Lemon Lime Bars - Bake.Eat.Repeat. (simple, family friendly recipes) (2024)

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Tart, sweet, amazing lemon lime bars with a crisp shortbread crust – and easy to make, perfect dessert that everyone will love!

Lemon Lime Bars - Bake.Eat.Repeat. (simple, family friendly recipes) (1)

Lemon lime bars. The perfect treat. Especially in the spring when lemon needs to go into all the things. Clearly. Lemon coconut muffins, lemon raspberry sweet rolls, and now lemon lime bars. I did say that I can’t get enough!

These tart, sweet bar cookies are one of my favourite treats, but I had actually never made them before. I always enjoy them when I have them at parties and potlucks and things, but had never made them myself. I will definitely be making them again! And adding lime. Lemon and lime are just amazing together. You could totally just use lemon if you want though and make a regular lemon bar. They would be fantastic either way.

And today, these lemon lime bars are in honour of three wonderfulladies that I have come to know through blogging. Some of my blogging friends and Iare throwing a virtual baby shower for all three of them today to celebrate their new (and coming soon!) little bundles of joy! It’s unfortunate we’re all living in many different places and can’t get together to throw a real lifebaby shower for these three ladies (and cuddle the cute babies while we’re at it!), but since we can’t, we’re doing the next best thing.

Lemon Lime Bars - Bake.Eat.Repeat. (simple, family friendly recipes) (2)

So congratulations to Natalie (Tastes Lovely), Jessica (Flying on Jess Fuel) and Isadora (She Likes Food)! I’m so happy for all three of you as you welcome your new little ones into your families!

So, since it’s a baby shower, I made the bar cookie that I always think of when it comes to showers. I think maybe they’ve just been at most of the showers I’ve attended, so it seemed like the right choice. Cut them in bigger bars, or if it’s a party and you have lots of food, little bites like I did here. Either way, they’re delicious.

Make sure to check out all the other food for the party! And if you happen to be planning a real life baby shower – we’ve got you covered. Lots of links below the recipe for both sweet and savoury little bites!

Lemon Lime Bars - Bake.Eat.Repeat. (simple, family friendly recipes) (3)

Lemon Lime Bars - Bake.Eat.Repeat. (simple, family friendly recipes) (4)

Tart, sweet, amazing lemon lime bars with a crisp shortbread crust - and easy to make, perfect dessert that everyone will love!

Prep Time50 minutes

Cook Time45 minutes

Chilling Time30 minutes

Total Time2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 12 pieces

For the filling:

  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 3 lemons, juice and 2 teaspoons finely grated zest
  • 3 limes, juice and 1 teaspoon finely grated zest
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Make the crust first. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a 9x13 inch pan with tin foil, leaving an overhang so you can lift the bars out with it.
  2. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.
  3. In a food processor, mix together the flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt for the crust, pulsing a couple times to combine everything.
  4. Add the pieces of butter and pulse until the mixture is pale yellow and looks like coarse meal. (If you don’t have a food processor, grate the cold butter into the flour mixture and rub it into the flour with your fingers.)
  5. Press this mixture into the prepared pan, pressing it firmly with your fingers into an even 1/4 inch layer, and up the sides of the pan about 1/2 inch.
  6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and then bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
  7. While the crust is chilling and baking, make the filling.
  8. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and flour together.
  9. Stir in the lemon and lime juice (2/3 cup juice total) and zest, the heavy cream (or milk) and the salt.
  10. When the crust is finished, remove it from the oven and whisk the filling to recombine it.
  11. Pour it into the warm crust.
  12. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake the bars for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling feels firm to the touch.
  13. Cool the pan on a wire rack at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before lifting out the bars and slicing them.
  14. Dust the bars with powdered sugar to serve.
  15. The bars keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days, but the cookie crust will soften a bit.

Notes

I used Meyer lemons for this recipe, but regular lemons would be fine too. Also, for the lemon and lime juice, you should have 2/3 cup juice, total. That was 3 lemons and 3 limes for me, but that could be a bit different depending on how juicy your fruit is, so measure the juice before adding it in.

Source: Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Baking Book.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1 bar

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 187Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 103mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 2g

Nutrition Information is estimated based on ingredients used and may not be exact.

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This post contains affiliate links.

Lemon Lime Bars - Bake.Eat.Repeat. (simple, family friendly recipes) (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with too many lemons and limes? ›

Wrap them in plastic, throw them in the freezer, take them out, zap them in the micro for 30 seconds or so, and you will have more juice from that lemon or lime than you can imagine! I freeze Lemons & Limes whole all the time. A great way to keep them from going bad. They work fine for juice or zest.

Which is more acidic lemon or lime? ›

Lemons and limes are similarly acidic, with certain varieties of the fruits being more or less acidic than others. However, lemon juice generally registers between 2.00 and 2.60 on the pH scale, while lime juice registers between 2.00 and 2.35. This means lime juice may often be more acidic than lemon juice.

