Recipe: Gooey Lemon Bars

One of my summertime cravings is lemon, however I'm trying to watch my weight, so when I found this low calorie recipe for lemon bars I had to try! It's less than 250 calories per square! Yum, check it out! They're gooey deliciousness!

Crust:

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons light butter
  • 3 tablespoons ice water

Lemon Filling:

  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8X8 square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then cut in the butter with a fork until a coarse meal forms. Sprinkle with ice water and mix until a dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  3. When the dough has chilled, press into an even layer in the baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes until the crust is firm to the touch.
  4. To make the filling, in a large mixing bowl, combine egg whites, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Then using a handheld mixer, beat on medium speed until combined, then add sugar and flour and continue to beat until smooth and thick.
  5. Pour the lemon filling evenly over the hot crust and smooth with a rubber spatula, if necessary.
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until firm and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan.
  7. Let cool for an hour, then dust with powdered sugar, cut into squares, and enjoy!