Nothing screams summertime like Heirloom Lemon Squares. Are you ever craving something sweet to have on a warm summer evening? Do you ever not know what to bring to a summer potluck? This is the ticket! They are best served cold and will satisfy that sweet tooth. Trust me, this is my most requested item from my friends and family.
Heirloom Lemon Squares History
These are from an old family recipe. My mother had handwritten a cookbook in grade school with a collection of family recipes titled “Cook Book by Ana Saragosa”. We do not know where the recipe originally came from. However, we do know that it was an old family favorite in the 1970s and continues to be passed down and has been a favorite in our family.
The crust tastes similar to shortbread and the lemon filling is just the perfect mixture of tart and sweet. The Saragosa Family has made this recipe for decades only using 1 cup of sugar. In the 1990s the recipe was returned to the original 1 ½ cups sugar.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
Pan: This is the pan I use to make lemon squares as well as many other recipes. I love that it has a lid for easy storage and makes them easy to transport.
Mixer: If you do not have a stand mixer, I highly recommend getting this one. I was gifted one in college and use it at least twice per week. I would say that this is definitely a kitchen must-have.
Heirloom Lemon Squares
Ingredients
Crust
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
Lemon Filling
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon rind
- 1/4 cup flour
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cut butter into flour and powdered sugar. Pat into a 9X13 ungreased pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
Prepare the Lemon Filling
- While the crust cooks, make the lemon filling: Beat eggs with sugar until fluffy. Add lemon juice, lemon rind and flour. Stir.
- When the crust is done, pour lemon topping over the hot crust. Bake for 15 minutes or until set.
Cool and Serve
- Let cool. My favorite is when they are refrigerated and cold. Be sure to allow to cool to room temperature before sticking them in the refrigerator.
- Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar (if you like) and cut into squares.
Notes
Because this recipe is such a family treasure, I am sharing it with you as Heirloom Lemon Squares. I hope that this recipe can become a family tradition for your family as well!
For more of my recipes, see Recipes.
Leave a Reply