By Jesse Szewczyk
Updated Oct. 11, 2023
- Total Time
- About 8 hours 10 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 20 minutes
- Rating
- 4(274)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Think of these pink grapefruit bars as the ritzier, more alluring version of classic lemon bars. By swapping out the lemon for grapefruit juice, the bars take on a floral quality and bittersweet complexity. For the boldest flavor, avoid using store-bought grapefruit juice, which often contains added sugar to tame its tartness, and opt for juicing your own. To further enliven the bars, zest the grapefruits and massage the zest into the sugar for the filling. The oils in the zest will perfume the sugar and embolden the grapefruit flavor. For an eye-catching presentation, shower the bars in a blend of freeze-dried strawberries and confectioners’ sugar before serving. The dusting provides a subtle sweetness and a vibrant rosy hue that alludes to the flavor within.
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Ingredients
Yield:24 bars
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2cups/255 grams all-purpose flour
- ½cup/101 grams granulated sugar
- 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1cup/227 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½cups/503 grams granulated sugar
- 3tablespoons finely grated pink grapefruit zest (from about 3 large grapefruits)
- ½cup/64 grams all-purpose flour
- 8large eggs
- 1¼cups/296 milliliters freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice (from 2 to 3 medium grapefruits)
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1cup/about 24 grams freeze-dried strawberries
- ½cup/62 grams confectioners’ sugar
For the Crust
For the Grapefruit Layer
For the Pink Dusting (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (24 servings)
264 calories; 10 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 28 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 144 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Prepare the crust: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the long sides by about 2 inches to create a sling.
Step
2
In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and vanilla extract and stir until a moist, crumbly dough forms. Transfer the dough into the prepared baking pan and press into an even layer using your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup. Prick the top of the dough all over with a fork and bake until the crust is deep golden brown in the center and slightly puffed, 40 to 45 minutes. Immediately use the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat metal spatula to press down the hot crust to compact it slightly. (This will help prevent the crust from crumbling when you cut it.)
Step
3
While the crust is baking, prepare the grapefruit layer: Combine the granulated sugar and grapefruit zest in a large bowl and massage the zest into the sugar until very fragrant. Add the flour and whisk to incorporate it. Add the eggs, grapefruit juice, vanilla extract and salt; whisk until no streaks of unincorporated egg remain.
Step
4
As soon as the crust comes out of the oven, pour the grapefruit mixture through a fine-mesh strainer directly on top of the hot crust, using a spatula to press it through. Discard the zest that’s left in the strainer, then bake the bars until the edges are completely set but the center jiggles ever so slightly when moved, 28 to 34 minutes. Set the bars in the baking pan on a wire rack at room temperature until completely cooled, about 1 hour, then chill in the refrigerator, uncovered, until completely cold and firm, at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
Step
5
While the bars are chilling, make the pink dusting, if desired: In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, combine the freeze-dried strawberries and confectioners’ sugar. Process until the mixture has the texture of very fine dust, 20 to 30 seconds.
Step
6
Once the bars are cool, run a thin offset spatula or knife around the edges to help loosen them then, using the parchment paper, lift the bars out of the pan and transfer onto a cutting board. Dust the top of the bars with a generous, even layer of the pink dusting or plain confectioners’ sugar. (You might not need all of the pink dusting.)
Step
7
Cut the bars into a 4-by-6 grid to make 24 squares, wiping your knife with a damp cloth between each cut, and serve immediately. Store leftover bars, in an airtight container in a single layer, in the fridge for up to 5 days. If desired, dust again before serving.
- If you can’t find freeze-dried strawberries, you can use freeze-dried raspberries instead, which will result in a more magenta-hued dusting.
Ratings
4
out of 5
274
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Cooking Notes
Seth Savarick
Working on developing a Pink Grapefruit Bar recipe myself this past winter I discovered that they didn’t have the same tartness as lemon bars. To “ fix” this issue I add citric acid to the grapefruit mix. 1-2 teaspoons, depending on how tart you like them. It made all the difference. They were deliciously tart like their lemon bar compadres.
Ranchgirlbdr
If you zest the fruit directly over the batter, all those oils from the citrus are released and will fall into your batter. I recommend skipping any measuring to capture this bonus flavor.
Shannon
I have not made these YET, but I too, am a sour/sweet person and I love grapefruit, so this is happening in my kitchen soon! I'm looking at Heather B's comment and wondering if using frozen concentrate grapefruit juice (undiluted) to kick up the voume might be a solution to the blandness that H.B. found. I also would make half this amount and cook it in an 8x8 pan. Unless it's for a potluck. Has anybody tried this? When I do, I'll post the results.
Debbie
Use this pink grapefruit idea with vegan lemon bars from Nora Bakes ( in other words make vegan pink grapefruit bars)
Ann O’Neill
Can’t wait to try these; however… when I read that I would be adding 2T of vanilla to a what is basically a grapefruit curd my FIRST thought was: yeah, that’s going to cut the gorgeous tart bitterness. I’ve never added vanilla to any other citrus curd and won’t do it here either. That topping though - spring gorgeousness.
Cecelia
Has anyone tried to modify this recipe to be gluten-free? I want this so badly but have celiac disease. I'm going to try it and let you know but would love advice!
