Sweet, tangy, and decadent raspberry lemon bars! The crisp crust delivers a delicious tangy raspberry lemon custard that will stick to your fingers.
When given the choice of a decadent chocolate dessert versus a light refreshing lemon indulgence, I’m much more of a chocolate lover. I actually used to hate lemon-flavored desserts! That’s until I finally made a tray of classic lemon bars at home.
My first encounter with lemon bars was when I was working at a European bakery in high school. While there, I got exposed to several types of citrus-infused treats. They were a staple at Boniere Bakery in Alameda, CA. Baked fresh each week, I used to be in charge of cutting the crisp and gooey bars into perfect squares then dusting them with generous mountains of powdered sugar.
Of course, I would sneak bites of the browned corners that I cut off, licking off the sticky evidence from my fingers. I think that’s when I started to appreciate the citrus pucker effect of the lemon juice balanced with the sweetness of the sugar in those gooey lemon bars.
I chose to incorporate fresh raspberries for this recipe because they happen to be in season at the market right now. Plus, they add a nice flavor and color. These raspberry lemon bars are intense!
The crisp shortbread crust provides the perfect cookie bar base for the zesty tart filling. The ratio of crust to filling is critical because I hate eating lemon bars that are too dry and have more crust than lemon custard filling.
With this recipe, the bars are around 1 inch in height once settled and cooled, about 2 inches after baking. You get a good bite of luscious raspberry lemon filling that leaves your fingers coated and sticky. I seriously could not stop eating these raspberry lemon bars after the first bite but had to pace myself, so I saved small pieces for each day to enjoy.
I was inspired to make this raspberry lemon bar recipe because I wanted to give Jason’s team at work a tasty thank you present for the surprise baby shower they threw for Baby Gavin (how sweet!). When Jason returned from work that evening, I asked if his coworkers liked the dessert, he kindly reported that they were all gone and that people “love and hate me at the same time.”
That’s when you know your recipe was a hit, especially since Jason reported that he ate two servings (he’s doesn’t have a sweet tooth) and needed to go for a quick run around our neighborhood to burn off some calories, success! Haha.
Recipe Science
What is the best way to cut and serve the lemon bars?
I find it easiest to refrigerate the bars once cooled to let the layers settle and set, even allowing a day to chill before cutting. I then remove them from the refrigerator when ready to cut. I recommend dusting the lemon bars with powdered sugar just before serving (if left in the fridge, they will dissolve and disappear from the moisture inside). These bars are best served at room temperature as the center will be moist gooey, and the crust will still be crisp.
Raspberry Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 cup)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
Raspberry Puree (makes ¾ cup)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup raspberries
Lemon Filling
- 7 large eggs
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest, grated
- 1 cup lemon juice, freshly-squeezed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- powdered sugar, Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed (about 2 minutes) until light in color. Add the lemon zest and mix for a few seconds.
- Combine the flour and salt in a separate bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the butter until just mixed, about 1 minute. Place the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball and transfer to the baking pan. Using your fingers, evenly press and flatten the dough into the baking pan.
- Chill the dough for 15 minutes. Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Cool the crust in the baking sheet on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, until the dough is slightly firm. Keep oven heated to 350°F.
Raspberry Puree
- Put the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and whisk together. Add raspberries to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, constantly whisking until the puree has broken down and thickened and has come to a bubble, about 6 minutes. Strain the hot thickened puree, discarding the seeds. Set the strained puree aside, at room temperature until ready to use.
Lemon Filling
- To make the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and flour until combined. Gradually add the lemon juice and whisk until combined and pour over the crust. Add about a tablespoon-sized spoonfuls of raspberry puree around the entire surface of the lemon mixture. Quickly drag a toothpick across the surface to create swirls.
- Carefully transfer to the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the filling is set in the center. Let cool to room temperature.
- Cut into squares or triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Jo says
Really, really good. Everyone was raving about them. Threw some blueberries in the egg mixture before baking just because I needed to use them up, and drizzled a tiny bit of white chocolate over the tops of the bars after they had cooled because I didn’t have powdered sugar (and I love the combo of raspberry and white chocolate), but apart from that followed the recipe exactly as written. Will definitely make again.
Jessica Gavin says
I love the personal touches you added to the lemon bars!
eileen says
Love the combination of flavors. Any suggestions on making them low-fat? Could I sub the butter for applesauce?
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback! I don’t think you can substitute butter for applesauce for the crust. I reccomend a plant based butter like margarine or coconut oil (room temperature solidified) instead.
Jessica says
Made this with some Meyer lemons, switched out granulated sugar for cane sugar, and completed bungled the crust and the raspberry purée and they STILL turned out great. Loved the bar to crust ratio!
Changes/Mistakes:
Cut the butter into the other ingredients by using a food processor. This wasn’t an intentional change, I have just always made lemon bars that way so I didn’t realize the recipe called for creaming the butter with the sugar. I also halved the butter by mistake and didn’t realize it until the crust had been baking for 12 min. Ugh. My boyfriend suggested just cutting pats of the remaining stick onto the crust and baking a little longer so that’s what we did and it tasted fine. Stupid reading comprehension gets me again.
I shop like I cook: no attention to detail. I bought cane sugar instead of granulated. Tasted like sugar to me and oo sparkly!
The raspberry purée was delicious but not as thick as the recipe suggested it would be so I watched sadly as it disappeared into the filling. Still tasted the raspberries though.
So let me be a lesson in how many things you can get wrong and still come out with a yummy dessert!
Ava says
Would it be ok to cut the recipe in half?
Audrey says
I guess I’m confused because the recipe says 8oz butter = 1 cup, but 16oz of butter = 1 cup according to the packaging… Which measurement should I go off of?
Jessica Gavin says
I would measure out 1 cup of butter. That is usually 2 sticks, each being 4 ounces to 8 ounces. Not sure what brand of butter you are using?
Phe says
These turned out tasting so good, but my crust started to float when I added the lemon mixture. I think this may be due to me using an aluminum baking pan that warped when I took the crust out of the oven, so the lemon mixture had space to get under the crust. Next time I will definitely use a sturdier pan, like glass or metal. Sill a 5/5 since I’m pretty sure my issue was user error! These were insanely delicious and all my roommates loved them, even though I screwed up by using the wrong type of pan.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for trying the lemon bar recipe, Phe! Yes, it think using a sturdier pan will help with your layering issue.
Dana says
This recipe was so easy to make until my brain got in the way! I got a little worried at the 30 minute mark because the custard was still so jiggly. I left it in a little longer than 35 minutes but it started browning at the top, so I took it out and mastered my patience to let it cool completely! I might have cut at the brown edges a little earlier than I should have but it was so delicious, I could not stop! Even my husband, who doesn’t eat sweets, couldn’t stop picking at the cut edges. Make sure you wait until it is completely cooled to cut or your lemon filling will ooze! Resist the temptation!!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, Dana! Great tips on waiting for cooling. If needed next time, you can cover the edges or top where it’s browning to prevent it from burning. But you don’t want to overbake the filling as the texture will change. Glad to hear that the family enjoyed the lemon bars!
mam says
Do you keep these refrigerated after made? or room temp?
Jessica Gavin says
Since the filling has eggs, I would refrigerate the bars.
Michael says
Jessica thank you for your delicious recipe. Question: How thick/thin should the raspberry coulis be? Won’t it sink through the lemon mixture? Thank you in advance for your reply.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Michael- Great question! The puree should be thick enough to cling to and coat a spoon. It is denser than the lemon mixture, but I’ve found that once you add a small amount around the surface, then swirl, it won’t sink to the bottom.