Bars

Tailgate dips and seasonal sweets and back-to-school snacks—oh my!

It's a Southern thing.

Ditch the dining room this season and take it outside.

Leave these chewy bar cookies and brownies unattended and they'll disappear faster than you can say "But those were for the bake sale!"

Why turn on the oven if you don't have to?

To make these lime bars, start with our recipe for Mixed Citrus Bars.

These decadent layered Andes mint brownies are the ultimate indulgence for any mint-chip lover.

This recipe for Sorghum Pecan Bars was created by Chadwick Boyd of Lovely & Delicious Enterprises, Inc. It's his spin on his Great Great Aunt Francis' recipe. For a modern twist, he omits the piecrust and pours the filling into a baking sheet to create bars. He loves the time-saving aspect of this technique. If you're looking to up the Southern factor, Chadwick recommends adding sorghum instead of molasses and add a pinch of black pepper to balance out the sweetness. Serve these bars at your Derby party.

Lemon bars are always a crowd-pleaser, and they'll be even more popular topped with a sweet oat crumble.

It's the South's favorite secret ingredient.

Enjoy fresh summer berries with cool icebox pies, pretty cakes, and comforting cobblers.

Short on time? Whip up a batch of no-fuss treats

Start with our Mixed Citrus Bars recipe and give it a grapefruit twist with this riff on a classic recipe.

Brighten up the dessert spread.

Simply bake and take.

Why should lemons have all the fun? These classic cookie bars show off the taste of fresh, radiant oranges by substituting lemon zest for orange zest and adding some fresh orange juice with the lemon juice. They are the perfect treat to highlight one of winter's best citrus treats. The South is no stranger to these drops of sunshine, as Florida alone accounts for over half of the country's citrus, with Texas being the third biggest producer. Fresh citrus zest, or finely grated rind, adds a vibrant layer of flavor to sweet and savory recipes. However, you will need to make sure that you only grate the outer layer and not the white pith, which has an unwanted bitter flavor. The best tool to unlock all that zing is a rasp grater (such as a Microplane), but how you use it can make all the difference. Instead of holding the citrus over the grater and letting the ribbons fall, try grating with the U-shape of the tool facing up—this will not only keep the shreds collected but also make it easier to avoid grating the bitter white pith. Make sure these treats are completely cooled, about 30 minutes, before transferring them to a serving dish and garnishing with powdered sugar.