Take your favorite lemon meringue pie and cross it with your favorite lemon bars and you get Lemon Meringue Bars. Easy to make and easy to serve, these Lemon Meringue Squares are the best of both worlds! A buttery crust with a tangy lemony filling topped by billowy toasted meringue. Here is how you can make your own:
You can find the entire recipe here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9″x13″ pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Set pan aside.
Make the crust by mixing the butter, flour, powdered sugar, lemon zest and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer until it forms a dough. Press the dough into the prepared pan and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Once chilled, bake for around 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the filling by whisking the eggs, 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest. I added a teaspoon of lemon extract for more lemon flavor.
Pour mixture over crust and bake until filling is set, around 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool, but keep oven on while you make the meringue.
Make the meringue by whisking the egg whites and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in bowl of electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Using a spoon or spatula, spread the meringue over the filling and make nice swirls and peaks.
Bake until the meringue begins to brown, around 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. I refrigerated my bars before cutting. Store leftovers in the fridge.
