By Sofia Olsson, Copy Editor

// Stuck in quarantine? Hey, me too! Since there’s not really anything else to do, here’s a recipe for some amazing lemon bars. It’s a super simple springtime treat that the whole Blueprint staff adores (especially EIC Nelson Rogers). Hopefully this delicious recipe will distract you from the fact that there’s a global pandemic going on. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup white sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1 ½ cups white sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 lemons, juiced  – Pro tip! Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice and a tablespoon or so of lemon zest

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Yields 1 9×13 inch pan – Pro tip! Double the recipe – These are really good!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

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Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Pro tip – make sure to mold the crust evenly throughout the pan and ensure that the crust is at least 1 ½ inches in height around the pan to accommodate for the filling. Press into the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan lined with tin foil and greased with butter – Or use a cute tart pan or mini tartlet cups!

Step 3

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs, lemon juice, and zet. Pour over the baked crust.

Step 4

Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. Cut into uniform 2 inch (or whatever size you desire – if you’re Nelson Rogers, all you need is the pan and a fork) squares. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (make sure the bars have completely cooled) before serving if you are feeling fancy. Enjoy!