Tangy Shortbread Lemon Bars

The lemon bar recipe of all lemon bar recipes. A little bit tangy, a little bit sweet—these lemon bars are the perfect combination of shortbread and lemony goodness. The shortbread crust is a delicious savory base for the extra tart lemon filling, which is full of fresh lemon juice and zest. They're perfect for a summer party, or for an afternoon treat. They're also a great way to use up any extra lemons you might have lying around. This is a recipe you should try at least once.

A few notes:

The shortbread crust is a simple mixture of butter, flour, sugar and a little salt — so basically it's got all the good stuff you want in a cookie.
You can make these ahead of time and freeze them for later. Just thaw them at room temperature and enjoy.
If you're feeling fancy, add some berries on top before you bake them — it's the perfect way to add some color!
These are the best lemon bars you'll ever eat. I promise.

Tangy Shortbread Lemon Bars

Ingredients for the shortbread crust:

2 cups flour (I used all-purpose)
2 sticks butter, straight from the fridge (I used salted)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Ingredients for the filling:

1 package cream cheese (8 oz), room temp
2 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx. 4 lemons; you can also use bottled lemon juice but it may not taste as fresh!)
The zest of 1 large lemon (approx. 1 tbsp)
1/3 cup powdered sugar (plus a couple tablespoons to top the bars)
1 tsp vanilla (or if you’re like me, just measure with your heart)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350° F and line/grease a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, butter, sugar, and salt and mix until dough is a bit crumbly. This will be easiest with a stand/hand mixer, food processor, or a pastry cutter. Try to not overwork the crust!
Press the crust mixture evenly into your lined/greased pan, using a fork punch several holes into crust and then bake for 10 minutes.
Next, combine the room temp cream cheese and granulated sugar; mix until creamy. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. (the custard will be a bit thin, don’t be alarmed, it will set up in the oven)
Pour the custard over the baked crust and bake for an additional 30 minutes. The top of the lemon bars should just barely start to turn a golden brown but still appear yellow! If the custard is super jiggly, bake an additional 2-4 minutes but watch closely to not over bake!
After baking, let the lemon bars cool until room temp and then place in the fridge to chill. Chill for at least 5 hours, but preferably overnight if possible. When you’re ready to serve, lift the parchment paper to remove the bars from the pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into bite-sized squares. Enjoy!

These lemon bars are tangy so a little goes a long ways! Using the 9x13 pan, I cut them into 32 squares for a smaller bite-sized portion.