Strawberry Lemonade Bars (Printable)

Tangy strawberry lemonade filling on a buttery shortbread crust creates a refreshing, crowd-pleasing 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

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 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 a soft dough forms.
03 - Press dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and smooth 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 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 crust from oven and pour strawberry lemonade filling evenly over the hot crust.
07 - Return to oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until the center is just set and no longer jiggles.
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 squares and dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No mixer required: Everything comes together with basic whisking, so cleanup is honestly the easiest part.
  • They taste like summer arrived early: That strawberry-lemon combination hits different when you're craving something bright and refreshing.
  • Perfect for sharing: These disappear fast at potlucks, and people always ask for the recipe.
02 -
  • Don't skip the chill time: I learned this the hard way when I tried slicing warm bars and ended up with a strawberry lemonade soup instead of neat squares.
  • Fresh lemon juice really matters: The first time I made these with bottled juice, they tasted dull and one-dimensional—freshly squeezed makes all the difference in brightness.
03 -
  • A hot crust welcomes the filling better: Pouring the strawberry mixture over the crust right after it comes from the oven helps the bottom layer set up properly instead of creating a soggy layer.
  • Clean knife, clean cuts: Dip your knife in hot water and wipe it clean between each cut so you're slicing through, not dragging, and the bars stay pristine-looking.
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