This easy Old Fashioned Lemon Squares recipe starts with a delicious buttery shortbread crust, is filled with a gooey, lemony center, and is finished with a thick layer of powdered sugar lemon glaze. It’s the essential Lemon Bar recipe!
Lemon bars are a super simple, three-step dessert that is bright, beautiful, and can be refrigerated and frozen, making them a wonderful make-ahead dessert. But do not limit these beautiful lemon squares to summertime; think tailgating, holidays, spring, and definitely potlucks!
I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!
Are you a lemon lover like me? Then you have to try my Lemon Icebox Pie (so luscious), Lemon Gelato, Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake and these easy Lemon Sandwich Cookies.
Reasons to make Old Fashioned Lemon Bars
- Make Ahead Dessert: There are times when I just need to make a dessert ahead of time and these old fashioned lemon squares are the perfect recipe to do that!
- Fresh & Natural: Using fresh lemons, all natural ingredients, you can feel good about serving this all-natural dessert.
- Old Fashioned Recipe: I grew up on a similar lemon shortbread bar recipe, only we didn’t put glaze on top, just a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Change it up; these are delicious either way!
What is the Freaky Friday Blog Hop!?
Our Freaky Friday Blog Hop creator is Michaela from An Affair from the Heart, where she secretly assigns participating bloggers to another blog to remake a recipe of their choice.
We make their recipe, photograph it as if it were our own, write a post about it in our own words, then all share our posts on the selected Friday.
Here are a few of my previous Freaky Friday recipes; Creamy Bow Tie Pasta Recipe Cranberry Bourbon Sour, Sweet Molasses Brown Bread, Mint Fudge Brownies, and Oatmeal Rolled Sugar Cookies.
Meet Michaela from An Affair from the Heart
This round, I was assigned Michaela’s blog! You are in for a treat!
Michaela is a Nebraska native; creative, funny, and delivers up easy to make, delicious, craveable recipes on An Affair from the Heart. Here are a few reasons I know you will love Michaela too and visit her site often:
- Michaela and I would hit it off for many reasons; but the biggest one is probably this; all we ever wanted to be was a mom! What a privilege! Read more about Michaela and her family.
- Boxer Mom | When I discovered that Michaela and her family had boxer’s, as a former “Boxer mom” we are kindred spirits. Boxers are special
people, I mean dogs, that think they are people! Her pups, Theo and Libby are her official taste testers and foot warmers! - Family Dinners | Having time to connect as a family nightly is encouraged with simple, tasty, easy to make meals that you can put on the table in no time! She says that “nothing makes me happier than when EVERYONE is home, and I can look around my table and there is a “seat in every seat.” Amen sister!!
- Reuben Everything! Michaela is the queen of reuben-izing (is that a word?) delicious dishes! Check out all of her reuben inspired recipes.
- A Practical Entertainer | Michaela and I both love to entertain, throw a party, have people over! Check out her posts on how to fold napkins, make your own Bisquick mix and her numerous Copycat Recipes!
So how does one go about choosing which recipe to re-make and share? Well, you spend hours drooling through the recipe index, printing off recipes like this mouthwatering Texas Trash Bean Dip, or this Nebraska famous Copycat Runza recipe, but I was feeling more dessert-y!
The decision was not easy; between her homemade Buster Bars, this gooey, rich Chocolate Macaroon Tunnel Cake or these chewy Butter Brickle Cookies, I landed on her Glazed Lemon Bars, because well LEMON!
Simple Ingredients for Old Fashioned Lemon Bars
- Butter: You cannot have a buttery shortbread crust without real butter!
- Sugar: I use organic all natural cane sugar in all of my baking, you can certainly use white sugar.
- Flour: I used organic all-purpose flour; you may use a regular all-purpose flour, of course.
- Eggs: I use large eggs in all of my baking, this provides the creaminess for the lemon filling, center.
- Lemons: You will need lemons for both their zest and their juice! Since I love lemons, I always add more zest as it adds that beautiful natural tartness and citrus kapow! Can you replace with bottled lemon juice? I suppose so, read more about that below in my FAQ’s.
- Powdered Sugar: I will show you how to transform simple powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest into an incredible lemon glaze.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yessss? I say that with a question mark because bottled lemon juice tends to have preservatives in it and can have an off-putting taste. Squeezing a couple of lemons is so simple and the zest is something that adds amazing flavor to this lemon shortbread cookie recipe.
The flavors really pop when you serve lemon bars cold, be sure to allow to cool completely (about 2 hours) before refrigerating, best served out of the fridge.
When you remove from the oven, give them a little shake test. The filling should not really wiggle, maybe like really firm jello, but not a lot, the bars will firm up as they cool and set.
