Description
A buttery shortbread crust cradles a zesty lemon filling studded with tart cranberries. Each square offers a balance of sweet, tangy, and buttery flavors with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl cream together the softened butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add 2 cups flour and salt to the butter mixture and stir until a crumbly dough forms.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
- While the crust bakes, whisk together the eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup flour, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a separate bowl.
- Gently fold the fresh cranberries into the lemon mixture.
- Pour the lemon-cranberry filling over the hot crust and return to the oven.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the filling is set and no longer jiggles in the center.
- Cool the bars completely in the pan, then lift out using the parchment paper and slice into squares.
- Dust the tops with powdered sugar just before serving.
Notes
- These bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a more tangy flavor, increase lemon zest to 2 tablespoons.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing to prevent them from crumbling.
- Feel free to substitute half the fresh cranberries with frozen ones.