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Strawberry Lemonade Bars

🍓🍋 Strawberry Lemonade Bars

These Strawberry Lemonade Bars feature a buttery shortbread crust topped with a luscious pink layer of fresh strawberries and zesty lemon curd. They're the perfect balance of tart and sweet with a beautiful natural color—ideal for picnics, brunches, and potlucks!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 bars
Calories 230 kcal

Equipment

  • 9x9 inch baking pan
  • Blender or food processor
  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk & spatula
  • Fine mesh sieve (optional, for strawberries)
  • parchment paper

Ingredients
  

For the Shortbread Crust:

  • 1 cup 226g unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
  • 2 cups 240g all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the Strawberry Lemonade Filling:

  • 1 cup 160g fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
  • 1 ½ cups 300g granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup 120ml fresh lemon juice (about 2–3 lemons)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • ½ cup 60g all-purpose flour
  • Optional: a few drops of red or pink food coloring for a brighter hue

For Dusting:

  • Powdered sugar for serving

Instructions
 

Make the Crust

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper.
  • In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add flour and salt; mix until a soft dough forms.
  • Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
  • Bake for 18–20 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.

Make the Strawberry Lemonade Filling

  • Blend strawberries in a blender or food processor until smooth. Optional: strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds.
  • In a bowl, whisk together strawberry purée, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, zest, and flour until smooth. Add a drop of food coloring if desired.

Assemble and Bake

  • Pour the filling over the warm crust.
  • Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, or until the center is set and no longer jiggly.
  • Cool completely at room temperature, then chill for at least 2 hours before cutting.

Serve

  • Dust with powdered sugar just before serving. Slice into squares or triangles.

Notes

💡 Tips for Success
Use fresh lemon juice for the brightest flavor
Chill thoroughly before slicing for clean edges
Double the recipe for a 9x13 pan and a crowd-pleasing tray
Keyword strawberry lemonade bars, lemon bars with strawberries, pink lemon bars, fruity summer desserts, strawberry lemon dessert, easy strawberry bars