Strawberry Lemonade Bars (Printable)

Tangy strawberry lemonade filling on a buttery shortbread crust makes 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, optional

# Directions:

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 mixing 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 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 fine mesh sieve to remove seeds if desired.
05 - In a large mixing 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 hot crust.
07 - Return to oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until center is just set and no longer jiggles.
08 - Allow bars to cool completely in pan on 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 -
  • The filling has this bright, almost tart magic that keeps people reaching for another piece instead of feeling weighed down.
  • They're foolproof enough for your first attempt but fancy enough to bring to a potluck and have someone ask for the recipe.
02 -
  • The crust must be fully baked and still hot when you add the filling, or the bottom layer stays slightly undercooked and separates from the filling as everything cools.
  • Refrigerating for those full 2 hours is not optional—the bars are almost impossible to slice cleanly while still warm, but chilling firms up the custard layer so each square holds together perfectly.
03 -
  • Use a chef's knife dipped in warm water and wiped clean between cuts to slice through the filling without dragging or crumbling the edges.
  • If fresh strawberries aren't in season, frozen berries thawed and drained work perfectly—just skip the straining step since there are no seeds to worry about.
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