Are you looking for an incredibly simple, crowd pleasing dessert for Easter Sunday? Operating under the theory that just about everyone loves lemon, I often make these for big gatherings. Having just returned from Key Largo last night and scrambling to get ready for tomorrow’s holiday brunch, I plan to serve these, my grandmother’s lemon squares.
Not only do they come together in a snap, I almost always have the ingredients on hand. Flour, powdered sugar, eggs, butter, and lemon. Done!
Old School Lemon Squares
makes 18
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup butter, diced then slightly softened
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Whisk flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl.
- Add butter to the flour and powdered sugar, and using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut until mixture looks like coarse meal.
- Press this mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan. Don’t worry – it’s not supposed to look pretty or perfect.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack.
- Beat eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until thoroughly combined.
- Pour egg/lemon mixture onto crust and bake until just set – about 20 more minutes.
- Let cool completely. Cut and sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
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