Gluten-Free Lemon Bars
As with many of my recipes, I love to provide options to make our favorite recipes gluten free! And these lemon bars are so simple to convert to a Gluten Free Lemon Bar!
- Swap the Flour: For the shortbread crust, swap out the regular AP flour for a good Gluten Free AP Flour (my favorite), or try using GF Almond Flour for a delicious Almond Flour Shortbread crust.
- Replace the AP flour in the lemon filling for equal amounts of GF AP Flour.
That’s it! Super simple to make by substituting one key ingredient and you will have the best gluten free lemon bars around!
How to Make Old Fashioned Lemon Bars
This is a multipart recipe, not difficult, at all, but you do need to make these luscious lemon bars in stages.
Step 1: How to make shortbread crust for bar cookies
Shortbread Crust: Blend together the softened butter, vanilla, sugar and flour in a mixing bowl or stand mixer on low until smooth and combined.
Prep and Bake the Crust: Press the shortbread batter into the bottom of a parchment-lined or well-sprayed 9×13-inch baking pan—my favorite pan company! Using a sheet of parchment or wax paper, press the batter evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 15-20 minutes, just until firm and starting to turn golden.
Step 2: Make the Fresh Lemon Filling
While the crust is in the oven; in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour.
Whisk in the eggs, whisking well until frothy and sugar has dissolved, (cane sugar will take a little longer) then slowly whisk in lemon juice and zest from one-two lemons. (more is better in my opinion, but I like it tart!)
Step 3: Bake the old fashioned lemon squares
Pour lemon filling over the hot, baked shortbread crust (or almond flour shortbread crust), returning to the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes. Give the filling a final whisk just before you pour it over the hot crust.
Bake until the filling feels firm when lightly touched and there is only a tiny jiggle in the middle. Lemon squares will firm up and set as they cool. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
Step 4: Prepare lemon powdered sugar glaze
Mix powdered sugar, lemon zest into medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine, slowly add lemon juice, whisking until glaze is desired consistency.
Once the lemon squares have cooled on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then pour glaze over warm (not hot) lemon shortbread cookie bars.
Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate.
Fresh tips for the best old fashioned lemon bars
- Softened Butter: Take your butter out ahead of time, about 30 minutes in the summer should soften it perfectly!
- Parchment Paper Liner: Use pre-cut sheets or rip off a generous amount. You want enough to sit tightly in the pan AND have enough to hang over the long edges, using it as a sling. Tip: lightly spray the pan with a little oil or nonstick spray, and then your parchment tends to stay in place easier. You may also line the pan with aluminum foil, sprayed well.
- COOL COMPLETELY: To make cleaner slices, be sure to cool the old fashioned lemon squares completely and then refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.
LEMON FACTS
- How to Choose the Best Lemons | Choose lemons that are firm, but yield to gentle pressure, with a smooth, thinner skin. The lemon should not have blemishes, be pale or have any green; this indicates unripeness. Good lemons for juicing, should be heavier relative to their size.
- How Best to Store Lemons | Lemons stored on the counter, look pretty, but dry out within a week. Lemons stored in the fridge will last longer, about a week to 10 days, lemons stored in a sealed plastic bag last up to a month!
- Zesting | It is much easier if you zest your lemons before cutting in half to juice them. Wash and dry lemons before zesting, and do not zest too far down, the white part, called the pith is bitter.
- Juicing Lemons | To get more juice from your lemon, try these ONE of these two tricks: 1) Place lemon on cutting board or counter and firmly roll with palm of hand until it starts to yield slightly, OR 2) Place lemon in microwave for about 10 seconds, then roll and squeeze.
- An average lemon contains about 2 ½ – 3 tablespoons of juice.
How to Slice Lemon Squares
Everyone loves a clean sliced lemon bar, or brownie or bar cookie! Here are a few tips for clean sliced squares.
- COOL COMPLETELY: Allow the lemon squares to cool completely, it is actually much easier if you can refrigerate them for a few hours or overnight before you slice them.
- REMOVE FROM PAN: Using the parchment paper as a sling, remove cooled old fashioned lemon squares from the pan onto a cutting board.
- KNIFE: Run a long, sharp knife under warm or hot water, I keep a glass nearby with a paper towel to dry off between slices.
- CUT: Using the warm knife, cut into desired square sizes, wiping off in between slicing.
- SERVING: Lemon Squares will come to room temperature pretty quickly, it’s fine to serve them that way, but the glaze will weep a bit, which isn’t bad. For individual serving ideas, place in a cupcake wrapper and serve unstacked on a tray.
Storing and Freezing Tips
For all methods of storage, be sure to cool the lemon bars completely before cooling, this will help you avoid too much moisture being trapped, which will cause sogginess and weeping of the glaze.
