Strawberry Lemonade Bars (Printer-Friendly)

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

# What You 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 overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms.
03 - Press dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing the surface. Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden.
04 - While crust bakes, puree diced strawberries in a blender or food processor until smooth. Strain through a fine 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 crust from oven and pour strawberry lemonade filling evenly over the hot crust.
07 - Return to oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the center is just set and no longer jiggles when pan is 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 slicing.
09 - Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 16 equal squares and dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The contrast between crispy-edged shortbread and silky, tart-sweet filling keeps you reaching for another piece.
  • They're impressive enough to bring to a gathering but genuinely foolproof to make, even if you're not confident in the kitchen.
  • The lemon and strawberry combination tastes like spring showed up on your dessert plate.
02 -
  • Don't skip the full refrigeration time—warm bars will crumble and tear when you cut them, but a properly chilled batch slices like a dream.
  • The filling will look jiggly in the center when you pull it from the oven, and that's exactly right; it keeps setting as it cools and firms up beautifully in the fridge.
03 -
  • Measure your lemon juice and zest before you cut the lemons—it's harder to zest after squeezing, and you might end up short.
  • Room-temperature eggs whisk into a smoother, more voluminous mixture than cold ones, which creates a lighter, airier filling.
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