Irresistible Poppy Seed Lemon Bars Recipe

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 0.5 cup butter, softened
• 0.25 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.13 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1.5 cups white sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 0.33 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, or as needed

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter and confectioners' sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add all-purpose flour, salt, and ground cardamom; mix until just combined. Gently stir in poppy seeds until evenly distributed throughout the dough. Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan using floured hands or a spatula.
3. Bake the crust in the preheated oven until the edges are lightly golden brown, approximately 18 minutes.
4. While the crust is baking, whisk together granulated sugar, large eggs, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest in a separate bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add flour and gently stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
5. As soon as the crust is removed from the oven, carefully pour the lemon filling evenly over the hot crust and return the pan to the oven.
6. Bake until the filling is set, puffy, and lightly golden brown around the edges, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting into 16 equal squares. Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 193 kcal
• Fat Content: 7 g
• Fiber Content: 0 g
• Sugar Content: 21 g
• Sodium Content: 91 mg
• Protein Content: 3 g
• Cholesterol Content: 50 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 31 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g