Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
Lemon bars with graham cracker crust are the perfect sweet and tart treat that everyone will rave about. Sweet and tart Meyer lemon curd filling on a buttery, crunchy graham crust are so simple to make.
Servings: 15 bars
Calories: 224kcal
Equipment
- Microplane To zest lemon
Ingredients
For Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cup Graham crakers crusted fine, or pre crushed crumbs
- 5 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup butter melted
Meyer Lemon Filling
- 1½ cup lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 2¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 6 eggs beaten, with small white lumps removed.
- powdered sugar to garnish the top after chilling and set up
Instructions
Prepare Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat your oven to 350 F. Lay parchment paper inside a 9 x 13" baking so that it overlaps the sides, or use aluminum foil. This will let you lift the lemon bars out of the pan without them sticking and breaking after baking.
- In a medium bowl, blend the crushed graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and lemon zest.2 cup Graham crakers, 5 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Add the melted butter and cut into the graham cracker crumbs until you have a mealy texture.½ cup butter
- Dump the crumbly graham cracker mixture into the parchment or aluminum foil lined 9 x 13" baking dish.
- Using a rounded, wide bottom measuring cup, press the graham cracker crust mixture evenly into the 9 x 13 baking dish, using the rounded edge to ensure even your corners and pressed down tight. Press down firmly so the crust mixture is packed down.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until you see it starting to pull away from the pan edges, and it is golden brown, then remove and let cool for while preparing the filling.
Prepare Meyer Lemon Curd Filling
- Add the lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch to a medium size saucepan and stir together with a whisk until blended. Heat on medium heat until the sugar has completely melted.1½ cup lemon juice, 2¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch
- In a medium bowl, blend the eggs with a whisk until evenly mixed.6 eggs
- Add a few spoons of the warmed lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch mixture to the bowl of eggs and whisk to temper the eggs.
- Add the bowl of tempered eggs to the sauce pan of heating lemon juice mixture, whisking constantly until mixture starts to thicken and coats a spoon.
Finishing The Lemon Bars
- Pour the Meyer lemon curd filling into the baking pan with the graham cracker crust. Spread the filling out evenly and return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the center doesn't jiggle.
- Remove from oven and let cool before chilling in the refrigerator for at least one hour. After chilled, lift the lemon bars out of the baking dish carefully using the edges of the parchment paper. Cut into bars or squares and dust with some powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Be sure to remove those small white egg bits out of the raw eggs before beating them.
Nutrition
Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 286IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.4mg