Get ready to take classic lemon bars up a notch. Our Limoncello Lemon Bars bring together the tart flavor of fresh lemon and a subtle buzz of Italian liqueur for a wonderful party-worthy dessert. A thick, buttery shortbread base topped with that signature tang, just enough limoncello to make every bite memorable.
Why You’ll Love Limoncello Lemon Bars
How do you make a lemon bar recipe taste even better? Add a splash of Limoncello to elevate the lemony, sweet flavor! Limoncello Lemon Bars are the ultimate party dessert, everyone will be asking for the recipe.
- Thickest Shortbread Crust: We do love how thick the crust is on these bars, it balances out the tart lemon flavor of the custard perfectly.
- Make Ahead Recipe: Having make ahead dessert recipes can be a life saver during the holidays or for parties.
- Classic Flavors with a Twist: These lemon bars aren’t going to taste boozy, the limoncello simply enhances the lemon flavors, also adding a touch more sweetness.
How To Make
These Limoncello Lemon Bars are really easy to make, just two basic steps and then off to the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together, then add flour and salt to make the crust. Press the crust into a 9″ x 13″ baking dish and bake for 20 minutes until lightly brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Make the custard by whisking together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, Limoncello liquor and flour together in a bowl. Pour the filling over the baked crust and bake for 35 minutes until the filling is set.
- Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Can I Make Lemon Bars Ahead Of Time?
You can make these ahead of time and refrigerate until ready. Even make them the day before, just cover and keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready. I would also recommend that you leave off the powdered sugar until right before serving, too.
You can cut the bars into large squares like we’ve done here, or cut them again into triangles to make smaller portions. Lemon bars are very rich and sweet, so the smaller triangles are usually an adequate size.
Tips For Best Results
Even though this lemony party dessert is super easy to make, we do have a few tips to ensure the best outcome.
- Don’t skimp on chilling time: We recommend at least 2 hours but longer is better, even overnight.
- Use fresh lemons: You’ll need fresh lemons anyway for the zest, so take it a step further and use fresh juice for the best flavor.
- Add powdered sugar right before serving: Some of the sugar will melt into the bars as they sit in the refrigerator, so for best results, dust the bars right before serving.
How To Store Lemon Bars
These Limoncello Lemon Bars, or any lemon bar recipe needs to be kept in the refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a week. You can also freeze lemon bars for up to 3 months, either wrapped individually or the whole dish.
To defrost frozen bars, let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight or sit at room temperature for a faster thaw time.
Looking For More Dessert Recipes?
- Bourbon Iced Molasses Cookies
- Champagne Jell-O Shots
- Peppermint Cannoli Dip
- Banana Bourbon Poke Cake
- Peppermint Eggnog Pudding
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Limoncello Lemon Bars Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 Servings
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeLimoncello Lemon Bars are a fun party dessert! Just a splash of Limoncello brings out the lemon flavor and makes these bars party worthy!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 sticks butter, (1 cup) at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling:
- 6 large eggs, room temperature is best
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
- 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 ounces Limoncello liquor (1/4 cup)
- 1 cup flour
- Powdered sugar for dusting on top of the bars
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt in batches, beating to combine after each addition.
- Press the crust into a 9″ x 13″ baking dish and bake for 20 minutes until lightly brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Make the filling by whisking the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, Limoncello and flour together in a bowl. Pour the filling over the baked crust and bake for 35 minutes until the filling is set.
- Let cool to room temperature, then cover and chill for at least 2 hours, but longer is preferable. The bars will get firmer the longer they chill. Dust with powdered sugar and fresh lemon zest.
Recipe Notes
Store: Store lemon bars in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Freeze: You can freeze lemon bars individually or freeze the whole dish. Wrap the bars tightly with plastic wrap and store in a plastic freezer bag. To thaw, let the bars defrost in the refrigerator overnight (or at room temperature for a faster thaw) and then dust with powdered sugar before serving.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
