Lemon Tart Buttery Crust (Printable)

Zesty lemon filling in a crisp, buttery shortcrust pastry, ideal for elegant gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Buttery Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

→ Lemon Filling

07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 2 large egg yolks
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, approximately 3 to 4 lemons
11 - 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

14 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
15 - Thinly sliced lemon wheels
16 - Fresh berries or mint leaves

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
02 - In a food processor, pulse together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse just until dough comes together, adding additional tablespoon of water if needed.
03 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes if time allows.
04 - Roll out dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into pan, trim edges, and prick base with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
05 - Bake crust for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment paper; bake another 10 minutes until lightly golden. Cool slightly.
06 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, melted butter, and a pinch of salt until smooth and fully combined.
07 - Pour filling into warm crust. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the center is just set but still slightly wobbly.
08 - Cool tart completely on a wire rack. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
09 - Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with lemon slices, berries, or mint leaves if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crust stays crispy all the way through—no soggy bottom secrets here, just technique that actually works.
  • That filling hits different when you use truly fresh lemon juice; it's tart without being sharp, sweet without cloying.
  • It looks restaurant-fancy but asks nothing impossible of your hands or your schedule.
02 -
  • Temperature is everything—cold butter, ice water, and proper chilling time are what separate a flaky crust from a tough one, and there's no shortcut.
  • The filling will look slightly underbaked when you pull it out, and that's exactly right; it finishes cooking as it cools and sets properly in the fridge.
03 -
  • Use a bench scraper or offset spatula to slide under the tart crust when you're pressing it into the pan—your fingers are warm and will soften the dough, but a cold metal tool keeps it from sticking.
  • If your filling cracks after baking, you overcooked it; next time, pull it out earlier and trust that it'll set in the fridge—a few small cracks vanish under powdered sugar anyway.
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