Get the Recipe: Lemon Pistachio Squares
Lemon and pistachio are an unbeatable combination! These lemon pistachio squares (bars) have a crispy, buttery pistachio shortbread base and a light lemon pistachio topping. They cut beautifully, keep well and are freezer-friendly, too!
Ingredients
Pistachio shorbread base:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1/4 cup icing/confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 cup shelled roasted lightly salted pistachios, recommended, or shelled unsalted raw pistachios *see Note 1 below
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, OMIT IF USING SALTED BUTTER
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into 8 pieces
Topping:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup shelled unsalted or lightly salted pistachios, roughly chopped
For garnish after baking:
- Icing/confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉ (non-convection/not fan-assisted) with the rack in the centre of the oven. Reduce to 300F if using a glass pan.
- Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan (preferably metal) with cooking or baking spray, then line the bottom and two sides with parchment paper, allowing the parchment to extend beyond the sides of the pan by an inch or two to use as handles to remove the squares after baking.
- To make the pistachio shortbread base, place the flour, icing sugar, pistachios and salt (if using) in a food processor and process until the pistachios are quite fine. Add the cold butter cubes and process until the butter is in fine pieces and the mixture is quite sandy.
- Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan using the flat bottom of a glass or measuring cup. Place into the oven and bake until lightly golden, about 23-25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk all the topping ingredients except the pistachios until smooth. When the crust is baked, scatter the chopped pistachios over the crust, then pour the filling into the pan. Use a fork to evenly distribute the pistachios, if needed.
- Place into the oven and bake until set, about 17-20 minutes. The squares are set when the top is lightly golden and feel set when the top is gently touched. The topping shouldn't jiggle at all when the pan is gently moved. Remove from the oven and let the squares cool completely in the pan. You can pop the pan into the refrigerator after they have cooled on the counter for a bit to speed up the process. (A chilled pan will be easier to cut and will produce the cleanest slices.)
- When cooled, run a knife along the two unlined sides of the pan, then lift the squares out of the pan and onto a large cutting board. Sprinkle with icing/confectioners' sugar, then cut into sixteen roughly 2-inch squares.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for 3-4 days, though they are best enjoyed in the first 48 hours when the shortbread will be the crispiest. The squares can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
If you don't have a food processor, very finely chop the pistachios for the shortbread base by hand first, then whisk them into the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or two knives until the butter is reduced to fine pieces.
Baking time will vary a bit from oven to oven and depending on the baking pan you use. Always check a bit early, to be sure.
For the neatest squares, use a large, sharp knife to cut off about 1/8-1/4 inch around the outside edges and discard the trimmings before dusting with the icing sugar and cutting into squares. This will produce perfect cut edges on all the pieces and remove the harder edge texture.
Notes
Note 1: I love these squares with roasted, lightly salted pistachios for the sweet/salty combination, especially together with the tangy lemon. That said, raw, unsalted pistachios will also work fine, though the squares will be a little sweeter in overall taste.
Tips!
The top lemon layer on these squares is thinner and will partially set on top after baking, leaving a bit of moist lemon underneath. They will not produce a thick lemon layer like a lemon square, for example.
If you love a very crisp shortbread crust, enjoy these within the first 48 hours or freeze to preserve that texture.
Need more squares? Double the recipe and bake in a 9x13-inch pan. Use the "2X" button at the top of this Recipe Card to automatically double the ingredients. The large pan may require a few extra minutes of baking time.
Be sure to read the notes above this recipe card for more tips, ingredient notes and substitution suggestions and step-by-step photos that you might find helpful.
You can also try my other lemon baking recipes for more ways to use up extra lemons!
Serving: 1square, Calories: 174kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 39mg, Sodium: 47mg, Potassium: 82mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 223IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 1mg
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