Lemon Bars with Shortbread Cookie Crust

We love, love, love a good lemon bar. They have the perfect combination of sweet and tangy with a medley of textures from the creamy middle and crunchy crust. This is one of our favorite recipes for lemon bars. 

Tip* Use your Vinci Hands Free Citrus Juicer to make quick work of juicing those lemons! 

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

Lemon Filling

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup lemon juice

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the bottom and sides of a glass 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the parchment paper to overhang over the top of the pan for easy removal later.
• Prepare the crust: mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour and combine thoroughly. Press dough firmly into prepared pan, making sure the layer of crust is nice and even. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges of crust are lightly browned. Remove from the oven.
• Make the filling: Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Add the eggs and lemon juice and whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour filling over warm crust. Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is set. Remove pan from the oven and cool at room temperature on the counter for at least 3 hours, then for an additional 3 in the refrigerator.
• To serve, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares: cover and store leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.