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Baking · Old-Fashioned Classics

Old-Fashioned Lemon Squares

G By Our Grannies' Kitchen Updated Jul 2026 4.9 (74 ratings)
Old-Fashioned Lemon Squares
Old-Fashioned Lemon Squares
4.9 / 5
16 servings

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Ingredients

Tick each one off as you go.

For the shortbread base

  • 1 ½ cups (175 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 stick (115 g) cold butter, cubed
  • 50 g powdered sugar, plus plenty to dust
  • Pinch of salt

For the lemon filling

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • ½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice (≈3 lemons)
  • ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour

Method

  1. Base. Oven to 325°F (170°C, fan 150°C); line a 20 cm square pan with overhanging paper. Rub the butter into the flour, powdered sugar and salt until clumping; press in evenly; bake 18–20 minutes to pale gold.
  2. Filling. Meanwhile whisk the eggs and sugar smooth, then the zest, juice and flour.
  3. Hot crust pour. The moment the base is out, pour the filling straight onto it. Hot crust = no soggy seam.
  4. Set. Back in for 18–22 minutes, until set at the edges with the faintest tremble in the middle.
  5. Cool, chill, cut. Fully cool, chill 1 hour, lift out by the paper. Hot knife, wiped between cuts, 16 squares. Icing-sugar snowfall at the last minute.
Granny's tip

Zest the lemons before you juice them — everyone forgets once, and nobody enjoys zesting a squeezed-out half.

Tips for clean, sharp squares

Hot crust, always

Filling onto a hot base seals the layers — the trick that beats the soggy seam.

Chill before cutting

Cold filling cuts clean. A hot knife wiped between cuts keeps every edge sharp.

Dust at the death

Powdered sugar goes on just before serving — the damp filling swallows an early dusting.

Questions, answered

Why do my lemon squares have a soggy layer between crust and filling?

The filling went onto a cooled crust. Pour it on the moment the base leaves the oven — the heat seals the join and keeps the shortbread crisp.

Why did the powdered sugar disappear off the top?

The damp lemon filling drinks it within an hour or two. Dust just before serving — and re-dust leftovers without shame.

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

Please don't — the filling is 90% lemon flavor, and bottled juice bakes flat and slightly bitter. Three fresh lemons give you juice and zest both.

How do I cut clean squares?

Chill first; large knife dipped in hot water, wiped dry between every cut. Warm, rushed cutting is how squares become "rustic."

From Granny's Pantry

The know-how behind this recipe:

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