This recipe for Swedish Lemon Bars is the perfect lemon bar recipe! The crust is buttery and flakey, and the lemon custard is sweet, tart, and smooth. I just love this combination in the springtime. The flavor is so bright and lively, which tastes so good when the temps start to rise and the sunshine makes its way into every corner of the kitchen.
I definitely have a thing for lemon recipes. Have you tried my Lemon Cookies or Creamy Lemon Bars? This recipe comes from my grandmother on my mom’s side. I’m not sure where she found it, or why they are considered “Swedish”? Maybe one of you all know the story?
The crust for these lemon bars is made by pulsing butter, flour, and sugar in the food processor. I find that this step makes the crust extra flakey and light. If you don’t have a food processor, you can cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or a fork.
Are all lemons the same?
One note on the lemon flavor in this recipe. If you use fresh lemons that come off of the tree at the beginning of the lemon season, they will be more tart than late season lemons. You can also add zest if you prefer to get the most flavor out of your lemon. I like to freeze fresh lemon juice in ice cube trays so that I can use it all year long. We have so many lemon trees in our neighborhood, and it’s hard to see them drop to the ground and go to waste.
Here’s a tip for cutting neat lemon bar squares (or triangles). Place the lemon bars into the freezer to chill for about 15 minutes before cutting. If the pan is lined with parchment, you can use the two ends of the parchment paper that hang over the edge of the lemon bars to lift the whole slab out on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut through the bars, wiping off any custard that may stick to the knife before cutting another row.
These Swedish Lemon Bars come together easily and are sure to add a splash of sunshine to your day. Hopefully you all will be able to start hosting get-togethers and BBQs soon. These would be the perfect sweet bite to end on!
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Swedish Lemon Bars
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This recipe for Swedish Lemon Bars is the perfect lemon bar recipe! The crust is buttery and flakey, and the lemon custard is sweet, tart, and smooth.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup cold, salted butter, cubed
For the Filling
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
To Finish
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 by 8 inch pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
- Add flour, powdered sugar, and cubed butter to the food processor and pulse together until crumbly. Pat the dough mixture evenly and firmly into the prepared pan. Don’t worry that the dough isn’t holding together just yet. It will bind as it bakes.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until light golden brown around the edges.
For the Filling
- In a medium bowl, combine eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and lemon juice and beat together with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy (about one minute).
- Pour the lemon mixture over the cooked crust, and return to the oven for an additional 20-24 minutes.
To Finish
- Allow the bars to cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bar
- Calories: 153
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 71mg
- Fat: 6.4g
- Saturated Fat: 3.9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1.8g
- Cholesterol: 39mg
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