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This old-fashioned lemon squares recipe is easy to make from scratch with just 7 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep! The sweet and tart lemon curd filling sits on top of a flaky, buttery shortbread crust for a simple and delicious treat. Serve the classic lemon bars at picnics, bridal showers, afternoon tea parties, or holiday dessert buffets.
Table of Contents
If you’re looking for even more delicious lemon recipes, try this lemon poppy seed bread (which starts with cake mix!), the best lemon poppy seed muffins from scratch, and a pan of Fannie’s easy frosted lemon bars (from cake mix), too!
Origin
These old fashioned lemon squares (or “lemon bars”) are a classic dessert that has been loved for generations. The recipe is a slight variation of the lemon bars recipe that I originally found in the VeryVera cookbook, but it’s also almost identical to a number of other classic lemon bars that I’ve come across in some of my vintage community cookbooks.
The first widely publicized lemon bar recipe was printed in the “Chicago Daily Tribune” on August 27, 1962. If you’re looking for a dessert that’s just like Grandma used to make, then this is it. The old-fashioned recipe yields the best lemon squares, and there’s no need to mess with a good thing!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy. With layers of a delicate and buttery shortbread crust, creamy and tart lemon filling, and a dusting of powdered sugar, the old fashioned lemon bars look and taste fancy — but they’re so simple to make! With 10 minutes of hands-on prep, you can have a big tray of lemon squares made from scratch with only a handful of pantry staples.
- Perfect Ratio of Crusting to Filling. Some other lemon square recipes call for a thicker shortbread cookie crust or a thicker lemon filling. These delicate bars strike the ideal balance — equal amounts of crust and filling — but not too much of either one. You don’t want to end up with super-thick bars that are overly rich or sickeningly sweet.
- Versatile. Serve them for just about any special occasion, including Easter brunch, a bridal shower, baby shower, or just a casual summer picnic or Sunday supper.
- Make Ahead. The lemon squares keep really well in the fridge, so they’re a convenient treat that you can prep the day before and eliminate any last-minute hosting stress.
I’ve tried other recipes this is my favorite!!
– Michael
Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need to make this old fashioned lemon squares recipe. As always, the exact measurements and the specific instructions are included in the recipe box at the bottom of this post.
- Butter: I like salted butter to balance the sweetness in this dessert. The melted butter forms the base of the shortbread crust.
- All-purpose flour: included in both the shortbread crust and in the filling. A small amount in the lemon curd filling gives it structure.
- Confectioners sugar: sweetens the shortbread crust and adds a pretty dusting on top of the bars.
- Granulated sugar: sweetens the lemon filling and helps the eggs set.
- Baking powder: a leavener that gives the filling a little bit of lift.
- Eggs: the base of the filling; provides structure and helps the lemon curd set.
- Lemons: both the juice and the zest from fresh lemons give these bars that fresh burst of citrus flavor!
How to Make Lemon Squares
One of the easiest dessert recipes that you’ll ever make from scratch, these classic lemon bars only require about 10 minutes of actual hands-on time. Bake them well in advance, though — they need to cool completely before you can slice them. You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Make the shortbread crust.
- Press the crust into a greased and floured 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Bake crust.
- Whisk together the filling.
- Pour the filling over the warm crust.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the filling is set.
- Cool completely before dusting with confectioners sugar and slicing into squares.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Store lemon bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- You can also freeze the lemon bars before dusting with powdered sugar. To do so, wrap the bars tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen bars in the refrigerator overnight and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I know when lemon squares are done? You can tell that the lemon bars are done when you jiggle the baking pan and the center of the filling doesn’t wiggle. The bars will continue to firm up and set as they cool.
- What’s the best way to cut lemon squares? Wait for the lemon squares to cool completely before cutting. This can take up to 3 hours, so be patient. If you slice the bars at room temperature, they will be soft and slightly gooey — but they should not be runny. Wipe your sharp knife after each slice for a clean cut. It’s even easier to cut the bars when they’re chilled. If possible, let the bars cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, and then transfer to the refrigerator to chill and set for a couple of more hours.
