Award Winning Lemon Squares Recipes

LEMON BARS RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 or an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the crust by creaming the butter with a hand or a stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment) until smooth. Add powdered sugar, flour, and salt and mix slowly until the mixture is crumbly but sticks together when you press it between your fingers. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 13 minutes, or until it just starts to get a light golden brown around the edges.
• While the crust is baking, whisk the eggs until beaten. Whisk in the sugar, lemon zest, salt, and lemon juice. Pour over hot crust, then continue to bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the mixture is no longer liquid in the center and it's lightly golden brown on top.
• Cool completely before removing from pan. Remove foil, then dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve, dusting with more powdered sugar as desired.

THE BEST LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• 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.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. 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.
• Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. For a festive tray, make another pan using limes instead of lemons and adding a drop of green food coloring to give a very pale green. After both pans have cooled, cut into uniform 2 inch squares and arrange in a checker board fashion.

LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
• Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
• For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
• Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

BEST LEMON SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Process 2 cups flour, butter, and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges of the crust are golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool crust to room temperature.
• Beat white sugar, eggs, 1/4 cup flour, lemon juice, baking powder, and lemon zest together in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy; pour onto the cooled crust.
• Bake in the oven until custard is set, 25 to 28 minutes. Cool lemon squares completely; dust the top with more confectioners' sugar.

CHEF JOHN'S LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack into middle position in oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• Place 1 cup flour and butter in a mixing bowl and mash with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Mix in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; mash mixture together until mixture looks like a slightly crumbly cookie dough.
• Moisten your fingers with a little water and press dough into bottom of prepared baking dish. Use a fork to prick holes all over the crust.
• Bake crust on center rack in the preheated oven until crust edges are barely golden brown, 22 minutes.
• Beat eggs and egg yolks together in a bowl; whisk in white sugar and 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Add lemon juice and lemon zest; whisk for 2 minutes. Pour lemon custard over crust.
• Bake on center rack until custard is set and top has a thin white sugary crust, 25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Dip knife into very hot water, run around the edge, and cut into 16 squares. Dust cookies with 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar.

THE BEST LEMON SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Lightly grease an 9x9" square baking dish with butter.
• For the base, process the flour and confectioners sugar in a food processor for several seconds.
• Add the butter and process until the dough comes together, 20-30 seconds.
• Press the dough gently and evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Glaze it with the egg white: Pour the egg white on the dough and tip the pan from side to side so that the egg white spreads over the surface. Pour out the excess.
• Bake the base on the center oven rack until golden, about 20-25 minutes.
• Place the base in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to cool completely. Keep the oven on.
• Meanwhile prepare the topping: Gently whisk the eggs in a medium-size bowl until lightly mixed.
• Add the remaining topping ingredients and continue to whisk gently until they are blended.
• Pour the topping evenly over the base. .
• Bake until the top is set and golden, about 20-25 minutes. .
• Allow the lemon squares to cool completely.
• Sprinkle the surface with confectioners sugar and cut into squares with a sharp knife that is dipped in hot water and wiped dry before each cut.
• Tip: If you plan to keep the squares longer than a day, put them in an air-tight container and refrigerate. You can also freeze them.

COUNTY FAIR FIRST PRIZE BLUE RIBBON LEMON BARS

Steps:

• First Make the Base:.
• 2 cups flour.
• ¼ cup sugar.
• 1 cup butter softened.
• Preheat Oven to 350.
• Cut ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Pat crust into 13 X 9 inch baking dish.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Then:.
• Make the Topping :.
• 2 cups sugar.
• 1 tsp baking powder.
• ¼ cup flour.
• 3 eggs.
• 2/3 cup lemon juice.
• Grated rind of 2 lemons.
• Mix ingredients together in a large bowl and pour over crust. Bake another 20 minutes.
• Cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into squares.