Blood Orange Lemon Squares

Okay, we have a pink thing happening right now, and I’m unashamed. These Blood Orange Lemon Squares may look all things girly and sweet, but Daniel has been eating them non-stop. This dessert is safe for men.

I’ve always loved lemon bars in the heart of the summer. My Aunt René has one of the BEST lemon bar recipes under the sun! But, when it’s winter and you don’t want something super tart, these Blood Orange Lemon Squares are kind of perfect. Plus, the color is so beautiful! I think these bars are probably one of the cutest things I’ve ever made.

This recipe is really, honestly, very simple. You don’t have to temper the eggs or cook them over the stove or anything like that. You just mix the eggs together with all the ingredients, and pour into the crust and bake. The hardest part of this recipe is not getting the juice of the blood oranges all over yourself in the juicing process. I’d also say that one of the hardest parts is not eating them before they are set!

I love adding a little color to my powdered sugar when it’s a pretty dessert like this! I mixed a little bit of Beet Powder to get a nice magenta effect. I’ve also used Dried Hibiscus Powder and it’s SO GOOD! The color is a little more pink, and it has a definite flavor to it. The beet powder, when diluted with the confectioner’s sugar, doesn’t have a strong taste at all. So, it’s up to you! Especially, since it’s unnecessary. So, if you don’t want to get any of the two powders, just use regular powdered sugar and it’s will be just as beautiful!

Daniel and I haven’t made any plans for Valentine’s Day yet. We like to keep it simple and cheap! One year, we did a version of Chopped. We split up in the grocery store and bought each other’s “basket ingredients.” It was SO MUCH FUN. However, the food wasn’t as great as it could have been. That’s what happens when Daniel picks Pringles and salmon for my basket. It could have gone better.

This year, we are probably going to keep it even more low key. I’ll make dinner, and we will eat it on the dinning room table for a change. That’s a big deal for us. I’m almost embarrassed about how much we eat our meals on the couch. Is that just real life, or are we lazy? Seeking confirmation here.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy your weekends! Enjoy it even if you’re not doing anything fun for Valentine’s Day weekend. Sleep in, go shopping, and enjoy some time for yourself! Talk to you all next week!

Blood Orange Lemon Squares

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WOW! These Blood Orange Lemon Squares are as yummy as they are beautiful! A perfect winter version of our favorite lemon bar recipe.

• Author: Karlee Flores
• Prep Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 53 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 38 minutes
• Yield: 12-15 servings

Ingredients

|| Crust ||

1 cup butter

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

|| Filling ||

6 large eggs, room temperature 

3/4 cup blood orange juice, freshly squeezed

1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 tablespoon lemon zest

3 cups sugar

1 cup flour

Powdered sugar for dusting

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

|| Crust || In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, combine sugar, vanilla, and room temperature butter until it starts to turn pale. Add the flour one cup at a time, and continue to mix on low until it starts to combine. Turn off the mixer and using a silicone spatula, fold the dough together until it forms a ball. Place dough on a 9″ x 13″ cookie sheet (at least 1 and 1/2 inches deep) or casserole dish, and press the dough out until it covers the entire sheet. Bake for 18 minutes. Take our the crust but leave the oven on.

|| Filling || Whisk together eggs, sugar, blood orange juice, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth. Add the flour and continue to whisk for two minutes. Pour mixture into the crust and bake for another 30-35 minutes.

When the time is up and the bars look set and firm, remove from the oven and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then, refrigerate one to two hours.

Dust with powdered sugar. Add in beet powder or hibiscus powder to the powdered sugar to add color if desired. Cut into squares.

Keywords: blood orange, lemon, lemon squares, valentines day