Classic Lemon Bars

5 from 4 votes

This perfectly sweet lemon bar recipe is made with basic ingredients and is an excellent lemon dessert to share with all!

Prep 20

Cook 45

Total 1 5

Fat 6

Carbs 43

Protein 4

Yield

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare a 9x13-inch ceramic baking dish with cooking spray and parchment paper.
In a large bowl add flour, salt, and sugar. Mix to combine.
Next add the melted butter, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup to the flour mixture. Stir until you have a very coarse crumbly mixture.
Pour the dough into the prepared baking dish and press down firmly to create a solid crust.
Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes take the crust out of the oven and pierce it with a fork all over.

While the crust is baking, add the sugar, flour, baking powder, and lemon zest into a large bowl and mix to combine.
Next, add the lemon juice and eggs into the sugar mixture and mix until fully combined. Pour the filling onto the pierced crust.
Bake the lemon bars at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for 1-2 hours and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Bars can be cut into squares or triangles.

You can substitute honey for maple syrup in the crust.
When all of the ingredients for the crust have been mixed together it looks like it still needs something. It does not. When you push the crust together in the baking dish it comes together easily. It will take on a lot of moisture during the second baking process.
For the second bake it is very touchy when the lemon bars are done. You still want a little bit of jiggle when you are taking it out of the oven. A completely firm lemon curd, while still good, is a bit chewier than the intended finished product.
You must let the bars rest for the suggested time or else they will not set.