Homemade Lemon Crumb Bars (Printable version)

Bright citrus layers with buttery crumb topping

# Needed ingredients:

→ Crust and Crumb Topping

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Lemon Filling

06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
12 - Pinch of salt

→ Optional Garnish

13 - Powdered sugar for dusting

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
03 - Pour melted butter into dry mixture and stir until moist and crumbly throughout.
04 - Reserve 1/2 cup crumb mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture evenly into bottom of prepared baking pan.
05 - Bake crust for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.
06 - While crust bakes, whisk together eggs and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl until well combined.
07 - Add lemon juice, lemon zest, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth and lump-free.
08 - Remove crust from oven and pour lemon filling evenly over hot crust.
09 - Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over lemon filling.
10 - Return pan to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until filling is set and topping is lightly browned.
11 - Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 1 hour. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 1 additional hour before slicing.
12 - Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar if desired before serving.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The tangy lemon filling cuts through the buttery sweetness in a way that feels refreshing, not heavy.
  • You can make the whole thing in one bowl for the crust and another for the filling, no mixer required.
  • They slice clean after chilling, so they look bakery perfect without any fuss.
  • The crumb topping adds texture that keeps every bite interesting.
02 -
  • Don't skip the chilling step, cutting them warm will give you a messy, gooey situation instead of neat bars.
  • Zest the lemon before juicing it, trying to zest a juiced lemon is frustrating and wasteful.
  • Press the crust firmly into the pan so it holds together and doesn't crumble apart when you slice.
03 -
  • Use a microplane for zesting to avoid the bitter white pith and get the finest, most fragrant zest.
  • Pour the filling over the hot crust, not a cooled one, so the layers bond together and don't separate.
  • If you love extra tartness, reduce the sugar in the filling by two tablespoons and increase the lemon juice by one tablespoon.
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