Easy Gluten Free Lemon Bars - Perfect Lemon Dessert Bar Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Why did my lemon bars turn out upside down? ›

Set a timer for 5 minutes after pulling the crust from the oven to ensure it doesn't cool too much—if the shortbread is allowed to reach room temperature, the uncooked lemon curd will slip off the top and pool in the bottom of the dish, turning your lemon bars upside down (sounds bananas until it happens to you!).

Don't Over-Bake.

If you leave them in the oven too long, it can cause your bars to crack.

The crust forms when the sugar in the lemon bar mixture caramelizes and browns during baking, creating a slightly firm, crispy layer over the bars. The top crust isn't always visible, as we all enjoy sprinkling powdered sugar on top of the bars before serving.

Lemon bars should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated in order to prevent bacterial growth or foodborne illness. The filling in lemon bars is made with eggs and can become a breeding ground for bacteria if it's kept in the danger zone (between 41 and 153 degrees F).

Serving, Storing, and Freezing

Serving: Lemon bars are fine to keep out at room temperature for up to 6 hours or so. Storing: Store cooked lemon bars or leftovers in the refrigerator. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store for up to 2 days.

To ensure even and clean cuts, it's helpful to score the lemon bars before cutting them fully. This means lightly marking the desired shapes with your knife or spatula without applying too much pressure. This step acts as a guide and prevents the crust from crumbling or the filling from oozing out when cutting.

Place the lemon bar on a cutting board. Begin by cutting diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner, following the pencil line. Make sure to apply even pressure and use a smooth motion to achieve a clean cut. Repeat this step on the other corner, creating a large triangle.

For an 8×8 Pan:

On one side, make three marks that are 2-inches apart and cut down. Turn the bars and make one mark in the middle, 4-inches from the edge, and cut down. You'll have eight 2×4-inch rectangles.

If your lemon bars have a strong eggy taste/smell, it's likely due to the lemon curd being overbaked. Be sure to take the lemon bars out of the oven as soon as they're done. Your oven may also be running a little hot.

Seeing a thin whitish foamy layer of air bubbles on top of your baked lemon bars is completely normal. It is the air bubbles created from whisking the eggs rising to the surface during baking. Lemon bars taste the same with or without that layer and a dusting of icing sugar covers it right up!

Why do my lemon bars taste bitter? ›

Lemon zest adds a tangy taste but can add a bitter taste as well. TIP: When grating lemon rind, watch out that you grate just the yellow rind and not the white one. The white part of the rind is very bitter, and when you accidentally take too much of it, the filling can get a bitter taste.

Yes, it's best to store lemon bars in the refrigerator. To store them, simply cover them with plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge. Stored this way, your lemon bars should keep for about 1 week.

Line your 9x13 pan with foil or parchment paper. I've used both. Foil tends to stick to the bottom of the lemon bars a bit, so if I had to choose one, I'd say use parchment paper.

There are a few reasons why your lemon curd may taste metallic. The most common reason is usual due to using aluminum or metal bowls. The acid in lemon juice tends to react with metal, and sometimes eggs can react with aluminum.

What causes this? It's a little bud mite which sucks the sap from the lemon flower, causing the poor flower to have a deformed ovary. The result is a few freaky looking lemons. If you have lemons like these, don't worry as it's rarely life-threatening for your tree.

The most common reason for a Lemon Drizzle Cake sinking in the middle is when the oven door has been opened before the cake was set. Be sure not to open the door before 40 minutes, and even then, do it by opening the oven door and checking it as quickly as possible!

Citrus Mites, also known as Citrus Bud Mites, are mites that are found on citrus varieties including lemons, limes, oranges, mandarins and grapefruit. It is a worldwide pest that causes the deformation of citrus flowers, leaves and fruit.

I usually cool them for about 2 hours at room temperature, then stick in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until pretty chilled. I recommend serving chilled. Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Dust with confectioners' sugar and cut into squares before serving.