Today, I am sharing the recipe for my mom’s lemon bars.
My mom has been making these lemon bars for over forty years. They are a tried and true family favorite.
One of the first recipes I shared on my site, way back in early 2008, was for my mom’s lemon bars. She has made this recipe for years, and it was one of the desserts that she made all the time when I was a kid.
Her lemon bars, coconut bars, and no bake cheesecake were the desserts that she was known to bring to almost any family or church event that we went to.
Yes, she made other things, but those were the three tried and true favorites she always returned to when she needed a quick and easy dessert.
Those three recipes are probably the three my sisters and I remember most from our childhood. We ate them all the time, and I don’t think any of us can eat them without them bringing back all kinds of memories.
I know why my mom loved making these lemon bars. They are easy to make; she always had the ingredients, and everyone loved them.
They are just one of those simple old-fashioned desserts that everyone seems to love.
Yesterday I shared the gluten free lemon bars that I finally perfected. It was one of those recipes that took me awhile to get just right. I wanted them to taste just like the lemon bars I remembered as a kid and I finally got them just like the lemon bars I remember.
When I shared the gluten free version and looked back at the recipe I shared years ago here, I knew it was time for an update.
Now, the actual recipe did not need an update. I still make these the same way my mom always did, but the pictures needed updating.
My old post very poor and very small pictures, and the recipe was also pretty poorly written. It was time for a redo.
If you have never made lemon bars, you need to. They are so good.
They are one of my favorite desserts and will always be one of those recipes I turn to when I need a quick and easy dessert.
One quick note on the recipe, though. Modern times and chefs would have us believe that this recipe needs real freshly squeezed lemon juice. This recipe is not one of those times. My mom has been using the bottled stuff for years.
Fresh lemons were not an everyday staple in our house growing up. Bottled lemon juice, on the other hand, was a staple. It works, and it is what my mom used.
Now, I am all for freshly squeezed lemon juice for some things, but for this recipe, I never use it. I use the regular old lemon juice that comes in a bottle. It works, it is cheap, and I always have it on hand.
If you are gluten free or know someone that is gluten free be sure to check out the gluten free lemon bars I shared yesterday.
Ingredients
- butter
- powdered sugar
- flour
- sugar, regular white sugar not powdered sugar
- lemon juice
- eggs
Mom's Lemon Bars
My mom's lemon bars are a classic recipes that my family has been making for over 40 years.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups flour
Filling
- 2 cups sugar, regular white sugar not powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325.
- In a bowl mix together powdered sugar and flour.
- Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Press into a 9x13 pan and bake for 20 minutes.
- While crust is baking make the filling by whisking together the sugar, flour, lemon juice, and eggs.
- Whisk until well combined.
- Pour over cooked crust and bake for 22-25 minutes more.
- Let cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar.
- Let bars finish cooling and cut into squares.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 288Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 98mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 0gSugar: 32gProtein: 3g
Originally posted in 2008. Updated September 2015 and September 2024.
I think this recipe is simpler than most I see. It’s a keeper!