Description
Bright, zesty, and filled with a gentle crunch, these Baked Lemon Poppy Seed Bars are a cheerful dessert for any occasion. With fresh lemon juice and zest paired with crunchy poppy seeds, every bite delivers the perfect balance of tart and sweet.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (use almond flour for gluten-free)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl until fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Stir in the lemon juice and zest.
- In another bowl, combine flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the bars cool fully in the pan before slicing into squares.
Notes
Ensure bars cool completely before slicing to avoid crumbling. To lighten the recipe, you can substitute half the butter with applesauce and replace sugar with honey or coconut sugar.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: lemon, poppy seed, dessert, bars, baked, citrus