Easy Lemon Bar Recipe with Freshly Milled Flour

I am always searching for recipes that can be improved with freshly milled flour. Fresh milled flour is often seen as a substitution for white flour, but in many recipes it can actually improve both the taste and texture of your bake. These Delicious and Easy Lemon Bars are one of those recipes. If you are looking for the perfect dessert for your next party and want to use your mill, then you have to try this delicious lemon bar recipe.

What ingredients do you need for lemon bars?

These lemon bars use only a few simple ingredients. Traditional Lemon Bars use a buttery shortbread crust topped with a lemon curd filling. This dessert may seem challenging, requiring both shortbread and a curd, but both elements are simple to make, use many of the same ingredients, and work well together to create a no-fail lemony dessert.

Fresh Milled Flour

I love the nutritional benefits that fresh milled flour provides. Because I really enjoy baking, using fresh milled flour allows me to feel free to bake as often as I want for my little ones. For more information on fresh milled flour, check out our posts on The Difference Between AP and Fresh Milled Flour, How to Mill Your Own Flour, Our Favorite Fresh Milled Flour Recipe, and our Favorite Tools for Milling Grains.

You can also use the discount code “FLOURBARN” to get $20 off a NutriMill Grain Mill or Bosch Mixer! Check out NutriMill’s selection here!

Soft White Wheat Berries

I use a lot of soft white wheat berries because I find that the taste is much milder than the hard white. Grinding soft white wheat berries is like using a pastry flour. It works well for tender biscuits, fudgy brownies, as well as pancakes and waffles. It does not work well for bakes that require more gluten development like sourdough bread and sandwich breads. I have been using the Palouse Brand to buy my berries and then storing them in a 5-gallon bucket with a Gamma lid.

How to Assemble these Classic Lemon Bars

Buttery Shortbread Crust

Every good shortbread follows the same basic steps, which include creaming your butter and sugars and then adding in your flour. We are going to follow these basic steps with some minor changes for our whole wheat flour.

First, we are going to grind our soft white wheat berries (similar to a whole wheat pastry flour). Then we are going to chill our fresh milled flour for 30 minutes in the freezer. This is so that we do not melt the butter; I want all my ingredients for a shortbread crust to be cold.

I also want to infuse this crust with a hint of lemon. I will start by combining the sugar with lemon zest and using my hand to mix and press the zest into my sugar granules. Lemon zest is much more potent than many people think, so do not underestimate the value of this step.

Now add in the stick and a half of butter and properly cream the lemon sugar and butter for 5 minutes. You should see the mixture slightly lighten in color and become creamy.

Once your butter and sugar are creamed, add in your chilled flour and salt. Mix for about 30 seconds; it’s okay if it is slightly crumbly.

Line a 9 by 9 square pan with parchment paper. Leave about an inch of extra parchment paper up the sides of the pan for easy removal of the sweet treat later.

Pour your crust mixture into the lined pan and press into an even layer. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and set your crust in the freezer for fifteen minutes. Now bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges of the crust begin to look lightly browned.

Make the Lemon Filling

Zest one large lemon and juice 5 lemons for a total of 3/4 cup of lemon juice for your filling mixture. Mix this with 4 room temperature eggs and a cup and a half of white sugar. Mix them until creamy. Then add in one-third cup whole wheat flour and salt. The flour can still be warm from milling; no need to chill it.

Once baked, poke your shortbread crust with a fork throughout the crust. Then pour in your lemon curd mixture while your crust is hot. Let this bake for 18-20 minutes. Your lemon filling should only slightly jiggle when you move the pan.

Let It Set

Once everything is baked, let it sit for one hour at room temperature. Then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to fully set.

For easy cutting, use a bench scraper and run it under warm water. Then cut your 9 neat squares with ease.

Once chilled and cut, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve cold!

Storing My Favorite Lemon Bar Recipe

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. They really get better each day as the flavors continue to meld together.

Is it better to bake lemon bars in a glass or metal pan?

I recommend using a metal 9 by 9 baking dish for this recipe. Glass and ceramic baking dishes heat up slowly and cool down slowly, which can lead to over-baking. Metal pans heat up fast and also cool down fast, allowing you to have more control over how long your lemon bars bake.

Can I use bottled lemon juice to make lemon bars?

Because you will need both the lemon zest and the fresh lemon juice, you will need at least 5 large lemons. The taste of a fresh lemon is also far superior to the kind in a bottle or can. It is more subtle and slightly sweet.

How to tell when lemon bars are baked?

When you shake the pan, there should only be a slight jiggle to your mixture. To be extra safe, you can wait until there is no jiggle.

Are you supposed to refrigerate lemon bars after baking?

Yes, they need to sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours to properly set. This gives them the perfect texture, and they are also so delicious cold. There is nothing like biting into a cold lemon bar on a hot day.

Why did my lemon bars not set?

This is most likely due to under-baking or not chilling long enough. If the light lemon filling is not fully baked, it can have trouble holding its structure. Also, if you have not given your lemon squares their proper chill time, then they will be too soft to hold their shape.

When to put powdered sugar on lemon bars?

After your lemon bars are cool and you are just about to serve them.

Easy Lemon Bar Recipe with Freshly Milled Flour

These delicious lemon bars are the perfect recipe for your next party or gathering! The addition of freshly milled flour not only has added nutritional value, but also additional flavor and texture that gives your lemon bars the perfect balance of nutty and tart.