Lemon Bars

It’s a good thing citrus season falls in the middle of winter because right about now, I could use a little sunshine (and a good hit of Vitamin C). This recipe is extremely easy to make so if you need to put a little happy in your day, grab a bag of lemons and start baking.

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Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 9x13 commercial cake pan https://amzn.to/3jpHFix

• citrus press https://amzn.to/40c5Z8p

• citrus juicer https://amzn.to/3DtGu8u

• pure vanilla extract (you deserve the good stuff) https://amzn.to/3wHFAS3

• non-melting confectioner’s sugar for humid climates https://amzn.to/40a73JT

• gluten-free flour https://amzn.to/3Jwrzyw

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Lemon Bars

makes one 9x13 cake pan

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust:

• 1/2 pound (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 cups all purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Filling:

• 3 cups granulated sugar

• 1 cup all purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)

• 6 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Garnish:

• confectioner’s sugar (or non-melting conf. sugar) for dusting

Directions

To make the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center position,

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all the crust ingredients until no traces of dry ingredients remain.

3. Press dough evenly into bottom of uncoated 9x13 aluminum cake pan.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then remove from oven and reserve while you make the filling.

To make the filling:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour until no lumps remain.

2. Add the remaining filling ingredients and whisk until smooth.

3. Pour filling over prebaked crust and return to oven for 30-35 minutes or until the filling is set.

4. Allow to cool completely in pan (chill if desired) before serving.

To serve:

1. Just before serving, sprinkle with a layer of confectioner’s sugar, then cut and serve. In humid climates, consider non-melting confectioner’s sugar. Bars are best served the day they’re baked as the shortbread crust will become chewy after that.

2. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. They can safely be kept at room temperature, but chilling keeps the filling firm and easy to handle.

Notes

• This recipe can easily be made gluten free by using gluten-free flour instead of all purpose flour. Substitute equally.

• Serve these bars the same day they are baked. You can still eat them a few days later, but the crust will absorb moisture from the lemon filling and become chewy.

• Wait until the bars are completely cool before dusting with confectioner’s sugar. If you live in a humid climate, you might prefer dusting with non-melting confectioner’s sugar.

Soft and Chewy Vanilla Sugar Cookies

A family member recently requested sugar cookies. It had been a long time since I enjoyed a good sugar cookie so I was happy to oblige. This recipe produces sugar cookies that are very soft, very chewy, and full of wonderful vanilla flavor. Since the cookies are so tender, it’s probably no surprise that the dough is not suitable for rolling and cutting with cookie cutters. Instead, use a #50 cookie scoop to portion equally-sized dollops of this lovely dough.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• pure vanilla extract (be sure to use the good stuff)

• FLAT parchment paper sheets

• #50 cookie scoop

• commercial grade half sheet pans

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Soft and Chewy Vanilla Sugar Cookies

makes 24 cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

• less than 1 egg (you’ll need 30 grams or 1 tablespoon) *see notes below

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon table salt

• extra granulated sugar for coating the dough

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F, place the oven rack in the center position, and line two half sheet pans with parchment paper or silpat liners (see notes below).

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together for 3 full minutes on high speed; stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer, but increase the creaming time to 5 minutes.

4. Turn mixer on medium speed and add egg and pure vanilla extract until fully emulsified (no traces of egg remain).

5. Turn mixer on low and add flour mixture just until no traces of dry flour remain.

6. Use a #50 scoop to portion the dough; roll each portion into a ball and coat with granulated sugar.

7. Place dough balls on lined sheet pans (12 per pan); use a glass (see notes below) to press dough balls to 1/2-inch thickness.

8. Bake one sheet pan at a time for 9-11 minutes; remove as soon as the edges are set and they start to turn a slight golden color.

9. Allow cookies to cool complete on sheet pan before transferring to an airtight container. Store at room temperature.

Notes

• For best results, bake only one sheet pan at a time.

• For this particular recipe, parchment paper gives slightly better results than silpat liners, but either will work (see photo below)..

• To measure egg, break into a cup or bowl and beat to combine the whites and yolks completely, then measure the amount needed for this recipe. Save the rest in an airtight container for tomorrow’s breakfast.

• Do not place cookie dough on hot or warm cookie sheets. Wait for the sheets to cool completely before using.

• If the cookie dough is too soft to handle, chill it for a few minutes before rolling.

• When pressing the dough, use a plastic cup or a glass wrapped with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can dip your glass in additional granulated sugar between presses.

• Remove the cookies from the oven as soon as the edges are set and start to turn the slightest golden color; allow the cookies to cool completely before removing from sheet pan.

• Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

• If your cookies spread too much during baking, chill pressed cookie dough for 10 minutes before baking.

• If using a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer, increase the time you cream the butter and sugar together to 5 minutes.

adapted from A Spicy Perspective

Both cookies pictured above started off as exactly the same size ball of cookie dough. The cookie on the left was baked on a silpat liner (silicone), while the cookie on the right was baked on parchment paper.