Here’s another recipe from Joanne Fluke’s new foodie mystery novel, Double Fudge Brownie Murder. As soon as I read her recipe for Orange Dreamsicle Bar Cookies I knew I had to try them! I love citrus desserts and lemon bars are a favorite of mine but I had never had Orange Bars before. After baking (and eating) these gooey dessert bars, I have to admit (shhh!)- I even like them better than regular ol’ lemon bars!
Be sure to check out my other Joanne Fluke recipes and enter the giveaway to win a copy of Double Fudge Brownie Murder here.
Orange Dreamsicle Dessert Bars
Ingredients
Orange Cookie Crust:
- 2 cups all purpose flour packed
- 1 cup cold salted butter 2 sticks
- 1/4 tsp orange zest about 1/2 an orange
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Orange Filling:
- 4 eggs beaten
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup orange juice or 1/2 cup if not using liqueur
- 1/4 tsp orange zest about 1/2 an orange
- 1/4 cup orange liqueur like Triple Sec, optional
- 1/2 tsp orange extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour packed
- powdered sugar to sprinkle the top
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add 2 cups of flour to a food processor.
- Cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces and add them to the flour.
- Next add 1/4 tsp orange zest.
- Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the orange zest.
- Pulse in the food processor until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal.
- Prepare a 9X13 baking dish by coating with cooking spray or line it with aluminum foil and then spray.
- Spread the crust mixture out in the prepared pan, patting down and smoothing it on top.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 15-20 minutes or until it is golden around the edges.
To make the Orange Filling:
- Combine the eggs with the sugar in a large bowl (or food processor).
- Add orange juice, orange zest, orange liqueur, orange extract, salt, and baking powder. Mix thoroughly.
- Add the flour and mix until everything is incorporated.
- Remove the hot crust from the oven (leave the oven on) and pour the orange filling on top of the crust.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes (on a cold burner). This helps the filling stick to the crust.
- After 5 minutes add the pan to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Cut into squares and serve to your delighted guests!
Notes
Recipe from Double Fudge Brownie Murder by Joanne Fluke.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare a 9X13 baking dish by coating
with cooking spray or line it with aluminum foil and then spray.
For the crust: cut 2 cold sticks of butter into 8 pieces each.
Zest an orange. You should get about 1/2 tsp.
You need 1/4 tsp for the crust and 1/4 for the filling.
Add 2 cups flour, butter, powdered sugar, and zest to a food processor.
Pulse in the food processor until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal.
Spread the crust mixture out in the prepared pan, patting down and smoothing it on top.
Ava loved helping with this part!
Bake in the center of the oven for 15-20 minutes or until it is golden around the edges.
Now for the filling: combine the eggs with the sugar in a large bowl (or food processor).
Add orange juice, orange zest, orange liqueur, orange extract, salt,
and baking powder. Mix thoroughly.
Add the flour and mix until everything is incorporated.
Remove the hot crust from the oven (leave the oven on).
Pour the orange filling on top of the hot crust.
Let it sit for 5 minutes (on a cold burner).
This helps the filling stick to the crust.
Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool then use a sifter filled with powdered sugar.
Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar.
Once completely cooled remove from the pan.
Cut into squares.
Now they are ready to serve and gobble up!
How amazing do these Orange Bars look?!
Believe it or not they taste even better than they look!
Your recipe contains an error the 1/2 cup powdered sugar for the crust is not listed in the directions section or in the photos as being added to the crust as it should be.
Thanks so much for pointing that out! I edited the post to add the powdered sugar directions.