These Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Bars are filled with the bright, citrusy flavor of fresh lemon juice and zest and are topped with a simple confectioner’s sugar glaze! This easy recipe gives you soft, chewy cookie bars that are simply irresistible!
Citrus fruits are some of the first things that come to mind when I’m thinking about something to bake. And while I love grapefruits and limes, I can’t help but fall back on lemons.
The bright lemon flavor, especially in the lemon poppy seed combo, makes a frequent appearance in our kitchen!
These Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Bars are a twist to our White Chocolate Lemon Blondies. A little thicker with a bit more lemon and a sweet lemon glaze, these bars are just as craveable as the blondies they are inspired by!
The best part of about these bars is the lemon flavor. Fresh lemon juice and zest give the blondies that bright, tart flavor that I love from citrus fruit.
To give these bars as much lemon flavor as possible, fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest are used in both the bars and the easy glaze.
Baked just until the edges start to turn a light golden brown, these bars have a soft, chewy texture that we love in cookies. Though if you like a more cake-like texture, just bake them a couple more minutes.
A simple confectioner’s sugar glaze tops off these cookie bars to balance out the tartness of the lemon and make them completely irresistible!
Tips for Making Lemon Poppy Seed Bars
- If you want chewy bars, cook for the shortest amount of time. The bars will set as they cool. If you want more of a “cake-like” bar, cook for the complete length of time.
- These bars taste great without the glaze, if you want to skip that step.
- Lining the pan with parchment paper allows you to easily lift the bars out to cut and serve.
- For even thickness of bars throughout, make sure to smooth the batter once you have it in the pan. I like to use an offset spatula for this.
- We found that we liked the flavor even more the following day as everything blended together. So, if you’re looking for a make-ahead option, these bars are perfect!
Love Lemon? Give these Lemon Recipes a try!
Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Bars
These Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Bars are filled with the bright, citrusy flavor of fresh lemon juice and zest and are topped with a simple confectioner’s sugar glaze! This easy recipe gives you soft, chewy cookie bars that are simply irresistible!
Ingredients
For the Bars
- 1/2 Cup butter, softened
- 1/2 Cup brown sugar
- 1/2 Cup sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Glaze
- 1 Cup confectioner's sugar
- 2-4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2-4 teaspoons milk
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- additional fresh lemon zest for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray with non-stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper a 9x9 inch baking dish. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Add in eggs and beat until creamy. Beat in fresh lemon juice and vanilla extract until combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, fresh lemon zest, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and beat until combined.
- Spread batter into prepared baking dish. Smooth batter so that the batter is an even thickness across the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges just start to turn light golden brown. Do not overbake if you want a chewy bar. If you want more of a cakey bar, bake for the entire time.
- Remove to a wire rack to cool. While bars are cooling, whisk together confectioner's sugar, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons milk, and fresh lemon zest until smooth. Add additional fresh lemon juice and milk as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Once the bars have cooled for at least 10 minutes, spread glaze over the top. Sprinkle with additional lemon zest, if desired.
- Allow glaze to harden and cut into bars to serve.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 180Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 106mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and may not always be accurate. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
