Best Lemon Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 lemons, juiced (about 1/2 cup juice) or more, depending on tartness preference

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13-inch pan.
3. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
5. Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. 
6. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. Yields 36 bars.

Variations

• Lime Bars- Use lime juice in place of the lemon juice and add 1 drop of green food coloring to make the filling a very pale green.