3 Ingredient Lemon Bars

Stir together a few simple ingredients and you’ll have these 3 Ingredient Lemon Bars ready in no time. 

What I love about this recipe

Classic lemon bars are delicious, no doubt. But this lemon bar recipe is a quick dessert with a fun twist. It features a buttery sugar cookie crust and layer of big lemon flavor on top courtesy of lemon curd. I’ve seen recipes for 3-ingredient lemon bars that use a dry cake mix and lemon pie filling. I’m a big fan of cake mixes for baking. But lemon pie filling isn’t my favorite. I prefer the lemon flavor in the lemon curd. It reminds me more of fresh lemons. 

I also enjoy the decadent tartness and sweetness of these homemade lemon bars. The first time I tried them, they reminded more of lemon pound cake. But the next time I tested them, I was able to improve on the cake-like texture and get a more traditional lemon bar. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can these lemon squares be stored at room temperature?

While many recipes for lemon squares use eggs and require refrigeration for food safety, technically these do not. But they are firmer and easier to cut/handle when refrigerated. So if you have refrigerator space, I recommend storing them in the ‘fridge. 

Where do I find lemon curd in the grocery store?

Look for lemon curd either in the aisle with jams and jellys OR the aisle with “British” food items. (In my Publix, it’s in the latter.) 

Can I make these into GF Lemon Bars?

I haven’t tried that yet, and suspect there might be some difficulties with them holding together without any wheat flour. However, if you want to try it, there are gluten free sugar cookie mixes that might work.

Can I make these in the food processor instead of in a bowl?

While I haven’t tested them that way, I suspect the end results would be the same. Just be careful not to over-process the crust dough.

How do you cut lemon bars cleanly?

To cut lemon bars (and most bar cookies) as cleanly and neatly as possible, first it’s important to make sure the lemon squares are completely cool. (You may even find it’s best to refrigerate them for a couple of hours prior to slicing.)

Next, you need to keep your knife warm and clean by using warm water. Wet the knife in warm water (in either running water or dipping a glass of warm water), and wipe it with a dry dish towel. Make a single cut in the bars, and repeat the process with every subsequent cut.

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Other 3 Ingredient Desserts you’ll enjoy:

Peach Cobbler

Pumpkin Bread

Slow Cooker Apple Cake

Chocolate Truffles