Best 7 Sunny Lemon Bars Recipes

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Indulge in the tantalizing world of Sunny Lemon Bars, a delightful treat that captures the essence of sunshine and citrusy goodness. These delectable bars are a harmonious blend of sweet and tart, featuring a velvety lemon filling encased in a golden shortbread crust. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal effort, you can create these sunshine-inspired treats that are perfect for any occasion. This recipe provides detailed instructions for both the shortbread crust and the luscious lemon filling, guiding you through each step to ensure perfect results. It also includes variations and additional tips to customize your lemon bars according to your preferences, making them the star of your next gathering or a delightful addition to your culinary repertoire.

Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!

SUNNY LEMON BARS



Sunny Lemon Bars image

Who would have guessed a pouch of sugar cookie mix got these bars off to a deliciously sweet start?

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Dessert

Time 2h15m

Yield 36

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick), softened
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat crust ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. In bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan, press mixture evenly. Bake about 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in same large bowl, stir together filling ingredients except lemon juice. Stir in lemon juice. Pour mixture over warm crust.
  • Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until top is light golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 130, Carbohydrate 21 g, Cholesterol 30 mg, Fat 1, Fiber 0 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, ServingSize 1 Bar, Sodium 105 mg, Sugar 15 g, TransFat 1/2 g

THE MOST-LEMONY LEMON BAR OF ALL TIME



The Most-Lemony Lemon Bar of All Time image

This bar is lemon city! We put lemon zest in the crust, upped the pucker in the filling and put lemon candy on top. It's the bar for the ultimate lemon lover.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 3h45m

Yield 24 bars

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing pan
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 cup fresh lemon juice, strained (from about 8 lemons)
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted (see Cook's Note)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
4 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
8 gummy candy lemon slices, cut into thirds

Steps:

  • Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with foil leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Grease the foil and dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
  • To make the crust, pulse the zest with 1/3 cup of the sugar in a food processor until the sugar is yellow and sandy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the butter, cornstarch and salt and pulse until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden at the edges and pale golden in the center, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. To make the filling, whisk the eggs and egg yolks with the remaining 1 2/3 cups sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup flour in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in 1 cup lemon juice.
  • Pour the filling over the warm crust and return to the oven. Bake until the filling is just set, about 30 minutes.
  • Cool the lemon bars on a wire rack, 30 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered until firm, at least 1 hour. Lift the bars out of the pan using the foil. Peel off the foil and cut into 24 bars. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Place a piece of gummy lemon candy on top of each square and serve.

CLASSIC LEMON BARS



Classic Lemon Bars image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 1h15m

Yield 24 bars

Number Of Ingredients 11

Vegetable oil, for greasing
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, diced
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for garnish
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 8 lemons)

Steps:

  • Make the crust: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with vegetable oil and line with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; grease the foil with oil. Pulse the butter, flour, both sugars and the salt in a food processor until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. Press evenly into the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of the prepared pan, making sure there are no cracks. Bake until the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the whole eggs and yolks, sugar and flour in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Remove the crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F. Pour the filling over the warm crust and return to the oven. Bake until the filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes.
  • Let the bars cool in the pan on a rack, then refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Lift out of the pan using the foil and slice. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

LEMON BARS



Lemon Bars image

Ina Garten's Lemon Bars are easy to bake and make for the perfect picnic dessert, from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network.

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     dessert

Time 1h35m

Yield 20 squares or 40 triangles

Number Of Ingredients 10

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
  • Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
  • For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
  • Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

THE BEST LEMON BARS



The Best Lemon Bars image

It's tough to top a classic lemon bar, but we've done it! We kept the tender, buttery crust and bright filling of the original, and made a few improvements. For our luscious lemon layer, we employed a unique double-cooking method. Simmering first on the stovetop like lemon curd allows us to add butter, which balances the tart and sweet elements and adds a richer, smoother texture.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 3h

