Description
These easy Vanilla Bean Lemon Bars are a refreshing little snack, and I love that they come together so quickly with one bowl and a mixer.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (vanilla extract is fine too)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2–3 lemons)
- zest of one lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
For the Vanilla Bean Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- zest of one lemon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon water (as needed to thin)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together on medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, and mix until incorporated.
- Add vanilla bean paste, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix.
- Add salt and flour and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
- Pour the batter evenly into the pan, and bake for 28-30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes, and then pour glaze over the top and spread it evenly to the edges. Cool completely and then cut into bars. A plastic knife works very well! Store in an airtight container.
For the Glaze
- Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla bean paste, and heavy cream into a bowl and whisk together with a fork. Add water as needed to thin the glaze. It should be pourable. Pour and spread the glaze over the slightly cooled bars.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bar
- Calories: 226
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 115mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.4g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 2.7g
- Cholesterol: 62mg
