Zesty Lime Citrus Bars (Printable)
Bright lime filling over buttery shortbread crust. Sweet-tart balance perfect for citrus enthusiasts.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Shortbread Crust
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Lime Citrus Filling
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
07 - 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 3 large eggs
09 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
10 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
11 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
→ Topping
12 - Powdered sugar for dusting
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - Combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in diced butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
03 - Bake crust for 15-18 minutes until just golden at the edges. Let cool slightly.
04 - Whisk together granulated sugar, flour, and baking powder. Add eggs, lime juice, lemon juice, and lime zest. Whisk until smooth.
05 - Pour filling over the baked crust. Bake for 18-20 minutes until set and slightly golden at the edges; the center should not jiggle.
06 - Cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.
07 - Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Cut into bars.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lime filling is impossibly smooth, almost like eating sunshine on a fork
- That buttery shortbread crust creates the perfect contrast to the tangy topping
- They actually get better after a day in the fridge, making them perfect for prep-ahead desserts
02 -
- I once tried cutting these before they were completely chilled and ended up with a gorgeous but messy puddle of lime filling, so patience is genuinely a ingredient here
- The parchment paper overhang is not optional unless you enjoy the challenge of trying to unstick shortbread from a pan
- Fresh citrus juice makes such a difference that bottled juice will give you a completely different, flatter tasting dessert
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients for the filling prevent the butter in your hot crust from solidifying and creating weird layers
- Grating the limes before juicing them is so much easier than trying to zest a squishy squeezed lime