- If serving the same day, lemon bars may be left on the counter for 6 hours, though I highly recommend serving them chilled, just like these chilled sugar cookies!
- Store leftover lemon bars tightly covered in the fridge for 2-7 days, slice and serve when ready.
- Freezing: Lemon bars freeze beautifully! Wrap cooled lemon bars in plastic wrap and then again in foil, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge.
More easy dessert recipes you will love
- Easy Lemon Curd
- Copycat Chick-Fil-A Frosted Lemonade
- Magnolia Banana Pudding
- Fried Ice Cream Cake
- Mile High Mud Pie
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Nothing Bundt Cakes Copycat
- Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream and Old Fashioned Chocolate Ice Cream
- Love lemon lime? Try these Lemon Lime Bars!
I hope you find many new recipes from this Blog Hop today and I know that you will love these Lemon Shortbread Cookies as well! Be sure to comment below the recipe if you tried them!
Take a look at all of our 2021 Freaky Friday Summer Edition Recipes:
- An Affair from the Heart – Simple Tiramisu
- Aunt Bee’s Recipes –Roasted Tomatillo Salsa {Salsa Verde}
- Devour Dinner – Pepperoni Bread
- Fresh April Flours – Bananas Foster Cake
- The Fresh Cooky – Old Fashioned Lemon Squares
- Hostess at Heart – Kentucky Butter Cake
- House of Nash Eats – Apple Pie Ice Cream
- Lemon Blossoms – Strawberry Cake
- Lemoine Family Kitchen – Grilled Peach Burrata Arugula Salad
- Life, Love & Good Food – Bruschetta with Tomato
- Off the Eaten Path – Fresh Garden Salsa
- Sue Bee Homemaker – Jalapeño Popper Dip with Bacon
- The Speckled Palate – Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Take Two Tapas – Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
What did you think about these Old Fashioned Lemon Bars? Would you please rate and comment below and share your creation on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest?
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Equipment
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup butter 2 (8 oz) sticks, softened
- ½ cup all natural cane sugar regular white sugar may be substituted
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour I used organic, regular flour may be used
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Filling
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups all natural cane sugar regular white sugar may be substituted
- ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour see notes for how to make Gluten Free
- ⅔ cup lemon juice fresh squeezed; about 4 lemons
- 1-2 tablespoons lemons zest about 1-2 lemons, adding more for more tart squares
Powdered Sugar Lemon Glaze (optional)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 – 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 – 4 tablespoons lemons more or less depending on consistency
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C) and line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper or foil.
- Blend together the softened butter, vanilla, sugar and flour in a mixing bowl or stand mixer on low until smooth and combined.
- Press the shortbread batter into the bottom of a parchment lined or well sprayed 9×13 inch baking pan Using a sheet of parchment or wax paper, press the batter evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake at 350°F (175° C) for 15-20 minutes, just until firm and starting to turn golden.
Lemon Filling
- While the crust is in the oven; in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour and lemon zest until it resembles wet sand.
- Whisk in eggs into mixture, whisking well until frothy and sugar has dissolved, (cane sugar will take a little longer) then slowly whisk in lemon juice and vanilla. (more is better in my opinion, but I like it tart!)
- Pour lemon filling over the hot, baked shortbread crust (or almond flour shortbread crust), returning to the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes. Give the filling a final whisk just before you pour it over the hot crust.
- Bake until the filling feels firm when lightly touched give it a jiggle, the center should barely wiggle when it's done. Lemon squares will firm up and set as they cool. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
Lemon Glaze (Optional)
- Mix powdered sugar, lemon zest into medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine, slowly add lemon juice, whisking until glaze is desired consistency.2 cups powdered sugar, 2 – 4 tablespoons lemons, 1 – 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- Once the lemon squares have cooled on a wire rack for about 20-40 minutes, then pour and smooth over warm (not hot) lemon shortbread cookie bars.
- Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. *If desired, omit the lemon glaze and dust generously with powdered sugar instead. Be sure to wait until lemon bars are completely cooled.
Notes
- Swap the Flour | For the shortbread crust, swap out the regular AP flour for a good Gluten Free AP Flour (my favorite), or try using GF Almond Flour for a delicious Almond Flour Shortbread crust.
- Replace the AP flour in the lemon filling for equal amounts of GF AP Flour.
Baking Tips
- COOL COMPLETELY | Allow the lemon squares to cool completely, it is actually much easier if you can refrigerate them for a few hours or overnight before you slice them.
- REMOVE FROM PAN | Using the parchment paper as a sling, remove cooled old fashioned lemon squares from the pan onto a cutting board.
- KNIFE | Run a long, sharp knife under warm or hot water, I keep a glass nearby with a paper towel to dry off between slices.
- CUT | Using the warm knife, cut into desired square sizes, wiping off in between slicing.
