Lemon Squares

Recipe from Susan Mahnke Peery

Adapted by Dena Kleiman

Updated April 12, 2017

  • Craig Lee for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(2,308)
Comments
Read comments

The recipe for these sweet, tart squares, adapted from the “Wellesley Cookie Exchange Cookbook” by Susan Mahnke Peery, was published in The Times in December 1990, part of a Christmas cookie roundup. But they can be made for just about any occasion, whether you’re in the holiday spirit or just craving something with a little pucker. The buttery shortbread mellows a lemon topping, as does the dusting of confectioners' sugar. Make it to cap off a weeknight dinner, or for a weekend afternoon snack, paired with a cup of tea. —Dena Kleiman

Featured in: The Spirit of Christmas Past Lives On in Traditional Cookies

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:16 servings

  • 2 cups/256 grams flour, plus ¼ cup/32 grams

  • ½ cup confectioners' sugar/61 grams, plus 2 teaspoons

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 cup/227 grams (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

  • 4 eggs

  • 2 cups/400 grams granulated sugar

  • ⅓ cup/80 milliliters lemon juice (from about 1 to 2 lemons)

  • ½ teaspoon baking powder 

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (16 servings)

37 grams carbs; 70 milligrams cholesterol; 282 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 13 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 155 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 30 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together two cups flour, ½ cup confectioners' sugar and salt. Add melted butter and stir to thoroughly combine. Spread with clean hands in an even layer into a 9-by-13-inch pan and bake for 25 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice, baking powder and remaining flour. Pour onto the hot baked shell and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until just set. Using a small, fine meshed sieve, sift remaining confectioners' sugar on top when cool. Cut into equal bars.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
2,308 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Becky Peterson

Needs more lemon juice. This is one of my all-time favorite cookie recipes (I am a sweet-tart addict.) I was checking several copies of the recipe I have and found they are basically, through all time, the same..only varying in whether to include lemon zest in the curd or not. THIS recipe calls for 1/3 C lemon juice. All others suggest 2/3 C and I believe this is the best amount of juice to use. You can halve this recipe and use a 8" square pan.

Oscar madison

I didn’t have any lemons on hand but substituted the canned pinto beans on my shelf. Tabasco for the confectioners sugar and a last minute swap of flour tortilla for the shortbread. Turns out as a lemon square it was awful, but I made a pretty decent burrito.

Mackenzie

My go-to lemon bar recipe for 16 years. I usually add more lemon juice (2/3 cup total) and add the zest from all the lemons as well.

Dodo

I suggest not to add the amount of sugar it says because when I added the sugar it turned out way too sweet, it'd better if you add less sugar and more lemon juice and add lemon zest

Annemarieke

Can you freeze these squares?

MorpheusZ

Too sweet as written. I added the zest of two lemons plus a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Nice and tart with that mod.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Credits

“Wellesley Cookie Exchange Cookbook” by Susan Mahnke Peery

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.