Small Batch Lemon Bars

When it comes to desserts like tarts, pie, or in this case, lemon bars, I'm all about the crust. A great shortbread crust should have a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that also snaps when broken apart. And that's exactly what this shortbread is like. Oh and with the addition of almond extract, it complements the bright lemon flavor, rounding out the whole dessert.

The lemon curd filling is fairly tart with the perfect balance of sweetness. Each bite into the smooth, creamy texture is pure lemon heaven.

With a lemon filling this delicious and a shortbread equally so, the two elements should be similar in thickness, right?! These bars have an almost 1:1 ratio of buttery shortbread crust to tart lemon custard filling. And it is magic.

For more spring desserts, try Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting, Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf, Lemon Meringue Cupcakes, and Mini Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting.

Why you'll love these small batch lemon bars

• 1:1 Lemon Filling to Shortbread Ratio: For the most well rounded dessert, these bars have nearly an equal amount of tart lemon filling to buttery, tender shortbread crust. It's the perfect ratio for a lemon bar than isn't too tart or too sweet.
• Bowl & Whisk Method: To make this recipe, all you need are a couple bowls and a whisk. You gotta love a dessert that's made with an incredibly simple method, but produces outstanding results!
• No-Fuss Make Ahead Dessert: Though chill time can be annoying if you're looking for a quick sweet fix, it can also be a good excuse to prep a dessert ahead of time for a dinner party or other gathering. Just whip these up the day before, let them chill overnight, and they're ready to go the next day!
• Small Batch Recipe: These lemon bars are so rich and addicting, it's a good thing the recipe yields just nine 1" bars!

Ingredient Notes

• All-Purpose Flour: Use high-quality unbleached all-purpose flour.
• Powdered Sugar: This will make the shortbread extra tender and give it that melt-in-you-mouth quality.
• Unsalted Butter: I highly recommend using European-style butter for best overall flavor and texture of the shortbread. This type of butter has a higher fat content & less water percentage than American-style butter.
• Almond Extract: The addition of almond extract in the shortbread pairs beautifully with the tart lemon filling. If almond extract isn't your thing, you can absolutely leave it out.
• Fresh Lemons: The star of the show! The flavor & oils of the zest are intensified when rubbed together with the sugar. The juice from about 2-3 lemons is then mixed in with the rest of the filing ingredients.
• Cornstarch: One tablespoon of cornstarch is thickens up the filling to a sliceable consistency.
• Eggs: The eggs add flavor and provide a creamy, almost custard-like texture in the lemon filling.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make these small batch lemon bars! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post. 

STEP 1: Make the shortbread crust. In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Cut the cubes of butter into the flour mixture with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the butter is pea-size. Lastly, mix in the almond extract. 

STEP 2: Bake the shortbread crust. Transfer the dough to the prepared loaf pan and pack it down with the back of a rubber spatula into an even layer. Dock the dough with the tines of a fork, then bake for 14-16 minutes or until the edges are barely golden and the center no longer looks doughy.

STEP 3: Make the lemon filling. While the crust bakes, make the lemon filling. In a medium bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingers until the it resembles wet sand and the zest smells aromatic.

STEP 4: Whisk lemon filling vigorously. Stir in the cornstarch and salt. Then, add in the lemon juice and eggs. Whisk vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the eggs are fully incorporated into the mixture. 

STEP 5: Bake the lemon bars. Once the crust is done baking, immediately pour the lemon filling over the hot crust. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake for 15-16 minutes or until it is completely set in the middle.

STEP 6: Chill, then serve. Allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature. Then, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least one hour or overnight. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips

• Dock the shortbread: Before baking the shortbread, dock the dough with the tines of a fork to encourage even & thorough baking.
• Whisk the lemon filling vigorously: To ensure the eggs are fully incorporated into the filling, whisk the mixture vigorously. The last thing you want are cooked pieces of egg in your filling!
• Chill the baked bars: For the filling to set up to a thick, sliceable consistency, the bars need to be chilled for at least one hour or overnight.
• Decorate with powdered sugar just before serving: The powdered sugar will melt into the bars as they sit, so it's best to wait to decorate them until just before serving.

All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

Happy baking! x