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Lemon Squares

There’s nothing quite like lemon to brighten the day! Full of tart and sweet, these little squares pack gorgeous flavors with a silky lemon topping that sits on a tender pastry crust woven with more lemon zest!
Cook Time 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 24 to 30 lemon squares

Equipment

  • Pastry knife
  • 13" x 9" baking pan

Ingredients
  

  • For the pastry:
  • 1 cup butter, softened for about 1 hour
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, about 4 lemons
  • For the lemon topping:
  • 4 extra-large eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, about 4 lemons
  • 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 2-½ lemons
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon flour
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325-degrees - a lower temperature than many recipes.
  • To make the pastry:
  • Let the butter soften at room temperature for about 1 hour or until it’s soft enough to easily cut with a pastry knife.
  • Add the flour along with the kosher salt, powdered sugar and the lemon zest. Using a pastry knife cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it’s in small pieces and blended together. (You can also combine using a hand mixer.)
  • Turn the flour and butter mixture out into an ungreased 13” x 9” baking pan. Gently press the pastry into the bottom of the pan. Bake the pastry in a 325-degree oven for 15 minutes. While the pastry cooks make the lemon topping.
  • To make the lemon topping:
  • Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk until light, about 20 to 30 seconds.
  • Add the sugar, whisking to blend.
  • Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, plus the vanilla and lemon extracts. Blend in the flour, whisking until smooth, about 30 seconds.
  • As soon as the pastry is done, pour the lemon mixture over the top of the hot pastry. Bake at 325-degrees for an additional 40 minutes.
  • While the lemon squares are still warm dust the top with powdered sugar.
  • Let them cool completely to set up before cutting. For a cleaner cut, chill before cutting the squares.

Notes

*Lemon extract can be found in specialty food stores or online.