These pretty pink strawberry lemon bars are bright and sweet, bursting with strawberry and lemon flavor. A lemon-scented shortbread crust makes a sturdy base for these treats that will be a hit at your next gathering.
When strawberries are in season, this is the best way to enjoy them (besides eating them by the handful, of course). But don't fret, these can be made off-season with frozen berries, too!
Looking for new ways to enjoy fresh berries? Try this Lemon Cream Cheese Fruit Dip, a Strawberry Simple Syrup, Blueberry Ice Cream, or my Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette next. If you prefer your strawberries paired with chocolate, you can't miss this strawberry mousse with chocolate ganache!
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Ingredients
Once you've gathered your strawberries and lemons, the rest of the ingredients for these bars are probably things you already have on-hand.
I include ingredient notes here when I think they’ll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- Lemons - you'll need about 3 good-sized lemons to get enough juice and zest for the recipe. Always use fresh lemons, bottled juice isn't going to give you optimal results. Zest your lemons directly over the food processor bowl to capture all of the released oils.
- Strawberries - Use fresh berries that have been washed, hulled, and sliced in half or quarters, depending on their size. If you are using frozen berries, thaw them on the countertop for 15 minutes or so before draining and adding to the filling.
- All-Purpose Flour - This is used in the shortbread crust as well as a tool to help thicken the strawberry lemon filling.
- Powdered Sugar - Also known as confectioner's sugar, powdered sugar keeps the shortbread crust light and flaky because it contains a bit of cornstarch.
- Granulated Sugar - Granulated sugar sweetens the strawberry lemon filling and helps provide the custardy texture when baked in the oven.
- Butter - I use salted butter from Costco in this recipe. If you use unsalted butter, add about ½ teaspoon of table salt to the shortbread crust.
- Eggs - I always cook and bake with large eggs.
Prepare the Shortbread Crust
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9" x 13" pan with parchment paper. My favorite way to line a baking pan with parchment paper is detailed in the linked rice krispie recipe.
You can prepare the crust and the filling in the same bowl of a food processor without worrying about completely cleaning it out after the crust.
Combine the flour, powdered sugar, butter, and lemon zest in the bowl of the food processor.
Process continually on high speed until the butter heats up enough to form a dough. This will take about 30-45 seconds.
Dump the shortbread dough into your lined pan and press it until you get an even layer that fills the entire bottom of the pan.
Bake the shortbread crust for 20 minutes, until the edges are a light golden brown and there are no shiny spots on the surface of the crust.
Prepare the Strawberry Lemon Filling
Brush out any large crumbs from the processor bowl and prepare the strawberry lemon filling.
Add the strawberries, sugar, eggs, lemon juice and zest, and flour to the bowl of the processor.
Process on high until the strawberries are well blended and no large chunks remain.
Bake and Slice the Bars
There is no need to cool the crust before adding the filling over the top and finishing up the strawberry lemon bars.
Pour the filling over the baked crust and transfer the pan to the oven. Move slowly or the filling will slosh around in the pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the center of the pan doesn't jiggle when you move the pan and the edges are lightly golden. Cool the bars on the countertop for 1 hour and then cover them with plastic wrap and chill them for 2 hours (or overnight).
Remove the bars from the pan and place the whole batch on a cutting board. Trim off the edges.
To get clean slices and crisp edges, wipe your knife with a wet cloth between each slice. Slice the batch into 24 bars.
Substitutions
Feel free to use fresh or frozen strawberries in this recipe. Fresh strawberries can be added to the recipe right after washing, but frozen berries should be thawed for about 10 minutes and drained of any excess water.
Variations
- Make Blueberry Lemon Bars - Use the same volume of fresh or frozen blueberries as you would the strawberries and follow the dame preparation instructions.
- Swap the Lemons for Limes - Zest and juice 4-5 large limes for a strawberry lime bar! These will be a bit more tart but they are so refreshing.
Storage
The strawberry lemon bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. I like to place a layer in the bottom of a dish and then put a sheet of parchment paper over the top before stacking the bars in a second layer.
I prefer to eat these bars cold, but they can sit at room temperature to warm up a bit before serving.
Top Tip
Powdered sugar is a great way to finish these bars, but only dust them immediately before serving. Otherwise, the sugar will start to draw moisture form the bars and the surface will get sticky and unappealing.
FAQ
Yes! Substitute frozen strawberries for the fresh ones with the same quantity.
You can, and they are as spectacular with blueberries as they are with strawberries. Use the same weight of blueberries as the recipe card indicates for strawberries.
I prepare a half batch by halving all of the ingredients and baking the bars in an 8- or 9-inch pan. Reduce the baking time of the bars by about 7 minutes.
Equipment
If you do not have a food processor, you can still make these bars! Prepare the crust by adding the ingredients to a large bowl and working the butter into the flour with your fingers until it looks like a shaggy dough. Then knead the ingredients until they start to come together into a dough.
For the filling, a blender will do a great job of combining the ingredients and breaking down the strawberries.
Try Them and Share
I hope you try and share these strawberry lemon bars! I want to see your results. Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
Related Recipes for Lemon Lovers
If you like lemon in all things, check out these recipes for cocktails, soups, appetizers, and main dishes:
Recipe
Strawberry Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
- ½ cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar (2 ounces, plus extra for dusting finished bars)
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Strawberry Lemon Filling
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar (16 ounces.)
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- ⅔ cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (2.5 ounces)
- 1 cup strawberries (5 ounces, hulled and sliced in half)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9"x13" pan with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, combine the flour, powdered sugar, butter, and lemon zest to make the crust. Process until the dough comes together.
- Pour the dough into the prepared pan and press with your fingers until the crust covers the entire bottom of the pan and about ½-inch up the sides.
- Bake the crust for 20 minutes, until the edges are golden. Remove the pan from the oven.
- In the same processor, combine the filling ingredients. Process until smooth and the strawberries are well incorporated. Pour the filling over the warm crust.
- Bake the bars for 30-35 minutes, until the center is no longer wobbly.
- Cool the bars on the countertop for 1 hour and then cover them with plastic wrap. Chill for an additional 3 hours (or overnight).
- Remove the bars from the pan and place them on a cutting board. Slice into 24 bars. Dust with powdered sugar immediately before serving.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts caculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie says
How do you like to serve these strawberry lemon bars? I’m happy to answer any questions about the recipe!
Kari says
My family had just gone blueberry picking so we used those instead of the strawberries and OH MY GOODNESS! I would pay good money to buy one at a bakery - I can’t believe this came from my kitchen!! This recipe is fantastic! Plus I got a serious workout zesting those lemons 😂. Totally worth it! 💗
Cassie @ Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says
Woot! Glad these bars were so fantastic. Thanks for letting us know how delish these were with fresh blueberries!