Luscious lemon bars may seem like they have been around forever, but the first published recipe for lemon bars appeared in the Chicago Tribune on August 27, 1962. Now that’s not so very long ago as culinary history goes.
The Chicago Tribune’s recipe editor started a recipe contest in the 1940s called “Today’s $5 Favorite Recipe”. In 1962 Mrs. Eleanore Mickelson submitted a lemon bar recipe for the contest and won a $5 prize for her puckery treat. Mrs. Mickelson’s recipe called for just 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, one cup of sugar, and two eggs—a relatively inexpensive recipe to prepare at the time. The following year, 1963, the Betty Crocker Cookbook published a lemon bar recipe almost identical to Mrs. Mickelson’s.
Lemon bars are easy to make and only require a handful of inexpensive ingredients. They consist of a shortbread crust and a lemon curd topping. The shortbread crust, made from butter, flour, and sugar, is easy to prepare. No rolling pin needed. You simply press the crust into a baking dish and bake it until it is golden brown. Lemon curd can be a bit tricky to whisk to a smooth consistency, but it is poured over the waiting crust. If you have trouble mixing the flour and the eggs and get some lumps, use an electric mixer on a slow speed to remove the lumps. Be careful not to overbeat. If you make lemon bars, you will be happy that the Chicago Tribune picked Mrs. Mickelson’s recipe as a winner! My husband warns: “Don’t eat them all at one seating. I did that once.”
Lucious Lemon Bars
Makes about 15 to 20 pieces
For the crust:
¾ pound butter (1 ½ sticks), softened
½ cup granulated sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups + 2 tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
For the filling:
6 large eggs
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (5 to 6 lemons)
⅔ cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the crust:
In a large bowl, place butter, sugar, and vanilla. With the paddle of an electric mixer, cream until well combined. In another bowl, place flour and salt and stir to combine.
With the mixer on a slow speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Transfer the dough to a well-floured board and form the dough into a ball. Press the dough into a 9 X 13 X 2-inch baking dish. Chill for 20 minutes.
Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
For the filling: In a medium bowl, place eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour and whisk to combine. Pour the egg mixture over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the filling is set. Cool to room temperature before slicing.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares.
Tips on selecting lemons: Lemons should be plump and feel heavy for their size. Select bright, shiny fruit. If the rind is an orange-yellow color, it means the lemon was picked when fully ripe. Pass up shriveled, hard-skinned, soft, or spongy fruit. Lemons with a greenish rind are not as juicy. Lemons that do not give when pressed gently will not be as juicy.
Tips on storing lemons: Placed in a reusable, eco-friendly storage bag or a plastic bag, lemons will keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Tips on storing lemon bars: When placed in an airtight container, lemon bars will keep for 3 days at room temperature or up to one week in the refrigerator. . If you layer lemon bars, place a layer of parchment paper between them to prevent sticking. To freeze lemon bars, place them in a freezer-safe container. Frozen lemon bars will keep for up to 3 months.
Carol Ann
Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market and Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.
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