Dessert · American
Lemon Sesame Bars
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Updated Aug 24, 2026 GMT
A shortbread base, sharp lemon curd, and a toasted sesame finish.
Lemon bars belong in every studio tin, but we fold toasted sesame into the crust and shower the top with more after the curd sets. The nuttiness makes the citrus taste cleaner, not sweeter.
Why this works
Blind-baking the crust keeps it from turning soggy under the curd. A mix of whole eggs and yolks sets glossy, not rubbery. Sesame oil is too strong here — toasted seeds are enough.
Key ingredients
- Lemons
- Fresh juice only. Bottled juice tastes dull and slightly bitter.
- Sesame seeds
- Toast them in a dry pan until they smell like tahini, then cool before grinding into the crust.
Studio tips
- Zest before you juice. It is nearly impossible the other way around.
- Cool the bars completely, then chill 2 hours before cutting. Warm lemon bars smear.
- Wipe the knife between cuts for clean squares.
Recipe card
Lemon Sesame Bars
A shortbread base, sharp lemon curd, and a toasted sesame finish.
Difficulty: Easy 👌
25 min
Preparation
40 min
Baking
0 min
Resting
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Yield
- 16 bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (40g) powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, plus more for topping
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (113g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
Lemon layer
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- ⅔ cup (160g) fresh lemon juice
- for dusting powdered sugar
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch square pan with a parchment sling.
- 2Pulse the crust ingredients until sandy and starting to clump. Press firmly into the pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are pale gold.
- 3Rub the sugar and zest together. Whisk in the flour, eggs, yolks, and lemon juice until smooth.
- 4Pour over the hot crust. Bake 18 to 22 minutes more, until the center barely jiggles.
- 5Cool, then chill 2 hours. Dust with powdered sugar, scatter sesame seeds, and cut into 16 bars.
Notes
- Bars keep refrigerated up to 4 days.
Nutrition
168 kcal · 22g carbs · 3g protein · 8g fat · 16g sugar
About 168 calories per bar. Values are estimates.
Frequently asked
Can I skip the sesame?
Yes. The crust becomes a classic shortbread. Add a pinch of salt to the curd so it does not taste one-note.
Comments
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Filed under brownies bars, desserts, oven, summer.
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