A classic lemon bar is one of life’s nicest things, but sometimes you want to transcend nice. Here are 9 tweaks to the familiar lemon bar formula, from enhancements like cream cheese or coconut, to subbing other citrus for the filling.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup flour
- 2 eggs, large
- 2 tbsps lemon zest
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- For the tart lemon glaze:
- 4 tbsps lemon juice
- 8 tsps lemon zest
- 1 cup icing sugar
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with butter and set aside.
- Zest and juice two lemons and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice until combined.
- Pour it into the flour mixture and beat for 2 mins at medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into baking dish and bake for 23-25 mins, should turn golden around the edges.
- Allow to cool completely before glazing. Do not overbake, or the bars will dry.
- Filter the powdered sugar and whisk with lemon zest and juice.
- Spread the glaze over the brownies with a rubber spatula and let glaze set.
- Cut into bars and serve.
1. Lemon Brownies
This brilliant recipe straddles bar and cake (there’s no chocolate in these; “brownie” refers to the dense, moist texture). A cream cheese frosting tops them off with style. Get the recipe.
2. Super Lemony Lemon Bars
These lemon bar do-overs have double the lemon flavor of standard recipes. There’s twice as much lemon juice in the filling, and a hit of lemon in the crust! Get the recipe.
3. Luscious Lemon Bars (Gluten Free)
An almond-meal crust (delicious even if you’re not concerned about avoiding gluten) and a lemony filling sweetened with honey make these golden bars delicious, no matter you’re dietary preferences. Get the recipe.
4. Blood Orange Bars
Ruby-red blood orange juice makes the filling beautiful, full of fresh citrus flavor. A nutty-tasting brown butter crust provides just the right anchor. Get the recipe.
5. Lemon Cream Cheese Bars
A super-tangy, lemon-spiked cream cheese filling bakes in a flaky, sugary crust. These lemon bars are as surprising as they are delicious. Get the recipe.
6. Lemon Lush
A crumbly-sweet pecan crust, and layers of cream-cheese filling and tangy lemon pudding make these festive bars the over-achievers of the lemon dessert world. Get the recipe.
7. Key Lime Pie Squares
From the gingersnap cookie crust to the authentic key lime–juice filling, these tangy, refreshing bars will transport you back to the Key West childhood you probably never had. Get the recipe.
8. Lemon Coconut Gooey Butter Bars
Yellow cake mix makes the crust easy, and a blend of cream cheese, lemon juice, and coconut extract makes the filling amazing. A brown sugar and coconut topping takes these bars over the top. Get the recipe.
9. Whole Meyer Lemon Bars
Extra-sweet, fragrant Meyer lemons—the quintessential California backyard lemon variety—turn these otherwise classic bars into delicious variation territory. Get the recipe.
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