recipe from this book and the first is Lemon Bars.
I love just about any lemon dessert you may throw at me but I have never made or eaten lemon bars. I truly do not know how I have gone almost 25 years without trying them out. It really is a shame that I have wasted all this time and I may have to make up for it with these little babies.
If you are looking for more lemon desserts, make sure to check out these lemon curd shortbread bars and double lemon pound cake.
Classic Meyer Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For shortbread crust:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
For lemon filling:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 5 large eggs, slightly beaten
- zest of 1 meyer lemon (or regular lemon)
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. fresh meyer lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9 pan and set aside. Cream together butter and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth and well combined. Add flour and powdered sugar until it just comes together. Press into the prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until just golden.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar and cornstarch. Stir in eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and melted butter. Pour over the the crust. Return to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until set. Refrigerate until completely cooled. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into bars and serve.