Strawberry Lemonade Bars (Printer-friendly)

Tangy strawberry lemonade filling layered over a buttery shortbread crust for a refreshing treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shortbread Crust

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Strawberry Lemonade Filling

05 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
10 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Topping

12 - Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt, mixing until soft dough forms.
03 - Press dough evenly into prepared pan, smoothing the surface. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until lightly golden.
04 - While crust bakes, puree diced strawberries in blender or food processor until smooth. Strain through fine mesh sieve to remove seeds if desired.
05 - In large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and strawberry puree until fully combined. Add flour and salt, whisking until smooth.
06 - Remove baked crust from oven and pour strawberry lemonade filling evenly over hot crust.
07 - Return to oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes until center is just set and no longer jiggles when gently shaken.
08 - Allow bars to cool completely in pan on wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours for clean, easy slicing.
09 - Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 16 equal squares and dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These bars taste like a farmer's market visit and a lazy afternoon combined into one bite.
  • The shortbread crust stays crispy on the edges while the filling is silky and perfectly balanced between tart and sweet.
  • They're elegant enough to bring to gatherings but so easy to make you'll wonder why you haven't been baking them all along.
02 -
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice is non-negotiable—I learned this the hard way when I tried bottled juice and the filling tasted flat and oddly chemical.
  • Don't skip the chilling step; cold bars slice cleanly and beautifully, while warm bars crumble and fall apart no matter how carefully you cut.
03 -
  • Use a serrated knife dipped in hot water and wiped between cuts to slice through the bars cleanly without crumbling the filling.
  • If your strawberries aren't super sweet, add an extra tablespoon of sugar to the filling to balance the tartness of the lemon.
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