Recipe Library
Lemon Squares
Buttery shortbread meets bright lemon curd in these squares, where tart citrus fills a tender crust and finishes with a snowy dusting of confectioners' sugar.
- Total
- 58 min
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 38 min
- Serves
- 9
Nutrition per Serving
- Calories
- 207
- Protein
- 3g
- Carbs
- 31g
- Fat
- 8g
- Fiber
- 1g
- Sugar
- 16g
- Sodium
- 128mg
Ingredients
- 1 cup white whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- Lemon zest, for garnish
- Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with foil and generously coat it with cooking spray.
- To prepare crust: Combine flour, confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add oil and butter; using your fingertips, blend into the flour mixture until evenly combined. The mixture will be a little crumbly. Firmly press the dough into the prepared pan. Bake the crust until just barely beginning to brown around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
- To prepare filling: Whisk granulated sugar, cornstarch, baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Whisk in eggs. Stir in water and lemon juice. Pour the filling over the crust.
- Bake until just set, 18 to 20 minutes. (The center should still be a little jiggly--it will firm up as it cools.)
- Let cool to room temperature in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 1/2 hours. Gently lift out of the pan all in one piece using the edges of the foil. Cut into 9 squares. Garnish with lemon zest and dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired, just before serving.