Orange Shortbread Bars + Video
Ladies and gentlemen. I present to you orange shortbread bars.
If you’re thinking “wthhhhhh is that,” orange shortbread bars are like lemon shortbread bars, or lemon bars, as they more commonly go by. But made with oranges instead of lemons.
Why orange shortbread bars? Because it’s citrus season. And even though yes, lemons are citrus fruits, I already have SO MANY lemon recipes on the blog. And I also really cannot comprehend why I don’t have more orange recipes on the blog. I love orange flavored desserts, man. What’s my problem? Why haven’t I posted more of them???
And also. Is it just me or do orange bars sound way more intriguing than lemon bars?
So. What we’ve got ourselves here today are bars that consist of a buttery, crispy yet tender shortbread crust and a citrusy, tangy, sweet orange filling.
What we’ve also got ourselves here is a video tutorial on how to make these orange shortbread bars. Right below:
Or, watch it on YouTube.
I love pie crusts. Tart crusts. Shortbread cookies. Sugar cookies. All slice and bake cookies, really. And shortbread crusts.
Why have I randomly listed these things? Because they’re all kinda in the same family and have that same irresistible, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth flavor and texture.
And the shortbread crust we’ve got going on here is no exception.
The 5-ingredient shortbread crust for these orange bars is quick and basic yet oh so tasty and ideal. It’s flaky. It’s tender. It’s crispy. It’s just a tad sweet and vanilla-y. It’s buttery. It’s crumbly. It’s melt-in-your-mouth. It’s damn delicious.
And the orange filling. It’s kind of an orange curd. A painless one that gets quickly whisked together in a bowl and poured over the par-baked shortbread crust.
An orange filling that once baked till just set boasts a smooth, silky, creamy, rich, custardy texture.
An orange filling with bold orange flavor from freshly zested and juiced oranges.
An orange filling with tanginess and tartness that gets balanced out with the perfect amount of sweetness.
An orange filling that is thickened with a wee bit of flour. And is rich and thick and creamy thanks to 4 large eggs.
The most annoying part of this orange bar recipe is probably the amount of time it takes for the bars to set once baked. Cuz you’re gonna have to allow em to set and cool in the fridge for a couple hours before you can slice them up. I’m oh so sorry about this inconvenience.
If you so desire, liberally dust the orange bars with confectioners sugar before serving. Because it’s not like they’re overly sweet that they couldn’t handle the extra sweetness. Besides, the powdered sugar will make the bars that much more attractive.
Buttery, tender, fresh, tangy, sweet, creamy, rich, silky, melt-in-your-mouth, unique, delicious. Fairly easy to whip up.
Orange shortbread bars, making my winter more bearable, you are.
Orange Shortbread Bars
Yield: 9x13” pan/about 24 bars
Shortbread Crust:
2 sticks (8 oz.) butter, softened
Generous 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Orange Filling:
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup flour
4 large eggs
Zest of 2 medium oranges
Juice of 3 medium oranges (about 2/3 cup juice)
Pinch of salt
-Confectioners sugar, for dusting
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9x13” pan with parchment paper, leaving some excess hanging over the edge for easy removal later.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract, flour, and salt and mix until dough forms.
3. Press dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake crust for 15 minutes, until edges are golden.
4. While crust is baking, prepare filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour until no clumps remain. Add in the eggs, orange zest and juice, and salt and whisk vigorously until completely smooth.
5. Whisk filling again before pouring over hot crust. Bake for about 20 minutes, until filling is just set and no longer jiggly.
6. Let cool at room temperature before transferring to fridge for a couple hours to cool completely before slicing bars. If desired, dust with confectioners sugar before serving.
