Old Fashioned Lemon Bars

I know, Old Fashioned Lemon Bars…who doesn’t love them?  This is one of those beautiful baked items that truly are an old fashioned treat.  Many of us can remember our grandmothers making these at one time or another.  I will have to admit, I usually do not bake these until the holidays.  But, let’s be serious, who would not love these melt-in-your-mouth morsels any time of the year?  They are so easy to make, do not require a lot of ingredients, and they are just a classic dessert, cookie, or bar, what ever way you look at it.

The reason I seem to only make these at the holidays is because after all of my chocolate, nutty, peppermint, gooey cookies, I need something to bring a fresh element to my cookie tray.  It always seems that I turn to these luscious Old Fashioned Lemon Bars.

What is it about these little goodies that make them so many people’s favorite?  It has to be the buttery crust, right?  Or is it the cool and creamy lemony middle layer?  Or maybe that final dusting of powdered sugar that you can adjust to the proper amount of “snowiness”?  I think it is that the flavors just seem to balance out to the perfect bar cookie.

Not only are these cookies a family favorite at the holidays, but they  are also perfect for a summer dessert, after school snack or the perfect sweet with a cup of tea.  For a flavor twist, try substituting orange juice or lime juice for the lemon juice in the recipe.  Then add food coloring to make the bars a little more green or orange depending on the flavor you choose.  So, for my third day of cookie recipes, I am giving you this simple gift of Old Fashioned Lemon Bars to enjoy this Holiday Season or any time of year.  Merry Christmas Baking!