Name: Blood Orange Bars Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened; 2 Tablespoons blood orange zest (1 orange); 1/2 cup blood orange juice (2 oranges); 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs; burgundy gel food coloring, optional; 1/4 cup powdered sugar, for garnish

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The buttery cookie crust and a sweet orange filling make these Blood Orange Bars a pretty and delicious treat to enjoy for dessert.

Orange Bars

Have you ever had a blood orange? They are kind of freaky when you first cut into them. Even though I know they are going to be red inside, it still makes me do a double take every time I slice into one.

I really enjoy the sweet flavor of these bright red oranges. It’s definitely orange, but there is a slight hint of raspberry in them.

We picked up a few blood oranges at the grocery store the other day because I really wanted to make these Best Lemon Bars with the red orange juice. It’s not the first time I have given that recipe a fun twist. It’s so easy to change out the juice for whatever fruit you are craving.

A few years ago I made these Key Lime Bars, and I loved the bright green color, so I knew the burgundy red of the blood oranges would be so pretty in these sweet bars.

Ingredients for Orange Bars

These sweet orange bars come together quickly with ingredients from your pantry. Just pick up a few oranges from the store and get started.

For the Crust

Flour – Provides structure.
Powdered Sugar – Sweetens the crust.
Butter – Unsalted and softened.

For the Filling

Blood Orange Juice and Zest – You will use the juice from 2 oranges and the zest from 1 orange.
Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the filling.
Flour – Adds structure and thickens it.
Salt – Balances out the sweetness.
Eggs – Gives the filling a custard like texture.
Food Coloring – this is optional, but it will give your orange bars a great color.

These Blood Orange Bars were just as good as the original recipe. The bright pink filling on top was silky smooth with that sweet orange flavor.

Adding some orange zest to the filling really amps up that orange flavor. And that shortbread cookie crust is so sweet and buttery. A buttery crust and the sweet orange filling really are the perfect pair.

How to make Blood Orange Bars

Mix together the flour, powdered sugar, and butter until it is crumbly. Spray a foil lined pan with nonstick spray before pressing the crust in the bottom. Bake the crust for 20 minutes.
While the crust is baking, zest a few oranges to get 2 full Tablespoons of orange zest. This will really amp up the orange flavor in the filling.
Slice the zested oranges in half and press until you get 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice.
Add the granulated sugar, flour, salt, orange zest and juice, and eggs into a blender. Pulse until light and frothy.
Add a little bit of burgundy gel food coloring to the mixture to make the finished bars look like blood oranges. This is optional, BUT if you do not use food coloring your bars will not be bright and colorful. Just an FYI.
Pour the filling on the hot crust as soon as it finishes baking, and place the pan back in the oven for another 25 minutes.
Remove and cool completely before serving with a healthy dose of powdered sugar on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these orange bars ahead of time?

Yes, these bars will keep for a few days in your refrigerator. Make sure to cool the bars to room temperature before covering and placing in the refrigerator.
Bring them to room temperature and blot the top of the bars before topping with powdered sugar.

Should orange or lemon bars be refrigerated?

These citrus bars have a custard filling, so they should be refrigerated if you are not serving them the same day.
However, they will be fine to keep out at room temperature for a few hours if you are serving them at a party or event. Serve the bars cold from the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Can you freeze orange and lemon bars?

Let the bars cool to room temperature, then slice them into squares. Place the bars on a baking sheet and freeze all the way through.
Wrap each bar in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. The bars will keep this way for up to 2 months.
Unwrap and let thaw before adding powdered sugar.

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Blood Orange Bars Recipe

Yield: 16 bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

The buttery cookie crust and a sweet orange filling make these Blood Orange Bars a pretty and delicious treat to enjoy for dessert.