Lemon Curd Blondies

Most folks that I know have a classic lemon bar recipe that they love and works for them. Lemon bar recipes do vary a lot, but I have yet to find one that I didn’t like. My friend gave me some lemon curd, and my immediate thought was I wanted to use it in a recipe. I did some searching online and I came across a couple of different recipes to try. I started with this version of a lemon bar, flavored with lemon curd and lemon zest.

Lemon bar recipes vary- some have many layers and others are much more basic. This recipe is quite simple, and as it bakes in an 8” square pan, it doesn’t require too many ingredients. It’s just one layer, so once you make the dough/batter, you are good to go. The mixture is very sticky, so spreading it evenly in the pan is tricky, but it does even out as it bakes. I wanted to make sure that these bars were very chilled before cutting, so I refrigerated them overnight.

These cut very easily once they are cold, and not as messy as some lemon bars can be. I will say that these bars have a good lemon flavor, but the lemon isn’t as strong as other bars I have made. I’m ok with that since they are easy to make and cut and they travel well. I like these lemon curd blondies a lot and can’t wait to use the rest of the lemon curd for other recipes!

Lemon Curd Blondies
¾ cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup lemon curd
1-1/4 cups flour
Powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8” square pan with foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium until light. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the salt, baking powder, and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Add the lemon curd, one tablespoon at a time, until combined. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour and mix just until combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top as best you can. The mixture will be sticky.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden. Cool in the pan and then refrigerate until the bars are thoroughly chilled.

Once the bars are chilled, remove them from the pan and cut into bars. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Recipe from Baked by Rachel