Thick & Gooey Lemon Bars (with Shortbread Crust)

Thick & Gooey Lemon Bars (with Shortbread Crust)

🧾 Ingredients

For the shortbread crust:

• 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the lemon filling:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp salt

For topping:

• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Prepare the crust

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Line a baking pan (20×20 cm or 9×9 inch) with parchment paper.
3. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth.
4. Add flour and salt, mix until crumbly dough forms.
5. Press evenly into the pan.
6. Bake for 18–20 minutes until lightly golden.

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2. Make the lemon filling

1. In another bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until smooth.
2. Add flour, lemon juice, zest, and salt.
3. Mix until fully combined (smooth liquid batter).

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3. Bake

1. Pour filling over the hot crust.
2. Return to oven and bake 20–25 minutes until center is set but still slightly soft (this gives that gooey texture).

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4. Cool & finish

1. Let cool completely at room temperature.
2. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (important for clean cuts).
3. Dust generously with powdered sugar.
4. Slice into squares.

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💡 Tips for PERFECT gooey lemon bars

• Use fresh lemon juice (not bottled) for best flavor
• Don’t overbake → center should slightly jiggle
• Chill well before cutting → gives clean, bakery-style squares
• Add extra zest if you want stronger lemon flavor

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😋 Result

You’ll get:

• Buttery shortbread base
• Thick, creamy lemon layer
• Perfect balance of sweet + tangy
• Soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture (like your image)