These Easy Meyer Lemon Bars are made with whole eggs – that’s right, NO SEPARATING EGG YOLKS AND WHITES NEEDED! Using Meyer Lemons can enhance the sweetness of the lemon bars, but regular lemons are also fine to use. If you’re looking for a delicious lemon dessert recipe, these lemon squares are sure to be a hit!

Lemon bars can often be a bit complicated to make, involving separating egg yolks, pre-cooking the lemon curd before baking, and straining the lemon curd of any zest. Some have a firm filling, some a more pudding-like consistency.
I wanted to make lemon bars that really featured delicious Meyer lemons in all their tart, sweet glory, and make it as easy as possible. This recipe only uses one bowl and one pan, does not require that you cool the crust before filling it nor cook the lemon curd before baking, and uses whole eggs rather than just the yolks. And I didn’t strain the curd!
The result? Absolutely delicious. While the lemon curd isn’t as perfectly smooth as a strained version, and the filling not perfectly evenly cooked as it would be with pre-cooking, my verdict? Every single one of those minor sacrifices is 100% worth it for the simplicity and ease of this recipe.
I’m never making lemon bars any other way again, and I hope you think so too! These are so easy!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Meyer lemons – or regular. Other citrus may be used here, but keep in mind you will need to use less sugar for those that are more sweet, such as oranges or grapefruit.
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Flour – I haven’t tried using gluten-free flour, but since this is a simple recipe, I think using a gluten-free 1:1 substitute flour may work well here!
- Butter
- Powdered sugar – this is for the crust; regular sugar can be used here as well, but it will have a crunchier texture (which is fine!).
- Salt
How to make Lemon Bars
To make the crust, just mix together some butter, powdered sugar, a little bit of salt, and flour. It will be a bit of a crumbly dough that sticks together when you press it, kind of like a more doughy pie crust. Press it into a well-greased large baking pan, and bake until starting to brown.
Then, pour the topping on the crust after it’s cooled for only a few minutes- a mixture of 5 whole eggs, sugar, Meyer lemon juice and zest (from about 4 Meyer lemons), a pinch of salt, baking powder, and a little bit more flour to help firm it up. Bake until set, allow to cool, and you’re done!
Unless of course you want to get fancy and garnish the bars with more powdered sugar, lemon zest, blackberries, and mint. It makes them extra pretty to bring to holiday parties or take photos for your food blog (haha).
Meyer vs. Regular lemons for lemon bars
Meyer lemons are not your average lemon. They are sweeter than other varieties- so sweet, in fact, that you can eat the fruit by itself! This means they are a bit less acidic, and it also means you can use less sugar in the bars to sweeten it. With five whole eggs and plenty of lemon juice and zest, these scrumptious lemon dessert bars actually maintain some nutritional value!
But you can definitely use regular lemons for these lemon bars too – just add a little more sugar. You may also need a few more regular lemons. They tend to be smaller and less juicy than Meyer lemons.
Can I freeze lemon bars?
Yes! I recommend freezing them individually after baking and slicing. Start by flash freezing them. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet with some space in between each bar and freezing for 1-2 hours, until they’re frozen. Then, you can wrap them each individually in plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container or zip top bag, and take them out individually as you want them. That way, they won’t freeze together or smush onto the plastic wrap before they’re frozen.
I have 5 of these delicious Meyer lemons left. What should I make? Maybe this Iced Ginger Honey Lemon Tea?
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Easy Meyer Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 cup butter softened (2 sticks)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
For the Topping:
- 5 eggs
- 1 ½ cups sugar (see notes)
- ¾ cup lemon juice from about 4-5 lemons, Meyer or regular (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest from about 4-5 lemons, Meyer or regular (see notes)
- pinch kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- extra powdered sugar, lemon zest, blackberries, and/or mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Liberally grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with a little bit of the softened butter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Tip: If prepping and measuring all the other ingredients before starting, be sure to zest the lemons before juicing them!
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, mix the rest of the 1 cup butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt on high until well combined.
- Add the 2 cups all-purpose flour and mix on low speed until dough begins to just stick together and clump up (you should be able to form it into a shape easily with your hands, and you shouldn't see any visible flour).
- Press the dough mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan with your hands. Be sure to press down firmly, to really pack it in, and make sure it comes up the sides of the pan a little bit. This will help with shrinking dough and also ensure the curd doesn't seep down under the crust.
- Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until just starting to brown.
- Meanwhile, to make the topping: In the same mixing bowl, mix together the 5 eggs, 1 ½ cups sugar, ¾ cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, pinch kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon baking powder on medium-high speed until well combined and pale in color.
- Add the ¼ cup all-purpose flour and mix until smooth and not lumpy.
- After crust has baked, remove from oven and turn the temperature down to 325 degrees F.
