Lemon Lime Cookie Bars

These cookie bars are inspired by a famous soft drink that is refreshing lemon and lime drink then topped with a yummy vanilla bean buttercream.

Spring is definitely in full swing right now where I live, the pollen is out, flowers are blooming and this coming week the highs are in the 80's.

These lemon-lime cookie bars can refresh you with every bite using fresh lemon zest and juice and lime zest and lime juice. 

Since Spring is here, citrus comes to mind and lemonade stand. Coming up on May 5th it is Lemonade Day to help empower the youth for the future also to learn to manage a budget and customer service.

Recipes you may like:
Strawberry Lemon Sugar Cookies
Lofthouse-Style Meyer Lemon Sugar Cookies
Meyer Lemon Cranberry Scones
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Lemon Lime Cookie Bars

Time
Prep: 20 minutes
Chilling: 1 hours
Baking: 15 to 20 minutes

Ingredients 

Lemon Lime Cookie Bars
2 1/2 cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest, 2 to 3 medium lemons
2 Tablespoons Lime Zest, 4 to 5 limes
1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Fresh Lime Juice 
2 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
3/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar or Colored Sugar, for coating

Vanilla Buttercream
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, soften
1/2 cup Vegetable Shortening
2 1/2 cups Confectioners' Sugar
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste
3 Tablespoons Milk or Cream
Pinch of Fine Sea Salt


1. Zest lemons and lime into 1 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Let the sugar and zest sit for about 15 to 20 minutes to fragrant the sugar. 
2. In a medium size bowl, whisk together flour, fine sea salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrap the sides. Add vanilla extract, lemon juice and lime juice. Mix for 1 to 2 minutes, scrap the sides. Add a 1/2 the flour mixture to the butter sugar mixture then add the egg then the last half of the flour mixture.
3.Trim a sheet of parchment paper to fit at the bottom of a small cookie sheet, about 8 by 12. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 to 2 hours. 
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle on 1/4 cup of granulated sugar then bake cookie bars for 15 to 20 minutes or until very lightly golden brown. 
5. Let the bars cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wired rack to cool completely.
6. While the bars are cooling whip up the buttercream, cream butter and shortening on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add salt and vanilla extract or paste.  Lower the speed of your mixture and slow add in confectioners' sugar a cup at a time. Scrap the sides of the bowl and cover bowl.
7. Smooth buttercream over cooled bars and store in plastic container in a cool place. __________________________________________________________________________________________