This strawberry lemon bar recipe is like kickin’ back with a refreshing strawberry lemonade on a warm day. It combines the smooth and buttery flavors of shortbread with the zingy tartness of lemon curd, and it’s topped with the sweet floral flavor of homemade strawberry jam.
While I first learned the ins and outs of making pastry from my Italian grandmother, in culinary school I learned even more about developing my own twist on classics. These strawberry lemon bars were originally created when I was perfecting my strawberry jam recipe and trying to think of creative ways to use it.
why this strawberry lemon bar recipe works:
🍓 berry packed. These bars are packed with fresh strawberry flavor thanks to a homemade strawberry jam made from peak-season berries.
🍋 sweet & tart. A blend of sugars brings depth to the crust of these bars, the lemon layer brings a bold hit of flavor, and the strawberry jam sweetens things up!
💗 crowd pleaser. Bring these to your next gathering and be prepared to be asked for the recipe. A lot.
🛒 ingredients
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
* A note on the jam in the photos: I tested topping these bars with chunky jam, then got an idea to try a blended jam thanks to my summer of baking every MilkBar cake from Christina Tossi’s cookbook. The resulting jam was bright pinkish red and created a stunning color contrast to the bold yellow lemon layer of these bars! Want the details? It’s a bit of a project, and you’ll need specialized ingredients, but if you’re up for it, leave me a comment or shoot me an email and I’ll spill all the details! 💕
🍳 step-by-step process for making strawberry lemon bars
1: First, mix the ingredients for the crust by creaming the sugars and butter, then mixing in the vanilla.
2: Mix in the rest of the dry ingredients and mix just until the ingredients are incorporated.
3: Press the dough into your prepared pan, making sure to push it all the way into the corners and all around the bottom of pan to get an even crust. Once the crust bakes, allow it to cool completely.
4: Combine the eggs, sugar, and lemon zest, making sure to fully combine the ingredients. Make sure there are no streaks of egg yolk or whites throughout the mix, and everything is even in color.
5: Add the lemon juice next, then sift in the flour, making sure to mix at a medium speed to make sure there are no lumps.
6: Pour the lemon layer on top of the cooled crust, and bake it until the filling is no longer jiggly in the middle of the pan, about 30-35 minutes. Take the bars out to cool completely.
7: Once the bars are totally cooled, carefully spread the strawberry jam on top of the lemon layer.
8: Carefully remove the bars from the pan and slice into squares.
Hint: Once sliced, you can top your bars with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar for an extra pop of color and flavor! Be sure to do this just before serving, as the sugar will melt into the jam layer.
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💡tips & tricks for getting it right
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- lumpy filling – avoid getting a lumpy filling by making sure all your ingredients are at room temperature first, particularly the eggs, butter, and lemon juice.
- use the right baking pan – opt to use a metal pan if you have it, because they are superior at heat distribution when baking. Also make sure you’re using a 9 x 9 inch pan at the minimum, so the bars aren’t too thick and the lemon filling bakes evenly.
- jiggly jam – if your jam won’t set properly things can get messy fast. Try popping the bars in the freezer to help the jam set, then pull the bars out to slice and serve with a few extra napkins for good measure. On the plus side, even with runny jam, you’ll still have a tasty lemon-strawberry dessert, even if it’s messy.
- perfect your layers – when I was testing this recipe, I tried layering the jam first, then baking the lemon layer…and the result was like a science project volcano lava flow with oozing strawberry mixture everywhere. 🌋 Make sure to spread the strawberry layer LAST, after the bars have fully cooled.
♻️ customize your lemon bars
- omit brown sugar – you can use all white sugar in the crust if you don’t have light brown sugar on hand!
- extra-zesty – swap granulated sugar for infused lemon sugar for an extra punch of lemon flavor!
- use another jam – you can use any other flavor of jam to top these bars, like this seasonal cranberry jam!
