Pistachio Lemon Shortbread Bars
Sweet and tart with a slightly nutty finish, these Pistachio Lemon Shortbread Bars are the perfect combination of all your favorite sweets. The buttery shortbread crust gets an upgrade from punchy green pistachios while the tangy lemon curd and powdered sugar topping create a perfect balance. These are perfect cold or at room temperature and are easy to take along to picnics, barbecues, and bake sales.
Servings 16
Calories 173kcal
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/4 cup salted pistachios shelled
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter cold, cut into pieces
Filling
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/3 cup salted pistachios chopped
- confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper. S
- Place pistachios in a food processor and process until finely ground, but not so much that it turns into butter. Add flour, white sugar, and salt and process to combine. Add cold butter and process. Firmly press into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, you can use a measuring cup to evenly flatten the dough.
- Bake until lightly browned, 15-20 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the filling ingredients. When the crust has baked remove from the oven and pour the filling into the pan. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
- Let cool completely. Place a wire rack over the bars and lightly dust confectioners' sugar on top. It'll leave a fun grid design that'll stick to the filling.
Notes
- Like any baking project, try not to overwork the dough!
- It's okay for there to be chunks of butter in your shortbread dough! It'll melt and leave delicious buttery bursts in each bite.
- Grate extra lemon zest and sprinkle on top with the powdered sugar for a little extra decoration.
