LEMON POPPY-SEED SHORTBREAD BARS

Lemon Poppy-Seed Shortbread Bars image

Yield Makes 24 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 7

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar plus additional for sprinkling the bars
1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Steps:

In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the zest and the vanilla, add the poppy seeds, the flour, and the salt, and beat the mixture until it is just combined. Press the mixture evenly into a buttered 8-inch-square baking pan and bake it in the middle of a preheated 300°F. oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until it is pale golden. Let the shortbread cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, cut it into 24 bars, and let the bars cool completely in the pan. Sprinkle the bars with the additional confectioners' sugar.