- Why are my lemon squares soggy? An underbaked crust will become soggy when you add the lemon custard filling. In order to avoid this problem, bake the shortbread crust until it’s a nice golden brown color.
- Do lemon squares need to be refrigerated? The homemade lemon bars will be fine at room temperature for up to 24 hours, but should be refrigerated as soon as possible. Keeping them chilled prevents the growth of harmful bacteria, and it also keeps them nice and firm.
Recipe Variations
- Graham Cracker Crust: instead of the traditional shortbread crust, you can make the bars with a graham cracker crust.
- Lime Bars: swap out the lemon juice and zest and replace it with an equal amount of fresh lime juice and lime zest.
- Lemon Basil Bars: add a couple of tablespoons of chopped fresh basil to the lemon filling.
- Lemon Blueberry Squares: add about 1 cup of fresh blueberries to the lemon filling.
- If you prefer to start with unsalted butter, you’ll need to add about ½ teaspoon of salt to the shortbread crust.
Expert Tips
- Use a glass baking dish if possible, or a ceramic dish as an alternative. Metal pans can sometimes give the bars a metallic aftertaste.
- Use fresh lemon juice (not bottled juice) for the best flavor.
- When zesting the lemon, be sure that you’re only scraping off the outer layer of the peel (this is where the essential oils and delicious lemon flavor can be found). Be careful not to grate any of the bitter white pith from the fruit.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before dusting with sugar and slicing. I like to cool the bars at room temperature for about 1 hour, and then refrigerate the pan for at least 2 more hours before cutting.
- If you notice little white bubbles on the top of your bars after baking, that’s totally normal. These little air bubbles rise to the top as the eggs cook. Just dust the cool bars with powdered sugar and the bubbles will be undetectable.
More Lemon Dessert Recipes to Try
Lemon Bundt Cake {using Cake Mix!}
2 hours hrs 55 minutes mins
Easy Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake
4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Old Fashioned Lemon Squares
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, melted
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup confectioners sugar, plus extra for dusting at the end
FOR THE FILLING:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish or line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
Prepare Crust:
- In a large bowl, stir together melted butter, flour and confectioners sugar until completely combined.
- Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish. I like to use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to gently press the crust into an even layer. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
Prepare Filling:
- While the crust is in the oven, make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour and baking powder. Add the eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest; whisk until completely combined.
- Pour the filling over the hot crust. Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with additional powdered sugar.
- Slice into squares and serve.
Notes
- Use a glass baking dish if possible, or a ceramic dish as an alternative. Metal pans can sometimes give the bars a metallic aftertaste.
- Use freshly-squeezed lemon juice (not bottled juice) for the best flavor.
- When zesting the lemon, be sure that you’re only scraping off the outer layer of the peel (this is where the essential oils and delicious flavor can be found). Be careful not to grate any of the bitter white pith from the fruit.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before dusting with sugar and slicing. I like to cool the bars at room temperature for about 1 hour, and then refrigerate the pan for at least 2 more hours before cutting.
- If you notice little white bubbles on the top of your bars after baking, that’s totally normal. These little air bubbles rise to the top as the eggs cook. Just dust the cool bars with powdered sugar and the bubbles will be undetectable.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in January, 2021. It was updated in March, 2024.
We’re sorry they weren’t your favorite, Lea. You could always reduce the amount of sugar used if you make them again!
I’ve tried other recipes this is my favorite!!
Thank you, Michael!
Hi Blair!
Just wondering if I could cheat and use a Sherriff lemon pie filling? I usually add a little lemon juice to it to give more ‘zing’! lol
Hi Kathleen! We haven’t tested this recipe with pre-made lemon pie filling and can’t guarantee that it would work. It might not set correctly. We’d love to know how it turns out if you do give it a try!
Blair, I cannot wait to make these! Anything lemon is the thing for me. Question: Would I be able, in a time crunch, to sub a jar of lemon curd for the homemade version? Would I then bake it, too? Just a thought since I have a jar of lemon curd in the pantry!
BTW: Yours is the ONLY site I follow. Your recipes are divine!!!
Blair, I just saw the above post about the filling. I’ll try it with the lemon curd and let you know how it goes.
Please do! Thank you!