How long does it take to make Lemon Bars with Olive Oil and Sea Salt?

About 1 hour 5 minutes in total: 20 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking.

How many servings does this Lemon Bars with Olive Oil and Sea Salt recipe make?

This recipe makes 12 servings as written; ingredient quantities on this page can be scaled.

Where does this Lemon Bars with Olive Oil and Sea Salt recipe come from?

It was shared by NYT Cooking on instagram.com. ReelsMeals structured the original post into this step-by-step card; the original is linked above.

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Lemon Bars with Olive Oil – 65-Minute Recipe

Name: Lemon Bars with Olive Oil – 65-Minute Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.25 cup all-purpose flour; 0.75 cup granulated sugar; a pinch salt; 0.25 cup olive oil; 0.5 cup unsalted butter; 3 egg yolks; 0.5 cup granulated sugar; 0.5 cup lemon juice; 1 tsp lemon zest; 3 egg whites; to taste sea salt

These lemon bars feature a tender olive‑oil crust topped with a bright, silky lemon custard and a light sprinkle of sea salt that adds a subtle briny contrast. Perfect as a refreshing dessert or an elegant snack.

Recipe by NYT Cooking· Structured by ReelsMeals

From: Instagram(view original)

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Lemon Bars with Olive Oil – 65-Minute Recipe

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

45 min

Servings

About this saved recipe

Source-aware card

ReelsMeals turns instagram.com into a kitchen-friendly checklist while keeping the original source attached.

Cooking context

1 hr 5 min estimated total time for 12 servings.

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Ingredients

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
a pinch salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
3 egg whites
to taste sea salt

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (347°F). Line a 9×13‑inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess paper to hang over the sides for easy removal later.
2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted all‑purpose flour, 3/4 cup sifted granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt until evenly combined.
3
Add the room‑temperature olive oil and softened unsalted butter to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4
Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan, creating a uniform crust about 1/2‑inch thick.
5
Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 18–20 minutes, or until it turns a light golden color. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the filling.
6
While the crust bakes, whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup sifted granulated sugar in a separate bowl until the mixture becomes pale and thick, about 2–3 minutes.
7
Stir the freshly squeezed lemon juice and grated lemon zest into the yolk‑sugar mixture, mixing until fully incorporated.
8
In another clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the lemon mixture, being careful not to deflate the whites.
9
Pour the lemon custard over the pre‑baked crust, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
10
Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 20–25 minutes, or until the custard is set around the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center.
11
Remove the bars from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
12
Once cooled, dust the top lightly with sea salt to taste.
13
Refrigerate the lemon bars for at least 2 hours to allow the custard to fully set and the flavors to meld.
14
Using the overhanging parchment paper, lift the bars out of the pan and cut into 12 equal squares. Serve chilled.

Helpful tips while cooking

AI-assisted notes grounded in this recipe's ingredients, timings, and method—not additional creator instructions.

Press crust evenly

Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.

Bake crust before filling

Bake the crust for 18–20 minutes and set it aside while preparing the lemon custard.

Fold egg whites gently

Whisk egg whites to soft peaks and fold them into the lemon mixture carefully.

Cool before refrigerating

Allow the bars to cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before refrigerating for at least 2 hours.

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