These triple citrus shortbread bars are flavored with lemon, lime, and orange. It’s a bright and fresh sweet treat sure to banish any winter blues!
Citrus Shortbread Cookie Bars
Classic shortbread cookies are made with three simple ingredients: butter, sugar, and flour. It’s a crumbly treat that pairs wonderfully with tea or coffee.
These citrus shortbread bars puts a fresh and vibrant spin on traditional shortbread
The fresh juice and finely grated zest of lemon, lime, and orange bring these shortbread cookie bars to life!
Notes Regarding Zesting Citrus Fruits
Many fruits are coated in wax before being shipped to supermarkets and stores. Citrus, especially lemons, limes, grapefruit, and oranges, tends to have this coating.
Scrub and rinse the skin of the fruit well before use.
Use a fine grater to zest the fruit. Pay attention not to zest the pith. The pith is the spongey white lining right underneath the zest. That part is rather bitter and unpleasant tasting.
The recipe shared here is adapted from these lemon glazed shortbread bars from Better Homes and Gardens. Rather than focus on lemon, this version combines three citrus fruits.
The combination of these citrus adds a much bolder, fresher flavor.
Citrus Shortbread Dough
The shortbread dough is very simple to make. It’s just like making cookie dough.
Make sure to line the baking sheet with a parchment or foil overhang. This extra step makes unmolding bars and brownies a whole lot easier and cleaner.
Use the flat bottom of a drinking glass to pat down the dough into an even layer. However, fingers and hands work just as well.
Citrus Glaze
Pour silky citrus glaze immediately after removing the shortbread from the oven.
Sprinkle additional citrus zest on top of the glaze for even more flavor.
Storage & Leftovers:
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Overtime, the shortbread cookie will
Triple Citrus Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
Citrus Shortbread:
- 3 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cup confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup combination of finely grated lemon, lime, and orange zest
- 1 ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
Citrus Glaze:
- 2 ½ cup confections' sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300° F. Line a 13×9 inch baking pan with foil or parchment. Allow the foil to hang over the edges. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch and salt.
- In another bowl, mash the citrus zest into the powdered sugar. Continue to beat until sugar smells fragrant.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and lemon juice. Beat until smooth. Add citrus sugar mixture. Mix until combined. Then add the flour in two additions and mix until dough forms.
- Transfer dough to prepared baking pan. Use the flat bottom of a drinking glass (or your fingers) to press the dough into an even layer.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the edges of the shortbread slightly begin to color. Immediately after removing from oven, pour citrus glaze over the top of the shortbread. Use an offset or the back of a spoon to spread glaze evenly. Sprinkle additional citrus zest over glaze. Let shortbread cool to room temperature and allow the glaze to set.
- Lift the glazed shortbread out of the pan using the foil overhang. Cut in squares, triangles, or desired shape.
- For glaze, in a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, citrus zest, citrus juices, corn syrup and salt. Whisk until smooth.
I am loving citrus at the moment so this is perfect for me. Pinned
Thanks Rochelle! I’ve been in such a citrus mood. Watch out for my special lemonade tomorrow! :)
Citrus makes me happy too…actually I am sipping some lemon and thyme infused water now.
These citrus bars look heavenly!
Thanks Angie! Lemon and thyme… what are the odds? Look out for tomorrow’s post because I made spring thyme lemonade! :)
I made the Triple Citrus Shortbread Bars – twice in the last four weeks. These are so refreshing1. Thank you Rebecka@theedgewoodroad for introducing me to these delightfully and refreshing bars.