Grapefruit Bars with Buttery Crust (Printable)

Buttery shortbread crust meets tangy grapefruit custard in these vibrant bars. Sweet-tart balance perfect for warm weather treats.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shortbread Crust

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - ½ cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Grapefruit Filling

05 - 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
06 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour
07 - 4 large eggs
08 - ¾ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
09 - 1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
10 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

→ Finishing

11 - Powdered sugar for dusting

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - Cream together softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt, mixing until just combined.
03 - Press dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 18–20 minutes until lightly golden at the edges.
04 - Whisk together sugar and flour in a separate bowl. Add eggs, grapefruit juice, grapefruit zest, and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth and fully combined.
05 - Pour filling over the hot crust immediately after it comes out of the oven.
06 - Return pan to the oven and bake for 18–22 minutes until the center is just set with minimal jiggle.
07 - Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan. Lift out using parchment overhang and cut into bars.
08 - Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crust melts in your mouth while the filling provides this incredible wake up call of bright citrus
  • They strike that perfect balance where you cant decide if theyrerefreshing or comforting, so you just have another
02 -
  • Pouring the filling onto a hot crust is the secret step that prevents that soggy bottom layer
  • The center should still have a tiny bit of wobble when you take it out, it firms up as it cools
03 -
  • Use a microplane for the zest to avoid getting any bitter white pith in your filling
  • If your grapefruits seem particularly tart, add an extra tablespoon of sugar to the filling

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