Raspberry Lemon Bars are the perfect combination of buttery, sweet, and tangy. Made with a buttery shortbread crust layered with a bright lemon raspberry custard filling, they're an easy homemade dessert that's perfect whenever you're craving a fresh citrus treat for any occasion.
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Why Make This Recipe
I love making dessert bars. They are a great way to make a quick and simple dessert anytime you need a sweet treat. My Peach Bars, Strawberry Bars, Raspberry Oat Bars and Date Bars re all delicious and easy fruit based cookie bars. After making these raspberry lemon shortbread bars, I think I may just have a new favorite dessert (and you will too)!
- Simple pantry ingredients. You only need a handful of basic ingredients to make a both the crust and raspberry lemon filling. In fact, this lemon raspberry bar recipe needs only 7 ingredients.
- You love sweet and tart treats. If being incredibly easy to make wasn’t reason enough, these lemon raspberry bars are the perfect balance of textures and flavors. Plus, they are absolutely stunning to look at.
- The perfect summer dessert, all year round. With all the delicious flavors of summer, these raspberry lemon bars are easy to make, easy to customize, can be made with fresh or frozen raspberries (as well as in season citrus) and are the perfect addition to your or gathering no matter the time of year.
Ingredients and Substitutions
These soft, sweet and tart lemon and raspberry bars require only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need and substitutions if you are missing an ingredient.
- All purpose flour: To make these bars gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measured based off weight rather than exact cup for cup.
- Unsalted Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter in this recipe.
- Granulated Sugar: This recipe hasn’t been tested using alternative sugars. However, I love using maple sugar as a refined sugar free option in my other recipes.
- Vanilla Extract: This gives a lovely background flavor to these peach cookie bars.
- Eggs: This is an essential ingredient to make the custard filling.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: This enhances the tart and sweet lemon raspberry filling. Use the zest from the lemons needed to make the filling. If needed, use meyer lemons or any other citrus you like that’s also in season.
- Raspberries: Feel free to use fresh or frozen raspberries. If using frozen raspberries, thaw the raspberries for about 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
How To Make
Learn how to make raspberry lemon bars in a few easy steps.
Make the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper along the bottom and two sides. Make the shortbread crust. Add the sugar and lemon zest to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or to a mixing bowl (to mix with a hand mixer). Whisk the sugar and lemon zest together until a sand like texture forms. Cream the butter into the lemon sugar at medium speed for about 4 - 5 minutes. Mix in the salt, vanilla extract and flour at low speed until crumbly and well combined.
- Evenly press the shortbread mixture into the prepared pan. Press some of the dough about ½ inch up the sides of the pan to from a little crust. Bake the shortbread for about 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a cooling rack while preparing the lemon raspberry filling.
Make the Filling
3. In another large mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and zest together until a sand like texture forms. Whisk in the eggs, followed by the salt and flour until smooth and well combined. Whisk in the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Top the mixing bowl with a fine mesh strainer. Press the fresh or thawed raspberries into the bottom of the strainer, allowing the raspberry juice to fall directly into the bowl. Whisk well to fully combine the raspberry juice with the lemon custard.
- Pour the raspberry lemon filling into the prepared pan on top of the parbaked crust. Bake the assembled raspberry lemon bars for 18 - 22 minutes. The edges will be set and the center will have a slight jiggle (like a cheesecake) when the bars are done baking. Cool the bars in the pan at room temperature for 1 hour. Transfer the bars to the fridge to chill for an additional 2 - 3 hours or up to overnight.
- Slice the bars and dust with powdered sugar right before serving. Bars are best served from the fridge.
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Make Ahead: Prepare the bars up to one day in advance. Cover the fully cooled lemon raspberry bars with plastic wrap after the bars have chilled for a couple of hours. Wait to top with powdered sugar until right before serving.
- Store: Keep these raspberry lemon bars covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days.
- Freeze: Make sure the raspberry and lemon bars are completely cooled to room temperature and have chilled in the fridge for the recommended time. Cut the bars into your preferred amount of pieces. Place them in a single layer or separate layers with parchment paper in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: Transfer the bars to the fridge to thaw overnight. Enjoy straight these bars from the fridge.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use an 8 x 8 pan. This recipe and the ratio of crust to filling was created using a 8 x 8 pan. If needed, double the recipe and make the bars in a 9 x 13 pan.
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper. This helps to release the bars from the pan more easily.
- Parbake the crust. In order for the crust to fully bake and set, the shortbread crust needs to bake for about 20 - 25 minutes before topping with the custard.
