Once the mixture is ready, I prepare my baking dish. I line my 8×8-inch dish with parchment paper, letting the edges hang over for easy removal later. If you don’t have parchment paper on hand, that’s okay too! Just give the dish a good grease with some butter or non-stick spray. I then pour the lemon mixture into the prepared dish, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Now it’s time to bake! I pop the dish into my preheated oven and let it bake for about 15-20 minutes. The bars are done when they are set around the edges and slightly jiggly in the center. The smell wafting through my kitchen during this time is absolutely heavenly! After baking, I let the lemon bars cool to room temperature before placing them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill and firm up, which makes slicing them much easier.
Once chilled, I remove the bars from the dish using the parchment paper for an effortless lift. A clean knife helps me slice them into squares, and if I’m in the mood, I like to sprinkle a little finely grated lemon zest on top for an extra pop of flavor and color!
Pro Tips for Best Results
One of my favorite tips I can share is to use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of the bottled stuff. I tested this three ways, and believe me, that fresh zing of juice makes all the difference in flavor! I also recommend tasting the lemon-sweetened condensed milk mixture before you pour it into the baking dish; you can adjust the tanginess based on your preference by adding more or less lemon juice.
Another thing I’ve learned through some trial and error is to let the lemon bars cool completely before refrigerating them. They’ll cut more cleanly and hold their shape better once they’ve had time to firm up. Lastly, don’t skip the chilling step; the bars are much more enjoyable when they’re cold and refreshing!
Lastly, if your bars aren’t as firm as you hoped they would be, you might want to bake them for a little longer next time, checking every few minutes. Each oven can behave differently!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One common mistake I made when I first tried making these lemon bars was misjudging the quantity of lemon juice. Using too much can make them too tart, while not enough might result in a flavor that doesn’t pop. (See the next page below to continue…)