“Cookie Crust Lemon Bars”

Some sweets are meant to be baked and eaten year around. These Cookie Crust Lemon Bars is that recipe. I’ve always wondered why some foods are only made certain times of the year. Thanksgiving we eat turkey but why not prepare turkey during the week or weekend. We eat turkey sandwiches all the time. So why not lemon bars? Let’s call it tradition. Well, I’m breaking tradition and baking up a pan of luscious lemon goodness.

Cookie Crust Lemon Bars

Adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe in all it’s glory. Fresh lemon juice is a must when making lemon bars. Please do not use bottled juice. The taste just doesn’t hold up. Bottled juice has an off taste in this recipe plus fresh is always better. Fresh juice tastes fresh; all citrusy and that pucker power. The filling is like an explosion of lemon in your mouth and the texture is creamy, tart, and tangy. I love this recipe and so will you.

Cookie Crust Lemon Bars

The cookie crust is the perfect match for the tangy lemon filling. Your crust will seem crumbly when combined. Have no fear, flour your hands and press dough together then press into baking pan. Be sure to come up 1/2-inch on all sides of pan and chill the crust. Bake your crust but be careful not to overbake. It should be barely brown when it comes from the oven. Let cool as crust should not be hot when filling is poured in. Add filling and bake, cool, and serve sprinkled with powdered sugar. Sound like a recipe that should wait until Spring? I think not! Enjoy!

Cookie Crust Lemon Bars

Cookie Crust Lemon Bars

Crust:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/8 t. kosher salt

Filling:

6 large eggs, room temperature

3 cups granulated sugar

2 T. grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare crust: In bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine flour and salt and add to butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until mixed.

Gather dough together into a ball with floured hands and press dough flat into a 13×9-inch baking pan. Press ½-inch up all sides of pan. Chill dough for 30 minutes.

Bake crust for 15 minutes until very lightly browned. Let crust cool on wire rack and leave oven on.

Prepare filling by whisking together eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour filling over crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until filling is set.

Let bars cool on wire rack. Once cool, sprinkle top with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into bars as desired. Store leftovers in air tight container.

Makes 24 bars.