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Four sliced small batch lemon bars on a white plate, dusted with powdered sugar and showing the shortbread crust layer.
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4.92 from 35 votes

Small Batch Lemon Bars

Small batch lemon bars with a buttery shortbread crust and a tangy lemon filling. This recipe makes 4 lemon bars in a 5-inch dish and serves one or two.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Cool1 hour
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: dessert, lemon, lemon bar, lemon bars, lemon dessert, small batch lemon bars
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Joanie Zisk

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 2 ½ tablespoons salted butter -softened to room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

For the Filling

  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
  • powdered sugar, optional for dusting
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 5×5-inch baking dish.
  • In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms.
  • Press the dough evenly into the prepared dish. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are pale gold and the surface looks dry. Leave the oven on.
  • While the crust bakes, whisk the egg, sugar, flour, and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth and well combined.
  • Pour the filling over the warm crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.
  • Return to the oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the center has a slight jiggle when the pan is gently shaken.
  • Cool the bars completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.
    Pro Tip: For clean slices, dip a sharp knife in warm water and wipe it dry between cuts.

Video

Notes

Pick the right pan. I use a 5×5-inch baking dish for these because the bars come out at the proper thickness. A 4×6-inch dish works the same way. If you want to make them as mini lemon bars, two 10-ounce ramekins divide the recipe evenly and bake in the same time. A pan that's too large gives you thin, dry bars; one that's too small lets the filling spill over.
Use glass or ceramic, not metal. Glass and ceramic give you a more even bake for a small batch. Metal pans run hot and can over-brown the crust before the filling sets.
Bake the crust until pale gold, not brown. The crust gets a second round in the oven once the filling is on, so you want to underbake it slightly the first time. Pull it when the edges look pale gold and the surface looks dry.
Pour the filling on a warm crust. This is the small detail that separates a good lemon bar from a great one. The residual heat from the crust starts to set the bottom of the filling on contact, which gives you a clean layer between the two. A fully cooled crust can lead to a soft, soggy bottom.
Use fresh lemon juice when you can. Bottled juice works in a pinch, but fresh gives the filling a brighter, cleaner flavor. Half of a medium lemon is enough.
If doubling this recipe, bake in either two 5x5-inch baking dishes or one 6x8-inch baking dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 19mg | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.7mg

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