Strawberry Lemonade Bars (Printable)

Sweet strawberry lemonade filling atop a buttery shortbread crust, perfect for spring and summer.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# How to Make:

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. 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 to 20 minutes until lightly golden.
04 - While crust bakes, puree 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 baked crust from oven and pour strawberry lemonade filling evenly over the hot crust.
07 - Return to oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes 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 for 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 Tips:

01 -
  • They're impossible to mess up, even if you've never made a custard-style bar before.
  • The contrast between crispy crust and soft filling is genuinely addictive.
  • One batch stays fresh for days, which means you can actually enjoy them without rushing.
02 -
  • Don't skip the full chill time—I learned this by trying to cut them warm and ending up with beautiful chaos on a plate instead of clean bars.
  • If your lemon juice tastes off or your strawberries are underwhelming, the whole filling will taste muted, so taste everything before it goes in the oven.
03 -
  • A microplane zester makes lemon zest so much finer and more evenly distributed than a box grater, which changes the texture for the better.
  • Room-temperature eggs emulsify with the sugar better, giving you a smoother, more custardy filling instead of a separated one.
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