Lemon Cookie Bars: The Ultimate Easy & Chewy Treat

Get ready to discover your new favorite dessert: these incredibly chewy and zesty Lemon Cookie Bars. This recipe is the perfect solution when you’re craving a bright, sunshiny treat that’s ridiculously easy to make. Forget complicated steps; we’re using simple, everyday ingredients to create a soft, buttery cookie base bursting with fresh lemon flavor and topped with a simple, sweet glaze. It’s a truly unforgettable dessert experience.

Whether you’re baking for a party, a potluck, or just a Tuesday afternoon pick-me-up, these lemon bars are guaranteed to disappear fast. They have the soft texture of a sugar cookie but are baked in a pan for ultimate convenience. Let’s bake some sunshine!

Why You’ll Love These Lemon Cookie Bars

There are so many reasons to adore this simple yet elegant dessert. We’ve designed this recipe to be as straightforward as possible, delivering maximum flavor with minimum fuss.

• Incredibly Easy: This is a one-bowl wonder! The dough comes together in minutes, and since you press it into a pan, there’s no chilling or rolling required. It’s one of the best easy baking recipes you’ll find.
• Perfectly Chewy Texture: We use melted butter and just the right amount of flour to create a wonderfully soft and chewy cookie bar that stays moist for days.
• Bright & Zesty Flavor: Packed with fresh lemon zest and juice, these bars have a vibrant, authentic citrus taste that isn’t artificial or overpowering.
• Feeds a Crowd: Baked in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan, this recipe makes 16 generous squares, making it perfect for sharing.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic of these Lemon Cookie Bars lies in their simplicity. You likely have most, if not all, of these ingredients in your kitchen already.

For the Lemon Cookie Bars:

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for our cookie bars.
• Baking Soda: Gives the bars a little lift, contributing to their soft texture.
• Salt: A crucial ingredient that balances the sweetness and enhances the lemon flavor.
• Unsalted Butter: Using melted butter is the secret to a chewy, dense texture.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the bars and works with the butter to create a tender crumb.
• Egg: One large egg binds the ingredients together.
• Lemon: You’ll need both the zest and juice for that incredible citrus punch.
• Vanilla Extract: A hint of vanilla rounds out the flavors beautifully.

For the Simple Lemon Glaze:

• Powdered Sugar: The base of our smooth, sweet glaze.
• Lemon Juice: Adds more zesty flavor and thins the glaze to the perfect drizzling consistency.

How to Make The Best Lemon Cookie Bars

Ready to get started? Follow these simple steps for perfect cookie bars every time. We’ll start by making the cookie dough and then finish with the zesty glaze.

Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Mix Dry Ingredients

First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out later. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside.

Step 2: Combine Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and granulated sugar together until well combined. Add the egg, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Step 3: Zest and Combine

Zest the lemon directly into the wet ingredients mixture and stir to combine. This infuses the batter with the maximum amount of lemon oil and flavor. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!

Step 4: Bake to Perfection

Press the dough evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.

Step 5: Glaze and Serve

While the bars are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more juice; if it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Tips for Success

Want to make sure your Lemon Cookie Bars are absolutely flawless? Here are a few tips from our kitchen to yours.

• Use Fresh Lemon: For the best, brightest flavor, always use fresh lemon juice and zest. Bottled juice just doesn’t compare.
• Don’t Overbake: The key to a chewy cookie bar is to pull it from the oven when it’s just set. The center might look slightly underdone, but it will continue to bake from the residual heat of the pan.
• Cool Completely: Be patient! Letting the bars cool completely is essential. This allows them to set properly, ensuring clean cuts and preventing them from falling apart. If you love this texture, you’ll also enjoy our Strawberry Crumble Snack Bars.

Variations and Add-Ins

While this recipe is fantastic as is, it’s also a great base for experimentation. If you’re a fan of our Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies, you’ll love these ideas:

• White Chocolate: Fold in a cup of white chocolate chips into the batter for a sweet and creamy contrast to the tart lemon.
• Poppy Seeds: Add a tablespoon of poppy seeds to the batter for a classic lemon-poppy seed combination and a delightful texture.
• Cream Cheese Swirl: Beat 4 oz of softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup of sugar and an egg yolk. Dollop over the cookie base and swirl with a knife before baking for a tangy, cheesecake-like layer.

Storing Your Lemon Cookie Bars

To keep your cookie bars fresh and delicious, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you need to store them for longer, they will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. For the best texture, allow them to come to room temperature before serving.

a

How do I store Lemon Cookie Bars?

Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate them for up to a week. Allow them to come to room temperature before enjoying for the best texture.

a

Can I freeze these cookie bars?

Yes! These bars freeze beautifully. Once they are completely cooled and the glaze is set, cut them into squares and store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

a

What makes these cookie bars chewy instead of cakey?

The secret to the chewy texture is using melted butter instead of softened butter and being careful not to overmix the dough. This creates a denser, chewier bar rather than a light, cakey one.

a

Can I use bottled lemon juice for this recipe?

For the best, brightest flavor, we strongly recommend using fresh lemon juice and zest. The oils in the fresh zest provide a depth of flavor that bottled juice cannot replicate.

a

My glaze is too thin/thick, what should I do?

The glaze is very forgiving! If it’s too thin, simply whisk in more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time. If it’s too thick, add more lemon juice, just a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.

More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love

We hope you loved these easy and chewy Lemon Cookie Bars! They are a testament to how simple ingredients can create something truly special. If you’re looking for more sweet treats, be sure to check out our famous Lemon Sugar Cookies for a different take on this citrus favorite. Happy baking!

Did you make this recipe? We’d love to see it! Share your creations on Pinterest and tag us!

FL Recipes

Lemon Cookie Bars: The Ultimate Easy & Chewy Treat

These Lemon Cookie Bars are incredibly easy to make, packed with fresh lemon flavor, and have the perfect soft and chewy texture. A simple one-bowl dessert topped with a zesty lemon glaze that's perfect for any occasion.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 16 bars

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 165

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1.5 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 0.5 tsp Baking Soda
• 0.25 tsp Salt
• 0.5 cup Unsalted Butter melted
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Large Egg room temperature
• 1 Large Lemon zest and juice needed
• 0.5 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

Equipment

• 1 8x8 inch baking pan
• 2 Mixing Bowls
• 1 Whisk

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to lift the bars out easily.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar. Add the egg, 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
4. Zest the entire lemon into the wet mixture. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool completely in the pan.
6. In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar and the remaining 2 tbsp of lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled bars. Let the glaze set for 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcalProtein: 1.5gFat: 6gFiber: 0.5g

Notes

Use Fresh Lemon: For the best, brightest flavor, always use fresh lemon juice and zest.
Don't Overbake: The key to a chewy cookie bar is to pull it from the oven when it's just set. The center might look slightly underdone, but it will continue to bake from the residual heat.
Cool Completely: Letting the bars cool completely is essential for clean cuts and preventing them from falling apart.

Keyword easy lemon dessert,lemon blondies,lemon cookie bars,lemonies

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