These Grapefruit Bars are tangy, tart, and sweet. They are made with a butter shortbread crust and a touch of lemon zest.
Okay, so there are a lot of things that have taken over my life and it has been hard to bake as much as I normally do. However, that stint is coming to an end and I am should be able to get back into the kitchen and do what I love, which is to experiment and make delicious food so you can share with your family. I wanted to get that out of the way in case you have noticed the gaps in my recipes as of late. Okay now that is out of the way, let’s chat about these Easy Grapefruit Bars.
Spring is definitely not taking its time to appear here in Ohio. I absolutely love Spring. Next to Fall, it is my favorite season. All of the flowers and trees are budding, the heat isn’t too uncomfortable, and the flavors of citrus and barbeque is obvious. I love cooking at the change of seasons because it is an awesome transitional period for me to explore new flavors and try new things. These Easy Grapefruit Bars hit all marks for me.
- They’re springy (yes that is a word…maybe).
- They’re sweet and tart.
- They look the part for a perfect spring treat!
I think just about anything with a pronounced citrus flavor is perfect for the Spring. Just like my Citrus and Basil Scones. Don’t let the name scare you. When basil is paired with the right flavors, even in sweeter dishes, you’ll be surprised as to how well it can elevate a dish. Also, my Spring Shrimp Pasta dish that is filled with delicious shrimp, sweet peas, and an easy sauce tossed in Pappardelle. Yum! Yum! Now I have these Easy Grapefruit Bars to add to my Spring menu roundup!
How I made these Easy Grapefruit Bars
I made these Grapefruit Bars pretty much the same way I made my Tart Lemon Bars. The only difference is I added a touch more liquid than I did in my lemon bar recipe. Here is what is surprising, although the bars baked perfectly, the grapefruit flavor wasn’t what I expected and they weren’t pink! Don’t get me wrong the flavor was there, but it was a bit tucked away. The bars had more of a fruity taste with the grapefruit flavor as its backdrop. It was very interesting at first. But they were still good and bursting full of citrus flavor. They are perfect for Spring.
Also, I know they aren’t as pink as you may have expected (I expected) but if you really want that Ruby Grapefruit color you can add a touch of red gel food coloring to help with that!
Easy Grapefruit Bars Recipe
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 1 c all purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/3 c powdered sugar
- 1 stick cold, unsalted butter, grated
- 4 eggs
- 2 c sugar
- 6 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 6 tbsp. Grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp. Grapefruit zest
- 1 tbsp. Lemon juice
- 1 drop pink gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Line a 9X13 baking dish with aluminum foil. Spray with baking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the salt, flour, and powdered sugar. Whisk together with a fork. Add in the cold butter and use your fork or a pastry cutter to blend in the butter into the dry ingredients until large clumps of dough form. Then use your hand to form into a ball.
- Pat the dough into the bottom of the baking dish and bake for 7 minutes. Allow the crust to cool.
- In a separate mixing bowl, using a mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, grapefruit juice, zest and lemon juice together. Add the food coloring if desired. Pour over the baked crust and place bake into the oven for 30-35 minutes. The edges should be somewhat golden and crisp looking. If a toothpick is inserted, it should come out clean.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
Leave a Reply