Make Ahead

Pink Grapefruit Bars

by:
February 23, 2015
4.6
5 Ratings
Pink Grapefruit Bars
  • Makes 16 bars
Author Notes

Adapted from Joy The Baker's recipe these tasty pink grapefruit squares won't last! —garlic and zest

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • for the crust:
  • 1 stick butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • for the filling:
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 pink grapefruit, zested
  • 1/4 cup grapefruit juice - from the grapefruit you just zested
  • powdered sugar, for dusting
Directions
  1. Set rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8x8 inch baking pan using Smitten Kitchen's "sling" method. Cut 2 pieces of parchment the same width as the bottom of your pan, but longer on each end so that when you lay the parchment in the pan, extra parchment paper hangs over both sides. Lay the other piece of parchment going in the opposite direction of the first.
  2. Beat together the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides occasionally. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Transfer the dough to the bottom of the pan and use your fingers to press it evenly into the space.
  3. Bake the dough until lightly browned about 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
  4. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium bowl add the eggs and sugar. Whisk vigorously for about 1 minute until slightly thick. Add the flour, grapefruit juice and zest. Whisk well and pour the filling over the warm baked crust.
  5. Bake until lightly browned on top and no longer jiggly in the center, about 18-20 minutes. Cool completely in the pan. Lift the parchment paper and transfer the cookie to a cutting board. Use a long, thin knife to cut the bar into 16 squares.
  6. Store in a airtight container, separating layers with a piece of parchment or wax paper -- so they don't stick together.
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  • Marissa Katter
    Marissa Katter
  • garlic and zest
    garlic and zest
  • walrusgumbo
    walrusgumbo
  • Mel Baldwin
    Mel Baldwin

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4 Reviews

Marissa K.
Marissa K. January 30, 2021
I’ve made these more times than I can count and they just keep getting better. I knew I had a winner when coworkers called them “shockingly good” and asked me to make them again. I usually double the recipe and go a little heavy on the grapefruit juice (okay, a lot heavy- I double it) and add a bit more flour to help set. They are perfection.
 
Mel B.
Mel B. December 21, 2019
The recipe came together fast and I think I used a 9x9 pan, so it was done sooner than the 8x8 times called for in the recipe. They were gone in a day and I will be making more today.
 
garlic A.
garlic A. March 17, 2015
So glad you liked them! They went quickly in our house -- in fact, I only got one before my daughter and husband swooped in.
 
walrusgumbo
walrusgumbo March 12, 2015
these turned out amazing!!! i ended up baking them for 30 minutes. the texture is to die for with the crisp buttery crust and custard like grapefruit bliss. lemon bars are a thing of the past!