Leprechaun Lime Bars

Leprechaun Lime Bars for your St. Patrick’s Day.

The shortbread crust on these bars had me swooning!

You could make these year around…but how much fun would it be to make them for St. Paddy’s Day?!

Enjoy!

Shopping List
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour, plus an additional 1/4 cup
1½ cups sugar
4 eggs
the zest and juice of two small limes (about 3 tablespoons total of each)
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Grease (I used Pam) a 9×12 baking dish.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream your butter just until smooth with an electric mixer.  Next, beat in your powdered sugar until creamy.  After that, beat in your vanilla extract followed by 2 cups of your flour.  Do not over-mix.  The batter will be coarse.  Pour this mixture down in your prepared baking dish and press it down as the “crust”.  Once the crust is down, pop this in your oven and bake 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your filling.  In a second bowl, whisk together your sugar with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour.  Using an electric mixer, beat in your eggs followed by your lime zest and juice.

When your crust is finished baking, quickly remove it from the oven and pour this lime mixture down on top.  Pop the bars back in the oven and bake an additional 20 minutes or until the center is pretty set and the edges lightly browned.

Remove from oven and allow to sit on your counter one hour before popping in the fridge to sit another three hours.

After three hours, you’re ready to serve.  Remove from fridge and cut into squares.  Garnish with a dusting of powedered sugar and a bit more lime zest.

Is it St. Paddy’s Day yet?! xo