- Use fresh lemon juice. It may be tempting to use pre-juiced lemon juice, but for the best raspberry lemon bars, freshly squeezed lemon juice is the best.
- Press the raspberries through a fine mesh strainer. For the best color minus the raspberry seeds, the best way to get raspberry juice is to press the fresh or thawed raspberries against a fine mesh strainer directing the raspberry juice directly into the bowl with the lemon custard filling.
- Look for signs the raspberry lemon bars are done. The bars will have set edges with a slight jiggle in the middle of the bars (similar to baking a cheesecake). The bars will continue to set while they cool and chill in the fridge. Keep in mind this is a custard filling (smooth, velvety and creamy).
- Fully cool the bars. In order for these raspberry and lemon bars to hold together, they need to fully cool. Ideally these bars would cool for 1 hour at room temperature and 2 - 3 hours in the fridge.
- Tips for the perfect slices. Make sure the bars are fully chilled and set. Use the parchment paper to gently lift the bars out of the pan. Wipe the knife between each slice and dust with powered sugar right before serving.
FAQs
Frozen raspberries work well in this recipe. Thaw them for about 15 - 20 minutes before pressing them in a mesh strainer to release the juices, while keeping the seeds in the strainer.
Yes. Because the filling is made with eggs and fresh lemon juice and raspberries, the bars should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They'll stay fresh for up to 5 days. If needed, freeze the bars for longer storage. Place them in a single layer or separate layers with parchment paper in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
For neat, bakery-style bars, chill them thoroughly before slicing. Use a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between each cut. Wait to dust the bars with powdered sugar after slicing for the cleanest presentation.
The edges should be set, and the center should have only a slight wobble when you gently shake the pan. The filling will continue to firm up as it cools.
Yes. Substitute your favorite 1:1 gluten free baking flour in the crust (measured based off weight in grams). Be sure to use a blend designed for baking to achieve the best texture.
Other Raspberry Lemon Recipes to Try
If you try this Raspberry Lemon Bars Recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M
Raspberry Lemon Bars Recipe
Equipment
- 1 8x8 (20 cm) pan (aluminum preferred)
- 1 sheet parchment paper
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
Lemon Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large lemons, zested
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Raspberry Lemon Filling
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large lemons, zested
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (60 g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1½ cups (280 g) fresh or frozen raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper along the bottom and two sides.
- Make the shortbread crust. Add the sugar and lemon zest to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or to a mixing bowl (to mix with a hand mixer). Whisk the sugar and lemon zest together until a sand like texture forms. Cream the butter into the lemon sugar at medium speed for about 4 - 5 minutes. Mix in the salt, vanilla extract and flour at low speed until crumbly and well combined.1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 2 large lemons, zested, 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt , 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Evenly press the shortbread mixture into the prepared pan. Press some of the dough about ½ inch up the sides of the pan to from a little crust. Bake the shortbread for about 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a cooling rack while preparing the lemon raspberry filling.
- In another large mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and zest together until a sand like texture forms. Whisk in the eggs, followed by the salt and flour until smooth and well combined. Whisk in the freshly squeezed lemon juice.1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar, 2 large lemons, zested, 3 large eggs, room temperature, ¼ teaspoon salt , ½ cup (60 g) all purpose flour, ½ cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Top the mixing bowl with a fine mesh strainer. Press the fresh or thawed raspberries into the bottom of the strainer, allowing the raspberry juice to fall directly into the bowl. Whisk well to fully combine the raspberry juice with the lemon custard.1½ cups (280 g) fresh or frozen raspberries
- Pour the raspberry lemon filling into the prepared pan on top of the parbaked crust. Bake the assembled raspberry lemon bars for 18 - 22 minutes. The edges will be set and the center will have a slight jiggle (like a cheesecake) when the bars are done baking.
- Cool the bars in the pan at room temperature for 1 hour. Transfer the bars to the fridge to chill for an additional 2 - 3 hours or up to overnight. Slice the bars and dust with powdered sugar right before serving. Bars are best served from the fridge.
Notes
- Look for signs the raspberry lemon bars are done. The bars will have set edges with a slight jiggle in the middle of the bars (similar to baking a cheesecake). The bars will continue to set while they cool and chill in the fridge. Keep in mind this is a custard filling (smooth, velvety and creamy).
- Tips for the perfect slices. Make sure the bars are fully chilled and set. Use the parchment paper to gently lift the bars out of the pan. Wipe the knife between each slice and dust with powered sugar right before serving.
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