you're making mealtime meaningful.
I’m a huge lemon bar fan so when I first came across these gorgeous Grapefruit Bars, I knew I’d need to whip up a batch myself ASAP. They stick to the classic buttery shortbread crust, but then sub in grapefruit zest and juice for the filling. You’ll still find a tablespoon of lemon juice in the filling to balance out the intense flavor of the grapefruit. It’s a beautiful combo! If you’re looking for a sweet and refreshing dessert I can’t recommend this one enough.
The best part might be just how easy they are to make. You’ll start out by making the crust– cut cold butter with flour, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt. Once the mixture becomes crumbly in texture, press it into a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the crust for 20 minutes while you start on the filling. A mixture of eggs, granulated sugar, flour, and baking powder is combined with the zest of a grapefruit, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, and a hint of vanilla for a dreamy citrus flavor.
If you want a vibrant color then I suggest adding a drop or two of red or pink food coloring to really make your bars pop. Pour the filling over the prebaked crust and bake for another 20 minutes. Easy as that, your bars are ready to eat. They make the perfect dessert any time of year and are sure to have everyone coming back for seconds. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Grapefruit Bars
Yield(s): Serves 9
15m prep time
42m cook time
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Crust
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup (1 stick) cold butter, cubed
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 3 eggs
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Zest of 1 grapefruit
- 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Optional: 1-2 drops red food coloring
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, use a fork to cut the cold butter with the flour, powdered sugar, and salt until fine crumbles form.
- Transfer dough to the lined baking dish and press into an even layer to form the crust. Bake crust for 20 minutes as you start on the filling.
- Add eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining filling ingredients and whisk until well combined.
- Pour filling over the pre-baked crust and bake for an additional 22-24 minutes or until the middle has set and doesn’t jiggle.
- Let bars fully cool before slicing. Dust with additional powdered sugar as desired.
Recipe adapted from Dessertnowdinnerlater.com