Chef John's Lemon Bars

Ingredients

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• 2 cups all-purpose flour
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• 1 cup butter, softened
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• ½ cup white sugar
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• 1 ½ cups white sugar
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• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
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• 4 eggs
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• 2 lemons, juiced
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Instructions

1. 1
   Gather the ingredients.
2. 2
   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. 3
   To make the crust: Blend 2 cups flour, softened butter, and 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl until well combined.
4. 4
   Press crust into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13-inch pan.
5. 5
   Bake crust in the preheated oven until firm and golden, about 15 minutes.
6. 6
   Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour in a medium bowl. Whisk in eggs, then lemon juice until smooth.
7. 7
   Pour filling over the baked crust.
8. 8
   Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Set the pan aside to cool completely; the bars will firm up as they cool.
9. 9
   When cooled, cut bars into uniform squares.