Betsy
Can you explain why you strain the zest out? I would think if you use a microplane zester that you would want to leave it in for flavor.
Jennifer Moghadassi
@Cecelia — use King Arthur measure for measure GF flour and they’ll come out great. I make lemon bars with that flour all the time!
Karen
In general I find pink grapefruit rather bland. I much prefer white grapefruit, but they seem to be harder to find. I’d try to find one for this recipe.
Jen Mog
I made this! Added the citric acid that another commenter suggested and thank goodness I did or they would have been SO bland. King Arthur gluten free measure for measure flour in this made the most perfect yummy crust. My husband loves grapefruit so I made these for his bday and he was so happy. I wouldn’t say that they really taste like grapefruit though, because I don’t like grapefruit, and I loved these very much. They taste like a miscellaneous citrus bar. But are delicious anyway!
Richard
Maybe your grapefruits lacked tartness and flavor.
EW
have any of the reviewers actually made this recipe? it would be helpful to read notes from someone with experience with it, rather than suggestions to modify something they haven't even tried yet
Shae
These came out so yummy! I had a very fine mesh strainer so I was worried I strained out all the egg and it wouldn’t set. But it set eventually, I added 15 minutes to the baking time for the grapefruit layer and it wasn’t jiggly when it came out nor burnt nor overdone. Next time I might try straining the grapefruit layer mix before adding in the egg.
CJ
I love citrus desserts and never met a lemon bar I didn't like, and this recipe was a good way to use grapefruit we received in a fruit csa share. Made as written, and while doing so thought that the amount of butter was a bit much, and the amount of sugar was A LOT much. Should have trusted my instincts and used less of each. They taste ok, but are very rich and very sweet - I do not recommend unless you make some adjustments.
Vel
Made this… crust is good, better if you add 3/4-1 cup of shredded coconut to itFor filling:Agree leave out the vanilla, and either add lemon juice for tartness or increase the grapefruit juice to 2cup and add 1/2-1 tsp of malic acid powder to adjust tartness for taste.
alaina
I added the juice of one lemon in exchange of a half of a grapefruit, as others suggested. The taste was wonderful. I also baked for the full 34 minutes and next time I might bake for 36 but otherwise it was a huge hit!
Cecilia
The filling doesn't taste like grapefruit. It tastes like a custard tart with a whiff of citrus - not sour whatsoever. I used freshly bought grapefruits that were fragrant, and followed the instructions exactly. My co-worker said they taste like fruit loops - just a hint of citrus. Other reviewers have suggested adding citric acid or lemon juice to punch up the sourness, which I'd recommend doing if you decide to bake this.
LotaRain
I wonder if True Grapefruit crystalized grapefruit packets would add oomph?
Amers
The result wasn’t that great unfortunately. Perhaps I let the crust cool for too long before putting the topping on but the crust baked to the top of the tart and the grapefruit wasn’t as citric as I had expected. I wish I had followed the other reviews to allow the citrus to come through as the grapefruit struggled to come through.
DonoMoto
Just didn't have the pizazz of lemon or lime bars. I had a huge batch of grapefruit from a friend in AZ, thought of this as a way to use them up. No tang, kind of boring. Not a repeat I am sorry to say.
Kat
On the 101 cookbooks blog, the recipe for grapefruit curd involves cooking down the grapefruit juice to concentrate it, and that recipe definitely tastes like grapefruit. I might attempt that approach here to see if I can up the grapefruit oomph.
Sarah
Not really worth it in my opinion. The grapefruit flavor was a little stronger the next day after taking them out of the fridge but I still found it too subtle to be worthwhile. Take others' advice to stick to lemon bars (which is what I should've done).
Jen Mog
I made this! Added the citric acid that another commenter suggested and thank goodness I did or they would have been SO bland. King Arthur gluten free measure for measure flour in this made the most perfect yummy crust. My husband loves grapefruit so I made these for his bday and he was so happy. I wouldn’t say that they really taste like grapefruit though, because I don’t like grapefruit, and I loved these very much. They taste like a miscellaneous citrus bar. But are delicious anyway!
Nathan Williams
These were a smash at a Memorial Day cookout. I made them with Measure-for-Measure GF flour and they turned out beautifully.
Erin
I made this recipe and it was a big hit. I had to increase the baking time of the curd by about 15 minutes but other than that, I followed the resize to a T. I did add a little food colouring to the curd to make it pink since I didn’t have any strawberry powder. I was told they were “bakery quality” squares by my coworkers.
mo
Im not sure how to let her know, but for Cecelia asking about GF options, I made this recipe with pecan flour and xanthum gum and it worked out great. It definitely added a darker nutty flavor to the bars. The things I would change was adding a bit less butter to the crust, since the my brand of nut flour was pretty oily, and I would make extra grapefruit layer, since the flour gummed up my strainer and caused my yield to be less. Otherwise, I got good reviews from friends.
Sarah
I made this recipe and was so excited since I love lemon bars and grapefruit. Following other reviewers I lessened the sugar a bit and added a little more juice to up the flavor and tartness. It STILL wasn’t flavorful or tart enough. I’d pass on these and stick with lemon bars in the future. They just aren’t that good.
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