Lemon Bars with Coriander Crust (One Bowl)

I love tart lemon bars and these are not for the faint of heart! That famous lemon zip comes in strong.

Lemon bars from a box were all I’d known before this recipe, so I really wanted to replicate that signature smooth texture. Turns out, I had no idea what I was missing. Making them yourself gives the custard filling a silky texture that a box mix can’t even touch.

In my research, I found a few different ways to make lemon bars. To keep things simple and approachable, we’re using a cold custard. This means you won’t need to heat the filling on the stove before you bake it. We’ve also avoided cutting in cold butter for the crust.

What You’ll Find in This Post

• What You Will Need (Ingredients & Equipment)
• Helpful Tip: Picking the Perfect Lemons for Lemon Bars
• Helpful Tip: The Key to a Perfect Crust
• Helpful Tip: How to Get a Smooth Lemon Bar Filling
• Helpful Tip: The Best Way to Cut Lemon Bars

What You’ll Need to Make Lemon Bars with Coriander Crust

Ingredients for Lemon Bars with Coriander Crust

• All-Purpose Flour
• Granulated Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Coriander
• Unsalted Butter
• Corn Syrup or Honey
• Large Lemons
• Eggs
• Powdered Sugar

Special Equipment – A Microplane (Or Something Similar)

I really tried to keep the equipment list used in this lemon bar recipe short and sweet because dirty dishes suck. With a little rinsing between steps, this really is a one-bowl recipe.

The only unusual piece of equipment you might need is a microplane (or something similar to zest the lemons). It is essential for this recipe!

Non-Reactive Equipment is a Must When Making Lemon Bars

Ever had something super lemony taste metallic? The culprit is most likely materials used when making it! When making something so acidic, make sure you’re using non-reactive materials to avoid that accidental metallic flavor.

Examples of Non-Reactive Materials:

• Stainless Steel
• Ceramic
• Glass
• Metal Cookware with Enamel Coating

Examples of Reactive Cooking Materials:

• Aluminum
• Cast Iron Copper.

Check out this post by The Spruce Eats that gives more information on reactive and non-reactive cookware.

Many times, older whisks can be made of reactive materials that can impact the flavor. This is why I’ve requested in the recipe that you only use your whisk while working with dry ingredients before any addition of lemon.

How to Pick Lemons for Tart Lemon Bars

Look for lemons that have good color and are fairly firm – these will produce better zest.

The rind (the yellow part) is where all of the flavorful oils are, which is what we’re looking for. Make sure you aren’t accidentally zesting any of the pith (the white layer underneath the rind) because it can be very bitter.

Gently rolling the lemons between your palm and a countertop before cutting can be beneficial for extracting more juices and getting the most out of the lemons.

Creating the Perfect Lemon Bar Crust

A good lemon bar crust is firm enough to serve a hearty piece without worry of it crumbling apart in your hands. A few things play into making this happen.

1. Make sure you’ve baked the crust long enough – we’re looking for lightly golden edges. Bake it too short and it isn’t going to hold up.
2. Incorporate a little bit of corn syrup or honey with the melted butter. It might sound like a weird addition, but corn syrup can be used to provide structure for crusts that lack eggs, like this shortbread crust.

Let’s also talk about the addition of coriander… While the crust for lemon bars is traditionally a plain shortbread, I found that adding coriander really rounded out the flavor. Coriander has citrusy lemon notes, making it a perfect addition to your lemon bar crust.

That Silky Cold Custard Filling for Easy Lemon Bars

There are two primary ways of making a custard: warm and cold. We’re using cold custard for this recipe.

A cold custard goes into the oven “cold”, meaning it hasn’t been cooked on the stove first. I find a cold custard is easier, less time intensive, and dirties fewer dishes.

We want to avoid over-baking our cold custard in order to get that signature silky smooth lemon bar texture. Overcooking your filling runs the risk of a gummy lemon bar.

To avoid over-baking, we drop the oven temperature to cook the filling and take it out of the oven as soon as the edges have set and the center portion is still a little jiggly.

Keep in mind that your lemon bars will continue cooking after you’ve removed them from the oven, so don’t fret if they look a little underdone.

What’s the Best way to Cut Lemon Bars?

After it’s fully cooled, begin by loosening the edges of the lemon custard from the pan with a paring knife. Slowly remove it from the dish using the parchment paper tabs lining the baking dish. Transfer to a cutting board and wet the blade of a large chef’s knife with water to trim the edges, cleaning and re-wetting the blade between cuts.

Use this cleaning and wetting method to cut the lemon bars into the shape of your choosing – I prefer triangles!

Let me know how your lemon bars turn out and feel free to leave a review! Don’t hesitate to tag me @ficklebea on Instagram so that I can see your amazing creations.

New to baking or nervous about spending more time in the kitchen? Check out My Kitchen Commandments for some helpful tips!

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