Strawberry Lemon Bars (Shortbread Lemon and Jam Bar Recipe)
These fun strawberry lemon bars feature a buttery shortbread crust topped with a sweet-tart combination of homemade strawberry jam and a zesty lemon layer. The perfect balance of flavors makes these bars an irresistible treat for spring and summer gatherings.
Wanna save this recipe for later? 📬
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 406kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 189mgPotassium: 58mgFiber: 1gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 476IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this?! 👀Let everyone know how it was! 💕
Keyword: bars, dessert, lemon, strawberry