- After the crust has cooled in the pan slightly (you should be able to touch the pan without a potholder), pour the topping in.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 25-35 minutes, or until set (it shouldn't wiggle when you shake the pan gently).
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for at least 20 minutes, preferably longer – it will be much easier to cut if it's room temperature, so I like to plan to let it sit for about an hour.
- Cut into squares and top with extra powdered sugar, lemon zest, blackberries, and/or mint leaves, if desired.
Notes
- Storage: Store these in your refrigerator to keep them cool and firm. To freeze, I recommend flash freezing them, then wrapping in plastic wrap individually.
- Use regular lemons: if you don’t have Meyer Lemons, use regular lemons. You may will need a few more to get the right amount of juice, since they are smaller and less juicy. I recommend adding 1/4 cup more sugar to the curd filling as well.
- Some readers have commented that they take longer to bake/set. The original recipe called for baking them for 15-20 minutes after adding the filling. I cooked them again and found that they did take longer, so I adjusted the timing to 25-35 minutes. It may take longer or shorter for you, so keep an eye on them.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
JH Maldy
As many of the other bakers commented, I also had trouble baking the filling as per the instructions. At 325 degrees, it took 30-35 minutes for the filling to bake properly. It would be helpful if the recipe instructions were changed for future bakers of Easy Meyer Lemon Bars. Other than that, it is a great recipe!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Really appreciate this feedback, I’m going to time it next time I bake to try and troubleshoot this issue!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hi there! Just following up on this comment. I made the Meyer Lemon bars again today and you are right – they take much longer than I originally wrote in the instructions to bake and set! I adjusted the time to be 25-35 minutes to bake after adding the filling. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention and helping make the recipe better for other readers!
Ruth S Jones
I just made this for a group get together and it tasted yummy. The presentation with blackberries and mint leaves was so pretty. I did have trouble though – the filling would not get done. I had to keep it in the oven about 30 minutes or more for it to finally get done. Also, (and maybe I should have guessed this, I discovered that the crust needs to have an edge built up around the outside so the filling does not seep underneath the crust when it is poured in the pan. Half of the bars had filling underneath as well as above the crust. I can fix this last problem but I don’t know why the filling took so long to get done.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Sorry you had a frustrating experience! I’m going to make these again soon and time the cooking again to make sure I didn’t make an error. Appreciate you sharing this feedback with me!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hi there! Just following up on this comment. I made the Meyer Lemon bars again today and you are right – they take much longer than I originally wrote in the instructions to bake and set! I adjusted the time to be 25-35 minutes to bake after adding the filling (mine took 30 minutes to set at 325 degrees F after adding the filling). I appreciate you bringing this to my attention and helping make the recipe better for other readers!
Ruth S Jones
Elizabeth, thank you for updating the recipe and for responding to my comment. I will try this recipe again.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hope it works well for you when you try again!
Doreen Anderson
Delicious and so glad I found your recipe as it had everything I was looking for similar to your thought process as to why you love this version !
Feedback –
Instructions – I struggled to zest my lemons after I had juiced them fighting with the floppy meyer lemon skins. Seems like such a silly basic thing, but you might want to recommend to zest lemons first before juicing them.
Bake time – I use farm eggs which means they aren’t graded to a specific size and I absolutely had to bake 10 minutes longer than as instructed in your directions. I know my oven was a solid 325 as I keep a thermometer in the oven.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked the recipe! Great idea to add that hint about the lemons, not a silly thing at all – I’ve been in that boat before! Thanks for your suggestion – editing the recipe now :-)
Ruth S Jones
I had the same problem with mine and I use regular grocery store eggs. I had to bake it at least 30 minutes.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hi there! Just following up on this comment. I made the Meyer Lemon bars again today and you are right – they take much longer than I originally wrote in the instructions to bake and set! I adjusted the time to be 25-35 minutes to bake after adding the filling. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention and helping make the recipe better for other readers!
Jose
So delicious and easy to make
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Robyn Ridgley
First time I’ve ever made lemon bars, so I was scouring recipes carefully; mine came out excellent —and as good as any I’ve gotten from a bakery in Beverly Hills.. I am thrilled with this recipe I did not put berries on the top but it is everything I hoped and wanted it to be note: I used organic Meyers lemons that a friend gave me
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Terrterr
I used this recipe to make lemon bars for a friend who is a lemon bar connoisseur, and she absolutely loved them! I’m not a fan of cooked fruit, but I did taste a bit of the filling, and it was quite tasty. Anyway, I ran into the same issue as a previous poster with runny filling. It was as if there was too much lemon juice. I beat the egg mixture longer and added a little more flour, and I still had to bake it for an extra 15 minutes to get it to set. I was a little concerned that I was going to ruin the whole batch, but it still came out great!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Thanks for the tip for increased cooking time and adding more flour to the filling – I’m going to keep that in mind next time I make it!
