Lemon Bar Cookie Cups Recipe | Cookies | Practically Homemade (2024)

FAQs

Can I use foil instead of parchment paper for lemon bars? ›

Line your 9x13 pan with foil or parchment paper. I've used both. Foil tends to stick to the bottom of the lemon bars a bit, so if I had to choose one, I'd say use parchment paper.

To avoid them being too gooey make sure you allow them to set completely when you take them out of the oven. You know when lemon bars are done when you move the pan a bit and they don't jiggle. You should cut the lemon bars when they are completely cool.

Lemon bars should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated in order to prevent bacterial growth or foodborne illness. The filling in lemon bars is made with eggs and can become a breeding ground for bacteria if it's kept in the danger zone (between 41 and 153 degrees F).

To easily remove your bars from the pan, line your baking dish with parchment paper. A little extra paper up the sides of the pan prevents sticking and makes it easier to remove your bars once cooled. For super clean cuts, make sure your bars are completely cool before cutting.

This will keep them from spreading and becoming sticky. Can you rebake undercooked lemon bars? Results may vary, but it's worth a shot! Throw them back in the oven at the original temperature and rotate every 5 minutes until it appears done.

Why do my lemon bars look like scrambled eggs? If your lemon bars look like scrambled eggs, it's because you've overcooked them. The key to perfect lemon bars is to cook them until the filling is set, but not too long. You want the filling to be firm but still have a little bit of jiggle to it when you shake the pan.

Never take hot custard and place it in a fridge immediately after cooking. Should lemon bars brown on top? Remove your lemon bars from the oven before they turn brown on top. Browning means they're over-cooked, and the custard mixture can curdle.

Some batches of lemon bars can have a white foamy looking top layer after they're baked. This is a result of air bubbles releasing to the surface of the filling.

Yes, lemon bars freeze beautifully—they are even good frozen! To freeze the bars, let them cool completely and freeze the batch whole, covered tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, for up to three months.

How do you cut lemon bars without sticking to the knife? ›

Prepare your chef's knife for cutting by coating with cooking spray and then wiping it clean with a paper towel. This step will help prevent the knife from sticking to the bars as you cut.

Runny lemon bars - This is a common issue for people who are making lemon bars for the first time. Usually, it just means that you need to bake your bars longer. If your bars seem to brown at the edges, you can cover them with aluminum foil and turn down the heat.

Set a timer for 5 minutes after pulling the crust from the oven to ensure it doesn't cool too much—if the shortbread is allowed to reach room temperature, the uncooked lemon curd will slip off the top and pool in the bottom of the dish, turning your lemon bars upside down (sounds bananas until it happens to you!).

The juice from cut lemons can dissolve the foil and give off a bitter iron taste because they have an acidy PH value. The same holds true for other sour foods such as pickles, half tomatoes and pickled beets. Sour “open” foods are best stored in glass, porcelain or plastic bowls covered with plastic wrap.

OK, so foil and wax paper have a lot of similar uses, but which one is better? A good rule of thumb is if you don't want it to stick, use wax paper and if you want to insulate, use foil. Aluminum foil can also be reused or recycled, unlike wax paper.

To store lemons for a long duration, take one of them and wrap carefully. Wrapping in aluminum foil will help prevent moisture from escaping.

What if you've already cut the lemon in half or into slices or wedges? Obviously, it's even more important to keep cut lemons in the fridge. To maximize their freshness, wrap the cut lemon in plastic wrap or beeswax and then wrap them again in aluminum foil.