- thinner bars – use a 9 x 13 pan for thinner bars instead of a 9 x 9 pan.
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🫙 how to store your lemon bars
Store your finished bars in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze them for up to 3 months! Make sure to let them thaw overnight in the fridge before serving if frozen.
💬 q+a
Why do my lemon bars look white or bubbly on top?
This is because of the eggs in the filling! When heated, air that was whipped into the custard mix rises to the top in the form of bubbles. This is completely normal and will not impact the flavor of your bars. Plus, it’ll be covered by the jam layer!
Do I need to use a mixer for this recipe?
Absolutely not! You can make this whole recipe by hand! You can mix the crust up like a pie dough in a medium bowl by hand. Just be sure to use a whisk (or a fork!) for mixing the wet ingredients, and sift in the flour so there are no lumps in the filling mixture.
Do these strawberry lemon bars need to be refrigerated?
Yes. These bars need to be kept in the fridge to stay fresh. They also freeze well for longer storage!
If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read every single comment! I also love connecting on social media, so snap a pic and hashtag it #myrecipeforfun and tag me on Instagram, TikTok, or pin this recipe on Pinterest!
Strawberry Lemon Bars (Shortbread Lemon and Jam Bar Recipe)
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Equipment
- 1 fine mesh sieve
- 1 hand mixer may use stand mixer, or mix by hand with a whisk
- 1 9 x 9 inch pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Crust
- 227 g butter 2 sticks, unsalted and softened
- 110 g granulated sugar
- 28 g light brown sugar
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g vanilla extract
- 2 g salt kosher, Diamond Brand
Filling
- 5 whole eggs large
- 1 cup lemon juice from 5-6 lemons
- 1 tbsp lemon zest from 2 lemons
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour sifted
Topping
- strawberry jam up to 16 ounces
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Prep pan. Line an 9 x 9-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Combine butter and sugars. In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until well combined.227 g butter, 110 g granulated sugar, 28 g light brown sugar
- Add vanilla extract. Add 4 g (1 tsp) vanilla extract and mix to combine.4 g vanilla extract
- Mix in flour. Add in the 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour and 2 g (1/2 tsp) kosher salt, and mix until just combined. The dough will look like blobs of wet sand!
- Press dough into pan. Press the dough into the pan lined with parchment paper, trying to get as even a layer as possible. The crust layer should be about 1/4-inch thick.
- Bake the crust. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned along the edges, but not completely baked.
- Allow crust to cool slightly. Allow to cool in the pan, on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before pouring the filling layer.
Filling
- Combine eggs, sugar, and lemon zest. While the crust is cooling, add 5 large eggs to a mixing bowl with 400 g (2 cups) sugar and 1 tbsp lemon zest. Mix to combine.5 whole eggs, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tbsp lemon zest
- Add lemon juice. Pour in 1 cup of lemon juice and mix thoroughly. The mixture will be light and frothy.1 cup lemon juice
- Whisk in flour. Sift in 60 g (1/2 cup) of flour, and carefully mix together, making sure there are no lumps.1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Layer filling on crust. Pour filling mixture over top of cooled crust.
- Bake. Return to the oven and bake at 350ºF for 30 – 35 minutes, or until the filling is no longer jiggly in the middle.
- Cool completely. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely before proceeding to layer the strawberry jam. This could take up to 2 hours on the countertop, or pop it in the fridge for faster cooling.
Layering the jam
- Spread jam. Once the bars are cooled, spread your strawberry jam of choice on to the top of the lemon bars.
- Remove from pan. Remove the bars from the pan by gently lifting at the parchment paper. If any filling has seeped into the pan, you may need to use an offset spatula to help release the bars. Do not use a sharp knife inside your pan for this step!
- Slice into bars. Once the bars are out of the pan, slice into 12 bars. Wipe your knife between cuts to keep the bars clean, or freeze the entire sheet of bars for 15-30 minutes to make slicing easier.
- Serve and store. Store the strawberry lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