Ruth S Jones
Same problem here. I will try more flour next time. Maybe that will help.
Elizabeth Lindemann
I’ve never had this happen to me, but yes maybe a couple tablespoons more flour would help. Sorry you had a frustrating experience!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hi there! Just following up on this comment. I made the Meyer Lemon bars again today and you are right – they take much longer than I originally wrote in the instructions to bake and set! I adjusted the time to be 25-35 minutes to bake after adding the filling. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention and helping make the recipe better for other readers!
Cindy
Fantastic recipe. I made them gluten free with Bob’s 1 to 1 baking flour.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Great to know it works with gluten free flour – I’m going to try that myself soon as I am trying to cut back on gluten!
Lois
The best lemon bars I’ve ever tasted! The Meyer lemons add so much flavor!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked them!
Sarah
Hi! I tried making these today, and the topping was VERY runny when I poured it over the crust. Is that the way it should be? I followed the recipe exactly. It look an extra 10 minutes longer in the oven than the recipe specifies for it to set.
They seem quite soft and delicate, so I’m leaving them to completely cool in the baking dish, and then I’m going to put them in the fridge for a while before attempting to cut and remove them.
Any idea what may have happened? Thanks!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Interesting! It’s definitely possible that it just needed a little longer to cook- so many factors can affect that such as oven temp, egg size, etc. The fridge should help them solidify a bit too. My only suggestion is to maybe mix the filling for longer- like 2-3 minutes. This will help the eggs come together a bit, similarly to how whipped cream comes together after a long time mixing it. The eggs will be a little stiffer, and may result in a more solid result. Hope that helps, for you or anyone else reading this!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hi there! Just following up on this comment. I made the Meyer Lemon bars again today and you are right – they take much longer than I originally wrote in the instructions to bake and set! I adjusted the time to be 25-35 minutes to bake after adding the filling. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention and helping make the recipe better for other readers!
Dale
These are great!! I’ve made these three times now. Something happened the second time, they didn’t set. I just baked these for the third time and had to give them an extra 5 minutes in the oven, till it didn’t jiggle. I hope the third batch comes out as great as the first ones. The second batch tasted great just was a little undercooked.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked them! I find baking time depends on a variety of factors, so it makes sense that one batch would take longer than others. Just give it a little more time if it seems undercooked, and you should be fine!
RobinB
So easy and delicious!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked them!
Katie
Made these today! I’m a huge fan of tart lemon bars and these were absolutely perfect! Thanks for a great simple recipe. I will be sure to made these again.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So happy you liked them!
Valerie
Ok I just had to comment. I am not a fan of lemon, I like the fruit but not usually anything else. These are Amazing !!! Thank you Thank you so much for this recipe. I had a bag of myer lemons and was thinking what to do with them. I looked online for easy to do Lemon recipes. I am so glad I did. Had to have one as soon as they were finished. Again thank You so much Elizabeth!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Aw this comment made my day! So happy you liked them and thanks so much!
Terry Brown
I’ve made these a few times and they are great. First time I added cranberries to the crust layer and most recently I added fresh blueberries to the lemon layer and they turned out great.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh wow I love the idea of adding cranberries/blueberries! So happy you liked the recipe!
Jacquelyn Richardson
Easy and delicious!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thanks so much! Glad you liked them :-)
Susan
Just made these wonderful little bars with some Meyer lemons I got for Christmas. They actually are easy to make (1 bowl) , and taste great. My husband and I were sampling them while they were still warm, hats how great they are. Thank you for this recipe!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So happy you both liked them! Thanks so much!
Rianna
Thank you so much for this recipe! It was perfect. These are the best lemon bars I’ve ever had.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked them!!
Betty
Question: the ingredients call for a cup of butter and the instructions call for 1/2 cup.. which is it? Surely you aren’t using the other 1/2 cup for greasing the pan. I’m confused. I’m looking forward to trying your recipe if you can help me on that score.
Thank you..
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh man, sorry about that! In an effort to make my recipes easier to read (ie not have to scroll up and down all the time), I went back and added the ingredient amounts in the instructions. But I made a few mistakes along the way. Thank you SO much for catching this! It should be 1 cup for the crust, with a little bit of it used to grease the pan. I’m going to fix the instructions now. Hope you like them!
Sussan
I love lemon bars and these look delish. But is there any way to make them gluten free and dairy free with substitutions.?
Elizabeth Lindemann
That’s a great question! I’ve never tried it before, but I’d use ghee instead of butter (ghee IS butter, just without the dairy particles in it, so it’s appropriate for a dairy free diet), and gluten-free flour. This recipe is pretty forgiving, so I think that should do the trick :-) Let me know how it comes out if you try it!
Susie
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe, I have enjoyed it and so has my friends.
Elizabeth
I’m so happy you and your friends like the recipe! These lemon bars are one of my favorite things in the world.