Lemon Cookie Bars Recipe

Lemon cookie bars stacked on a white plate.

Lemon Cookie Bars are soft, crumbly and sweet with a burst of fresh citrus. Melt and mix cookie bars are the easy way to make sugar cookies, no rolling dough or cutting out cookies.

Course Sweet Treat

Cuisine International

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 88kcal

Author Lee-Ann Grace

Ingredients

190 grams plain flour (all-purpose flour) sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder sifted
150 grams caster sugar plus extra for sprinkling
zest of 1 lemon finely grated (see my notes)
120 grams salted butter melted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Metric - US customary

Instructions

Preheat oven to 160℃.
Grease and line a 20cm (8") square baking pan with baking/parchment paper (leaving some overhang for removal) and set aside.
In a medium bowl, place plain flour and baking powder and whisk to combine, then set aside.
190 grams plain flour (all-purpose flour), ½ teaspoon baking powder
In a large bowl, combine caster sugar and grated lemon zest, and using a flexible spatula, rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release the oils.
150 grams caster sugar, zest of 1 lemon
Mix in the melted butter.
120 grams salted butter
Then add the lemon juice, vanilla and egg, and mix to combine.
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 egg
Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
Pour batter into the prepared pan, pushing it into the corners and roughly smoothing the top.
Evenly sprinkle over extra sugar, then bake for 19 - 22 minutes, or until the centre is just set, the edges are starting to lightly brown, and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Video

Notes

Grate your lemon zest directly over the bowl containing the sugar (so the oils that spray out as you grate it go into the bowl), and don't forget to scrape the sides of the bowl too for the same reason.
Rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar increases the lemon flavour by the abrasive nature of the sugar crystals breaking down the zest slightly and releasing more of the natural oils.
Don't overbake; underbaking will help keep them moist.

*Please note that the amount of calories per serving and nutrition information is provided as a guide only, as ingredients and cooking methods can vary greatly*

Nutrition