Which is better lemon or lime? ›

Lemons contain more vitamin C and antioxidant flavonoids than limes. However, limes have slightly higher levels of minerals and vitamins than lemons. For example, limes have more niacin, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium than lemons. They also contain vitamin A, which lemons don't have.

What happens to your stomach when you eat too much lemon? ›

Eating lemon everyday will provide you with a variety of nutritional benefits. The only reason not to eat lemon daily is if it's hurting your teeth or stomach. The citric acid in lemons may cause you to get indigestion, heartburn, or acid reflux. You can eat lemons with other foods to reduce side effects.

What happens if you drink lemon and lime water everyday? ›

Lemons and limes stimulate your liver's production of bile, a digestive fluid that breaks fats down into fatty acids for proper absorption. Drinking lemon or lime in your water in the morning can help you lose weight. Because of their high acidity, citrus fruits play a hefty role in your digestion of sugars.

Does lime reduce belly fat? ›

There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that drinking lime water at night specifically reduces belly fat.

What does eating lime do to your body? ›

Limes are high in vitamin C and antioxidants — both of which may offer health benefits. Eating limes or drinking the juice may improve immunity, reduce heart disease risk factors, prevent kidney stones, aid iron absorption, and promote healthy skin. Avoid limes if you're allergic to citrus fruit.

What is the most acidic fruit? ›

Fruits and fruit juices high in acid
  • lemon juice (pH: 2.00–2.60)
  • limes (pH: 2.00–2.80)
  • blue plums (pH: 2.80–3.40)
  • grapes (pH: 2.90–3.82)
  • pomegranates (pH: 2.93–3.20)
  • grapefruits (pH: 3.00–3.75)
  • blueberries (pH: 3.12–3.33)
  • pineapples (pH: 3.20–4.00)

What does lime do to hair? ›

A: Lime oil is rich in nutrients that help to promote a healthy scalp and encourage hair growth. The vitamin C in lime oil helps to stimulate collagen production, which is essential for hair growth. The fatty acids in the lime oil help nourish and moisturize the scalp, promoting hair growth.

Is lime good for high blood pressure? ›

Limes are a good source of magnesium and potassium, which promote heart health. Potassium can naturally lower blood pressure and improve blood circulation, which reduces your risk of a heart attack and stroke. Research is ongoing on lime compounds called limonins that may be able to reduce cholesterol levels.

Is lime juice good for kidneys? ›

If you want to vary your fluid intake, adding lime or lemon juice is a good choice. These contain citrate, which has been shown to help prevent kidney stones. You can also dilute your urine by changing what you eat, in order to lower the amount of stone-forming minerals.

Can I freeze whole lemons and limes? ›

Place the whole citrus fruit in a heavy duty freezer bag and seal it up tight. Air exposure is the enemy when it comes to freezing food because it sucks out moisture and deadens flavors. Freeze the citrus. There is no exact cut off date for how long the citrus will last in your freezer.

What happens to limes if left on the tree? ›

Limes start green and ripen to orange and then yellow if left on the tree. The taste doesn't actually change between these stages, however they're primarily harvested green so consumers don't confuse them with lemons!

What fruit goes well with lime? ›

Lime: Pairs well with apple, berries, cherry, ginger, papaya, plum, strawberry, and tropical fruits, but it's usually an accent for beverages.

What can I do with a large amount of lemons? ›

Our Best Lemon Recipes
  1. Lemon Bars.
  2. Preserved Lemon Crinkle Cookies From Jesse Szewczyk.
  3. Lemon Curd.
  4. Grilled Lemon Margarita.
  5. Lemon Buttermilk Cake.
  6. Meyer Lemon Rice With Candied Garlic From Michael W. Twitty.
  7. Lemon Cream Pie.
  8. Lemony Broccoli & Mozzarella Sandwiches.
Jan 6, 2022

Can you freeze limes and lemons whole? ›

You CAN freeze whole lemons and limes. Here's how: Wash and dry well Place in airtight bag Keep in freezer for 3 mths for best flavour and colour Zest while frozen, juice after completely thawed.

Can I freeze fresh lemons? ›

Freezing lemons means you'll always have fresh lemon on hand to add zip to dishes and tang to drinks. You can freeze lemon wedges or slices, lemon zest, lemon juice, or whole lemons. Always wash fruit with soap and water or a fruit and vegetable wash before starting the prep work for freezing.

Can you freeze fresh limes? ›

Sure can! Place whole limes in a freezer safe bag like Glad® Flex'n Seal® Freezer Quart Bags, squeezing as much air out as possible. Placed in the freezer, limes will keep 4–6 months. Just in lime for all your favorite citrus-based treats!

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