Yield 24 bars

Number Of Ingredients 15

Nonstick cooking spray
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (see Cook's Note)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from 6 to 8 lemons)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides; spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • For the crust: Add the flour, cornstarch, confectioners' sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse 10 times until combined. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand, about 30 times. (The dough will not come together in one mass.) Sprinkle the mixture evenly in the prepared pan and lightly pat it down. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
  • For the filling: Combine the eggs, yolks, sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Whisk continuously over medium heat, occasionally scraping down the sides and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, until simmering and thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon zest and butter until combined.
  • Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Pour the filling over the crust and bake until just set, 12 to 15 minutes.
  • Place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
  • Use the foil overhang to lift the bars from the pan. Remove the foil and slice into squares. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

BEST LEMON BARS



Best Lemon Bars image

Lemon bars are all about contrast: sour lemon and sweet sugar, crumbly base and creamy topping, buttery crust and tart filling. Two common ingredients lift this recipe above the pack: baking powder for a fluffy filling and shredded coconut for a rich, round-tasting crust. (Once baked, the coconut flavor almost disappears.) Bakers who avoid preservatives will find an easy version of homemade sweetened coconut in the tip below the recipe.) For thicker lemon squares, use the square baking pan; for thinner ones, the large rectangle. For an easy lemon tart, simply cut the recipe in half and bake it in an 8-inch round tart pan, pressing the crust up the sides.

Provided by Julia Moskin

Categories     easy, cookies and bars, dessert

Time 1h

Yield About 2 to 3 dozen bars, depending on size

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 cups/240 grams all-purpose flour
1 cup/225 grams very cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into small chunks
1/2 cup/50 grams sweetened shredded coconut (see note)
1/4 cup/30 grams confectioners' sugar, more for sprinkling
Pinch of salt
2 cups/400 grams granulated sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup/120 milliliters freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup/30 grams all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt

Steps:

  • Make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch or 9-by-9-inch baking pan, preferably nonstick.
  • In a stand mixer or food processor, combine crust ingredients. Mix or pulse until well combined and moist clumps form. Using your hands, press mixture evenly but gently into prepared pan.
  • Bake crust until edges and top are light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate once for even browning.
  • Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth.
  • Pour filling over hot parbaked crust and return to the oven. Bake until filling is almost set, about 20 minutes more. (Thicker squares, baked in the 9-by-9-inch pan, will take longer.) Start checking after 15 minutes; when you give the pan a gentle shake, filling should be lightly set all over and still quivery in the very center.
  • Let lemon bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle the top lightly and evenly with confectioners' sugar.
  • Cut into squares, diamonds or rectangles and remove from pan. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. If desired, sprinkle again with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 156, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 21 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 45 milligrams, Sugar 14 grams, TransFat 0 grams

THE BEST LEMON BARS



The Best Lemon Bars image

Tart, rich and perfection, all rolled into one! Wow your friends with this simple recipe. Hint: No Substitutions!

Provided by Patty Schenck

Categories     Desserts     Fruit Dessert Recipes     Lemon Dessert Recipes

Time 55m

Yield 36

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 ½ cups white sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 lemons, juiced

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
  • Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. For a festive tray, make another pan using limes instead of lemons and adding a drop of green food coloring to give a very pale green. After both pans have cooled, cut into uniform 2 inch squares and arrange in a checker board fashion.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 125.8 calories, Carbohydrate 17.8 g, Cholesterol 34.2 mg, Fat 5.8 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 1.6 g, SaturatedFat 3.4 g, Sodium 44.4 mg, Sugar 11.2 g

Tips:

  • Use a microplane zester to get the most zest out of your lemons. This will help to infuse the bars with a bright, citrusy flavor.
  • Be sure to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This will help to create a smooth and creamy filling.
  • Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the bars tough.
  • Bake the bars until the edges are golden brown and the center is set. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
  • Let the bars cool completely before cutting them. This will help to prevent them from falling apart.
  • For a richer flavor, use a combination of butter and cream cheese in the filling.
  • For a tangier flavor, use more lemon juice in the filling.
  • For a sweeter flavor, add more sugar to the filling.
  • For a more textured filling, add chopped nuts or shredded coconut to the filling.
  • For a more festive presentation, top the bars with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or a drizzle of lemon glaze.

Conclusion:

Sunny Lemon Bars are a classic dessert that is perfect for any occasion. They are easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. With their bright, citrusy flavor and creamy filling, these bars are sure to be a hit. So next time you are looking for a delicious and refreshing dessert, give Sunny Lemon Bars a try.

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