1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

3. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the dough, the softened butter, sugar, flour and salt until combined.

4. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared dish.

5. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

6. Remove from the oven and set aside.

7. While the crust is baking, in another bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, flour and vanilla until well combined.

8. Pour the lemon mixture over the baked crust.

9. Return the dish to the oven and bake foran additional 12-15 minutes or until the center is set but the cake is still a bit sticky.

10. Once baked, remove the dish from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

11. Once chilled, use a sharp knife to cut the lemon bars into squares or rectangles.

12. Dust the tops with powdered sugar if desired.

Serve and enjoy these refreshing lemon bars! They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.