Here’s a rich, creamy lemon squares recipe with a buttery shortbread crust and smooth, tangy lemon filling — perfectly balanced between sweet and bright 🍋
Creamy Lemon Squares
Ingredients
For the Crust:
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1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened
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½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
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2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
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¼ teaspoon salt
For the Creamy Lemon Filling:
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1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
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¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour
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4 large eggs
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⅔ cup (160ml) fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)
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1 tablespoon lemon zest
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¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream (makes it extra creamy!)
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Pinch of salt
Optional:
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Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Crust
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
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Cream butter and sugar together until smooth.
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Add flour and salt, mix until crumbly dough forms.
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Press evenly into the pan.
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Bake for 18–22 minutes, until lightly golden.
2️⃣ Make the Filling
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Whisk sugar and flour together.
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Add eggs and whisk until smooth.
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Stir in lemon juice, zest, heavy cream, and salt.
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Pour over the hot crust straight from the oven.
3️⃣ Bake Again
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Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the center is just set (slight jiggle is okay).
4️⃣ Cool & Serve
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Let cool completely at room temperature.
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Chill for at least 2 hours before slicing.
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Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Tips for Extra Creamy Squares
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Use fresh lemon juice only (not bottled).
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Don’t overbake — they firm up as they cool.
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For even silkier texture, strain the filling before pouring over crust.
If you’d like, I can also give you:
• A cheesecake-style lemon bar (ultra creamy)
• A condensed milk version
• A small-batch 8×8 pan version
• Or a gluten-free option 🍋