Last updated on June 26th, 2025

Ingredient for Homemade Lemon Bars
- Bottom Layer
- Top Layer
Dietary Substitutions
Equipment
Related Recipes
More bar recipes

These Old Fashioned Lemon Squares have a tart, tangy, sweet curd-like filling layered over a rich, buttery shortbread crust. This melt-in-your-mouth vintage lemon bar recipe from my own Betty Crocker cookbook collection has become one of many family favorites passed down through generations. Perfect to make up a tray for an Easter or Spring gathering or take to a summer family reunion.

My vintage inspiration.

The vintage inspiration for this old fashioned lemon square recipe is from my 1969 “Betty Crocker’s Cookbook.”

Here are my modern modifications…doubled the recipe, used salted butter for the shortbread crust, added instant clear Jel to stabilize the filling, added lemon zest to both the crust and to filling to enhance the flavor, added small amount of lemon extract for flavor burst.

Ingredient for Homemade Lemon Bars

Bottom Layer

Butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
Sugar is derived from sugarcane and provides sweetness to baked goods. The most common type being granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.
Confectioners’ sugar, also known as powdered sugar, is made from finely ground granulated sugar mixed with a small amount of cornstarch to prevent clumping. Its fine texture, makes it perfect for smooth frostings and glazes on baked goods.
All-purpose unbleached flour is made by grinding the seeds of the wheat plant and removing the bran and germ. It has a moderate protein content of 10-12%, making it a versatile option for baking cookies, cakes, and pastries.
Lemons are a tart, citrus fruit that grow on trees in warm climates. Place lemons on the counter the day you plan to use them, as they will yield more juice at room temperature.

Top Layer

Eggs are produced by female chickens and are important in baking because their proteins provide structure, they act as a natural leaving agent by trapping air that expands during baking, and they add moisture to baked goods.
Baking powder: Baking powder is a leavening agent that contains both an acid, like cream of tarter, and a base, like baking soda to help baked goods rise. Use a double-acting aluminum-free baking powder to avoid a bitter aftertaste.
Instant ClearJel is a modified food starch used as a thickener, stabilizer, and gelling agent, used for pie fillings creating a clear, smooth texture rather than cloudy. In baked goods it helps retain moisture and produces a light, tender texture. Use cornstarch as a substitution if ClearJel is hard to find. For every 1 T. of cornstarch, use 1 1/2 T. ClearJel. For every 2 T. flour or tapioca, use 1 T. ClearJel. You can find it online here.
Lemons are a tart, citrus fruit that grow on trees in warm climates.
Lemon extract is a natural flavoring made from lemon zest and alcohol. Use just a small amount to add a bright, zingy flavor to baked good recipes.
Pink salt is a type of rock salt that contains trace minerals, adding nutrients to baked goods.

How to zest & juice citrus:

To juice the lemon, use a hand-held lemon squeezer or a vintage style glass citrus reamer with bowl.
Using lemons in baked goods will offer a bright, zingy flavor and their natural acidity will activate leavening like baking soda or baking powder to ensure a light and tender rise.
Put lemons on the counter the day you plan to use them as room temperature lemons yield more juice than ones straight out of the fridge.
Be sure to remember to zest your lemon before you juice it. The easiest way to zest a lemon is to use a Microplane.

Dietary Substitutions

For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. Read more about it here.

TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE

Use a premium gluten-free flour blend.
Be sure to let the batter rest to help eliminate grittiness. Even letting the batter sit 15 minutes will yield a light and tender baked good. You can let batter sit in the fridge overnight, and up to 3 days.
Add 1-2 tablespoons additional liquid (use the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help hydrate the flour.
Reduce the oven temperature by at least 25° to bake low and slow, since gluten-free flour is delicate and tends to burn baked goods before the center is cooked through.
Gluten-free baked goods have a shorter shelf-life than conventional baked goods and dry out faster. Store in airtight container on counter 1-2 days. The refrigerator tends to dry them out more, so it is best to freeze up to 6 months.

TO MAKE VEGAN/DAIRY FREE

Swap out the butter with unsalted vegan butter sticks.

Equipment

Recommended tools: (affiliate links)

Baker’s Tips

Let squares cool for 1-2 hours and sprinkle with powdered sugar. When serving the squares, dip knife into hot water before slicing to prevent from sticking to the filling. It is best to clean-off your knife in between cutting the slices as the filling will be sticky. Place on a plate and dust again with a little more powdered sugar.
You can pre-bake the bottom crust and make filling at later time.
To store lemon bars, place on counter 2-3 days or for longer storage cut into squares and freeze in a storage container with parchment paper layers between the cut squares.