Lemon Crumb Bars (Printable)
Tangy lemon filling with buttery crumb crust and topping
# What You'll Need:
→ Crumb Mixture
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
→ Lemon Filling
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
09 - Zest of 2 lemons
10 - 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
→ Optional Topping
11 - Powdered sugar for dusting
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add cold cubed butter and blend with a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
03 - Press half of the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust. Reserve remaining mixture for topping.
04 - Whisk eggs until well combined. Add sugar, flour, lemon zest, and lemon juice; whisk until smooth.
05 - Pour lemon filling over the crust, spreading evenly. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture evenly over the filling.
06 - Bake for 32-35 minutes until top is light golden and filling is set.
07 - Cool completely in the pan. Lift out using parchment, cut into bars, and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That perfect buttery crumble gives way to bright lemony filling in every single bite
- They come together faster than you can preheat the oven but taste like you spent all afternoon baking
02 -
- Cold butter creates the tender crumb texture you're after—if it softens while you're working, pop the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes
- These bars need to cool completely before slicing or the filling will ooze everywhere—plan ahead and bake them the night before you need them
03 -
- Grate your lemon zest before juicing the lemons—it's nearly impossible to zest a lemon that's already been squeezed
- Room temperature lemons yield more juice—microwave them for 10 seconds if you forgot to take them out ahead of time