The Iowa Housewife: Lemon Butter Bars

While I was on a baking spree today, I also made Lemon Bars. The carrot cake was good and so are the lemon bars. This is really a common recipe and in many cookbooks for a good reason. Easy to make, good to eat and a good addition to a cookie or dessert tray. I added about a teaspoon of lemon zest to the lemon mixture as we like our lemon bars on the tart side. If you don’t want tart make the way the recipe calls for.

Lemon Butter Bars

CRUST

1 ⅓ cups all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

½ cup butter, softened

FILLING

¾ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Optional 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). In small mixer bowl combine all crust ingredients. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture is crumbly (2 to 3 minutes). Press on bottom of 8” square baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Meanwhile, in small mixer bowl combine all filling ingredients. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Pour filling over hot crust. Continue baking for 18 to 20 minutes or until filling is set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar; cool.

Land O Lake Treasury of Country Recipes

5 comments:

BethJanuary 21, 2011 at 7:57 AM
I love any dessert made with lemon. These look very easy to make.
MyrnaJanuary 21, 2011 at 9:31 AM
Beth
The nicest thing about these is it makes a small panful.
Not as much to use up if there is only you to eat them. They are really are quite easy to make and you could use lime instead of lemon or as I sometimes do, a little of each.
AnonymousJanuary 21, 2011 at 9:32 AM
Here I am, trying to skinny down; what am I doing right now? Looking at these beautiful Lemon Butter Bars and wanting to give them a home in my stomach, knowing they'll just end up on my thighs. No matter--I'm going to try this recipe, anyway.

The only times I've had them is when they've been baked by others--it's time I started making them myself.

Thanks for posting this recipe, Myrna!

(On average, how much juice can one get from one lemon, Myrna?)
MyrnaJanuary 21, 2011 at 9:59 AM
Marge
About 1/4 cup if it is a juicy lemon.
Letting the lemon warm up from the refrigerator and rolling it on the counter a few times will help with the amount of juice. I usually figure one lemon for this recipe. If you have juice leftover, freeze it. These really are good and easy, easy to make.
Jeffrey and JuliJanuary 21, 2011 at 2:12 PM
These look great!

Thanks so much for putting us up on your "Recipes to Try". It's definitely sending some readers our way, and we appreciate that. :)