Strawberry Lemonade Bars (Printer-Friendly)

Tangy strawberry lemonade filling atop a buttery shortbread crust, ideal for warm-weather treats.

# 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

# Method:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They hit that perfect sweet-tart balance where each bite makes you reach for another, even when you're already full.
  • The buttery crust stays tender for days, making them ideal for baking ahead when hosting feels overwhelming.
02 -
  • The filling will look slightly underdone when you pull them from the oven—this is intentional and correct; a fully set center means overcooked and dry.
  • Chilling them for the full two hours makes cutting infinitely easier; cutting warm bars results in a crumbly mess that tastes good but looks messy.
03 -
  • Use freshly squeezed lemon juice without fail—it's the difference between bright and sophisticated versus flat and generic.
  • Let the baked crust cool for just a minute before adding the filling so the two layers bond slightly, creating a more unified bar instead of layers that separate.
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