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Old-Fashioned Lemon Squares

May 10, 2012 by Mary Anne Rittenhouse 13 Comments

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Mary Anne here. It seems every family has their own version of these sweetly tart cookie bars and ours is no exception. They’re a snap to whip up and they store beautifully in a sealed container in the fridge. They’re the perfect foil to a steaming cup of hot tea and an elegant addition to a bridal or baby shower. Let us know your family’s recipe for these delicate treats!

Searching for other sunny citrus treats? Try our Key Lime & Blackberry Bites, Lemon Pudding Cake, Lemon Cupcakes with a Raspberry Mint Glaze, Lemon Olive Oil Cake, Key Lime Pie, Orange Curd Puff Pastry Tartlets, or Key Lime Pie Pops (apparently we love key lime).

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Old-Fashioned Lemon Squares
Makes 16

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 cup flour – stock
¼ cup granulated sugar – stock
¼ cup chopped nuts (I used almonds) – stock
¼ Teaspoon salt – stock
1 stick chilled, sweet butter, cut into slices (8 Tablespoons) – stock
For the filling:
¾ cup sugar – stock
the zest of 3 lemons (about 3 Tablespoons) – $1.50
6 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice – included above
2 eggs, lightly beaten – stock
3 Tablespoons flour – stock
pinch of salt – stock
½ Teaspoon baking powder – stock
confectioner’s sugar, fresh raspberries, and mint for garnish – optional
Grand Total Assuming a Well-Stocked Pantry: $1.50
Total Per Serving: $0.09

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 9 inch square pan with foil. Spray with cooking oil (i.e. Pam), or butter the foil.

2. Prepare the crust. In the bowl of a food processor, armed with the metal blade, combine the flour, salt, and sugar.

3. Add the chilled butter and nuts. Hit the pulse button several times until the mixture resembles fine meal.

4. Using the flat bottom of a custard cup or glass, dusted in flour, press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

5. Bake until the edges are golden brown, between 15 and 20 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, prepare the lemon filling. In the bowl of the same food processor, combine the filling ingredients. Note: This isn’t much more than blending. If you’re too enthusiastic, the mixture will be foamy and compromise the surface’s presentation once baked.

7. Pour into the warm crust. Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are brown and the lemon is set.

8. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

9. Carefully lift the foil/dessert from the pan and peel away the foil. Cut into 16 squares. Decorate with sifted Confectioner’s sugar, berries, and mint leaves, if desired. Serve at room temperature; store tightly wrapped in the fridge.

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Filed Under: Recipe Index, Recipes Under $5, Sweets & Treats Tagged With: afternoon tea, Baking, bridal party, budget, dessert, entertaining, family, kid-friendly, recipes under $5

About Mary Anne Rittenhouse

The mother in this mother-daughter duo, Mary Anne is a registered nurse who has also worked for over two decades as a professional caterer

Comments

  1. Blog is the New Black says

    May 10, 2012 at 8:13 am

    Would you believe I only tried lemon squares for the first time last year when I made them? And of course, realized they are DELICIOUS?! These look terrific!

    Reply
  2. Rhonda says

    May 10, 2012 at 10:10 am

    Lemon squares are one sweet treat that I never tire of, sometimes the classics are just the best!

    Reply
  3. Rachel Cooks (formerly Not Rachael Ray) says

    May 10, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    Love, love, love lemon bars! These look amazing!

    Reply
  4. Kathleen says

    May 10, 2012 at 6:38 pm

    Oh, so lovely. I have been looking for my aunt’s recipe and this sounds almost the same. Thank you

    Reply
    • Agnes Lepore Aliberto says

      May 10, 2012 at 7:15 pm

      I’LL be making these soon— for MOI ! However I will substitute the sugar with Splenda . [U no Y] xxxooo

      Reply
      • feastonthecheap says

        May 10, 2012 at 8:19 pm

        Eating some dark chocolate tonight that a little elf left on my doorstep! Thanks again, Mrs. A. and have a wonderful Mother’s Day! xoxo

        Reply
  5. Mandy - The Complete Cook Book says

    May 11, 2012 at 6:43 am

    Ooh – scrumptious!
    🙂 Mandy

    Reply
  6. Barbara | Creative Culinary says

    May 11, 2012 at 11:15 am

    I love these too and yes, I think I have the best recipe…which of course if pretty much like everyone else recipe…it’s just from an old and trusting book and that does give it special meaning.

    So I made something today that is similar but not. Lemon, raspberry and mint even. But you might have to drink mine. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Jen @ The Scrumptious Pumpkin says

    May 12, 2012 at 6:41 pm

    I used to love the lemon squares my mom made – hers also had a sweet cream cheese layer. Your version, topped with raspberries, is so pretty 🙂

    Reply
  8. mjskit says

    May 12, 2012 at 9:55 pm

    These are classic! They look delicious – tart and sweet and would absolutely melt in my mouth!

    Reply
  9. RecipeNewZ says

    May 13, 2012 at 7:36 pm

    Wow, what a wonderful dessert! Love these beautiful squares. The perfect dessert for Mother’s Day! I can’t wait to try this recipe 🙂

    I would like to invite you to share this post (and other posts 🙂 ) on a new photo based recipe sharing site that launched only this Monday. The idea is simple: all recipe photographs are published within minutes of submission. And, of course, the images link back to the author’s site.

    It’s called RecipeNewZ (with Z) – http://recipenewz.com

    I hope you get a chance to visit and to share some of your delicious posts with our viewers. It would be a pleasure to have you on board 🙂

    Reply
  10. Sandra - The Foodie Affair says

    May 15, 2012 at 12:19 am

    Lemon squares are one of my favorite treats, and I haven’t had them for quite awhile. You got my mouth watering looking at yours!

    Reply
  11. Lindsey @ Gingerbread Bagels says

    May 27, 2012 at 12:12 pm

    I LOVE lemon squares!! Yours are so pretty! 🙂

    Reply

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