Lemon Love Notes Cookie Bars

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Sweet and lemony with a crisp melt-in-your-mouth shortbread crust, these easy summer treats can be made in just a few minutes.

Spring is here! Well, I’ve decided spring is here. It may still be in the 30s outside. But I’ve put away my red blankets and changed all the couch pillows. My apartment has been converted to a spring garden. Which makes me want to make something bright and springy to snack on as I watch everyone avoid the snow flurries outside.

South Texas only has two seasons (“hot” and “a little less hot”). But every time it warmed up, my mom and I made these lemon love notes for my dad. They seemed like the perfect way to dupe myself into believing it really is spring.

These sparkling fresh fruit tarts would have worked too! Or even this easy creamy vanilla bean panna cotta. And this Boozy Raspberry Eton Mess screams spring!

Jump to Recipe

TL;DR

• Set your oven to 350°F
• Make an easy shortbread crust
• Cook the crust for 15 minutes to set
• Pour lemon filling over the hot crust
• Bake for 25 minutes
• Allow to cool and top with powdered sugar
• Try not to eat the whole pan

How to make Lemon Bars

The number one reason I love this dessert (other than the taste) is because it’s so easy. There are only two components: crust and lemon filling.

For this recipe I do recommend using an 8” square pan with parchment paper cut to size. If you plan on serving these bars on a display, parchment paper makes it so much easier to unmold them. And parchment paper in general keeps crusts from sticking.

Cutting Parchment Paper:

Shaping parchment paper for a square or rectangle pan is easy. Simply place your paper over the opening of your baking dish. Cut the paper to fit in the bottom of the pan with enough extra on the sides to serve as handles. (See the second photo below.) You may need to fold the paper to fit in the corners, or cut off small rectangles in the corner.

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Lemon Love Note Crust

The key to a good shortbread crust is less sugar, more butter. 

Simply shift together your sugar and flour to keep them light. Then add in your cold (but not frozen) butter. Cold butter makes it easier to mix into the flour without creating clumps. But don’t worry too much about the butter melting as your work. You’re going to be popping it directly in the oven to melt together anyway.

Once the dough resembles small peas, dump it into your baking dish and spread it over the bottom. Don’t worry about pressing it or making it perfectly even. But do make sure there aren’t any big gaps! (Nothing big enough you can see the bottom of the dish.) 

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Lemon Love Note Filling

The lemon filling for these bars takes absolutely zero effort. In fact, selecting which mixing bowl might be the hardest part, if you have more than one. (Bit spoiled for choice there, aren’t you?)

Put all the ingredients in your mixing bowl, beat them together with a hand mixer or whisk. The end. You’ve done it.

I tend to over complicated it by beating the eggs first, then slowly adding in the sugar and other ingredients. But that’s unnecessary. If you’re crunched for time, dump it in, beat, and go.

Pour this filling directly over your hot crust and place it back in the oven.

Yes, the lemon filling will separate a bit with darker color and consistency at the bottom and a lighter, foamier consistency on top. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.

Lemon Love Note Topping

Let your Lemon Love Notes rest for at least 10 minutes before trying to remove from the pan, even with the parchment paper. You’ll find the center will still be fairly gooey, so let it cool completely before cutting. The top will be lighter and crispier. I didn’t get a picture of this because I was too excited to start eating them… But it provides the perfect resting ground for powdered sugar!

I always top with powdered sugar, but you could also use some royal icing if you wanted something more decorative.

Storing Lemon Love Notes

Lemon Love Notes are perfect to make in advance!

These little treats can store in a room-temperature airtight container for about 3-4 days. If you put them in the fridge, they’ll last about 5-6 days.

Lemon bars don’t freeze particularly well. I wouldn’t recommend making them more than a few days in advance. If you can’t finish them all within a week…make something else.