Strawberry Lemonade Bars (Printable)

Tangy strawberry lemonade filling atop a rich shortbread crust, perfect for spring and summer 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

# How-To 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. Add flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms.
03 - Press dough evenly into bottom of 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 surface.
07 - Return to oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or 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 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 -
  • The shortbread crust stays buttery and tender without being too rich, so the filling shines like sunshine on your tongue.
  • Fresh strawberries and real lemon juice make this taste nothing like that canned stuff, and people notice immediately.
  • You can slice these cleanly and they look elegant on a plate, which feels fancy but tastes like summer nostalgia.
02 -
  • The filling will look loose when you pour it over the hot crust, and that's exactly right—it firms up in the oven and sets completely in the cold, so trust the process even when it seems too jiggly.
  • Refrigerating for at least two hours before cutting is not optional if you want clean slices instead of berry mush all over your knife.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is warm or your eggs are cold, let the filling sit at room temperature for five minutes after whisking so it blends smoothly into the crust without creating a shock.
  • The parchment paper overhang is your secret weapon for removal—don't skip it because trying to pry these out with a knife will tear them and break your heart.
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