- SERVING | Lemon Squares will come to room temperature pretty quickly, it’s fine to serve them that way, but the glaze will weep a bit, which isn’t bad. For individual serving ideas, place in a cupcake wrapper and serve unstacked on a tray.
- LEMONS | See post for how to get the most juice and zest from your lemons.
Nutrition
Gloria Oxley
About this part…
medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine, slowly add lemon juice, whisking until glaze is desired consistency.
2 cups powdered sugar, 3-4 tablespoons lemons, 1-2 tablespoons lemons
So are you saying we should use either 3-4 or 1-2 lemon (juice) or 6 combined
Oh gosh thank you for finding that Gloria! 1-2 tablespoons depending on how tart you want it! I’ll go and fix that. Hope you love them!
Gloria Oxley
It amazes me how promptly you came back and answered my question and actually made the changes to the recipe . Thank you so very much. Can’t wait to try these tomorrow.
I try!! Use your best judgement when making. I like mine glaze tart! Reduce the zest and juice if you don’t like it as tart. You can also use water if you want it thinner but don’t want to use more lemon juice.
Jayne
Can you use powdered sugar instead of regular sugar? I’ve never used regular sugar it was always powdered sugar thanks for any replies
Thanks for asking, can you tell me which portion you are thinking of using the powdered sugar in? For the crust, I think it would be fine, for the lemon curd filling I’m not so sure, I’ve always used granulated sugar. But if you try it let me know!
Margaret
I have been wanting to do something like this for a long time and I finally made this for a small family gathering and everyone commented positively on it. They LOVED this recipe! Thank you for posting this recipe.
YAY! Thank you so much Margaret, I love hearing this!
Brandi Burgess
These are absolutely addictive and amazing and never last long enough lol!!!!
Brandi Burgess
These are absolutely addictive and amazing and never last long enough lol!!!!
Never long enough! Thanks so much Brandi!
Julie Menghini
Talk about refreshing, We loved every single layer of these lemon bars, and I am drooling thinking about the next pan to grace my kitchen!
Chrissie Nelson Rotko
Lemon bars are one of my favorite desserts and these look incredible!
Angela
Can’t go wrong with a summery dessert like these lemon bars! I am a huge fan of a citrus sweet treat and cannot wait to bake up a batch.
Thank you Angela, hope you love them!
Erin
Oh my WORD do these squares look like a total dream. That glaze just pushes them over the top!
Agreed, 100% Erin, thank you!
Erin
When I saw you share these, I knew I had to make them because I am obsessed with lemon desserts. These squares and their shortbread crust and their glaze are a dream dessert!
Amy Nash
I love the sharp lemon flavor in these from the lemon zest! And that glaze on top is divine!
Thank you Amy, I couldn’t agree more!
Lynn Spencer
Truly a bite of summer! Delicious and love that they are GF!
Thank you Lynn!
Kathy
These bars were absolutely perfect. The right balance of sweet and tart and the shortbread crust was melt in your mouth delicious.
Rebecca
The sweetness of this shortbread crust tasted extremely delicious compared to the tartness of the lemon zest! They were such a good combination, I’ll definitely be making these again sometime in the near future. I also love that there is agluten-free option!
Tasia ~ two sugar bugs
That buttery shortbread crust is calling me! Lemon squares are such a nostalgic treat for me; I love how you topped them with with that lemon glaze. Delish!
Thank you Tasia! The glaze was a whole new concept for me too! And it totally adds a fun new dimension to the bars!
Jennifer
Lemon desserts are a favorite in my house. These are going to be eaten up in no time.
Thanks Jennifer, love hearing that!
Sue Ringsdorf
Give me lemon everything! I am in love with that shortbread crust. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Sue, the shortbread crust is amazing!
Sheila Thigpen
Oooh! I love lemon desserts! This looks so dreamy 🙂
Thank you Sheila!
Michaela Kenkel
BEAUTIFUL!! THANK YOU, Kathleen, for all of the kind words and for the brilliant job you did on these lemon bars! Good grief, I am DROOLING over here! Hope to someday, meet you in person so we can exchange boxer mom stories over a cocktail or two! 🙂 (and yes — in my world, Reubenizing is a word! LOL!!)
Love it and would love to meet you in person too and exchange boxer mom stories, def over cocktails! Love that Reubenizing is a word! 🙂 Thanks for a fabulous recipe.
Bob
Yummmm…ya had me at “lemon…..”
You would love these for sure Bob!
Lynn @ Fresh April Flours
As a lemon square connoisseur, I approve the unbeatable gooey-ness of these ones. Perfection!
Lynn @ Fresh April Flours
The gooey-ness happening here is TOP NOTCH! I loveeeeee it!!
For sure Lynn, for sure! Thanks!