These lemon raspberry bars feature a thick, buttery shortbread crust topped with a glossy, thick lemon-raspberry filling. Bright, tangy lemon and vivid raspberry combine into a refreshing dessert perfect for spring and summer — like lemon squares with an extra burst of raspberry flavor.
If you enjoy lemon and raspberry together, try the lemon raspberry cookies and the raspberry curd recipes for more ways to enjoy the flavor combination.
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🍋 Why you’ll LOVE this recipe
- Tangy lemon & raspberries: The citrus-berry combination creates a bright, tart filling that’s refreshingly flavorful.
- Thick gooey filling: The filling is rich and slightly gooey, but it sets enough to hold neat bar slices.
- Shortbread crust: A tender, buttery base flavored with lemon zest and vanilla provides the perfect contrast to the tangy filling.
📝 Key ingredients
Below are the main ingredients for the shortbread base and the lemon-raspberry filling.
Read through for tips that ensure success. Full steps and ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card below.
- Raspberries: Fresh or frozen work; if frozen, thaw before using and strain for a smooth puree.
- Lemons: Use fresh lemon juice and zest from about 3–4 lemons for bright flavor. Avoid bottled juice.
- Eggs: Whole eggs add richness and help the filling set.
- All-purpose flour: Weigh the flour when possible for accuracy; if measuring by cup, stir and spoon into the cup and level off without packing.
For a different texture, try lemon bars with a graham cracker crust.
✔️ Ingredient substitutions
Gluten free: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for all-purpose flour; results should be similar though I haven’t personally tested it.
Dairy free: Use a brick-style dairy-free butter. Avoid margarine for the shortbread, as texture suffers.
Other berries: Blueberries or strawberries can be used; puree and strain to remove seeds and skins and use about 1/4 cup of smooth puree in place of the raspberry puree.
👩🍳 How to make lemon raspberry bars
The bars have two components: a buttery shortbread crust and a creamy lemon-raspberry filling. The steps below summarize the process; full details are in the recipe card.
Crust step by step
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Lightly oil an 8″ square pan and line it with parchment paper, cutting flaps so the paper fits neatly into the corners and creates an overhang to lift the bars out after baking.
Cut one straight slit on each side of the parchment so the corners fold in and the sheet sits flat inside the pan.
Step 2: Combine granulated sugar and grated lemon zest and rub them together until the sugar is fragrant and slightly moistened.
Step 3: Beat softened butter into the lemon sugar until creamy and lighter in color. Add vanilla and salt and mix to combine.
Step 4: Sift in the flour and fold just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing will make the crust tough.
Step 5: Press the dough into the prepared pan, creating a thin raised border around the edges to hold the filling.
Step 6: Bake 20–25 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the surface is no longer shiny. Prepare the filling while the crust bakes.
✔️ Expert shortbread crust tips
- Weigh flour: Use a scale for consistent results. If you must use cups, stir and spoon the flour into the cup and level it off without packing.
- Don’t overmix: Fold just until dry streaks disappear to keep the crust tender.
- Make a border: A raised edge prevents filling from seeping under the crust.
- Bake completely: The crust is done when the surface loses its shine and the edges turn golden.
Filling step by step
Step 1: Rub the sugar and lemon zest together in a non-metal bowl until fragrant. Add the flour and whisk to remove lumps.
Step 2: Add the eggs and whisk gently by hand just until smooth. Avoid overmixing so you don’t incorporate excess air.
Step 3: Mash the raspberries and strain to remove seeds, measuring 1/4 cup of puree. Add lemon juice and the raspberry puree to the filling and whisk gently to combine.
Step 4: When the crust is baked, remove it from the oven and do not shift the parchment. Pour the filling evenly over the hot crust, pop any large bubbles with a toothpick or gently smooth the top with a torch, and return to the oven.
Step 5: Bake 17–20 minutes. The edges should be fully set and the center slightly jiggly but not liquid. Cool in the pan at room temperature for two hours, then chill for one hour to fully set.
Step 6: Lift the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang, dust with powdered sugar just before serving, and cut into bars. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
✔️ Expert raspberry square tips
- Don’t overmix: Excess air makes bubbles and pockmarks on the finished surface.
- Don’t overbake: Overbaking causes cracks. Remove when edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble; it will firm as it cools.
- Cool completely: Chill for at least an hour so the bars cut cleanly while staying creamy.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
Store the bars in the refrigerator in a single layer to keep the filling firm. They can sit at room temperature for a few hours, but the filling will soften if left out longer.
You can bake them a day ahead and refrigerate overnight. Dust with powdered sugar right before serving. Bars can also be cut in advance.
For longer storage, freeze bars in a single layer in an airtight container for up to two months.
✔️ Why it’s important to raise up the edges of the crust
Raising the shortbread along the edges creates a border that keeps the filling from seeping under the crust. If the crust pulls away from the parchment after baking, avoid adjusting the paper — moving it can create a gap that allows filling to leak under the crust.
A small gap is manageable, but baking without parchment is not recommended because sticky filling can leak around corners and make removing the bars difficult.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Yes. Double the recipe and increase the baking time by about 5 minutes or as needed for the larger pan.
Yes. Test other berries like blueberries or strawberries by pureeing and straining to remove seeds and skins. Use about 1/4 cup of puree in place of the raspberry puree.
Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour. It should work, though results may vary slightly.
Yes. Substitute a brick-style vegan butter for the butter. Avoid margarine for the shortbread crust.
The filling should be set at the edges and slightly jiggly in the center when it comes out of the oven. It will continue to firm while cooling at room temperature and after chilling in the fridge for an hour. If it was still liquid after baking, the bake time or oven temperature may need adjustment.
🍋 More related recipes
-
Lemon Raspberry Cake
-
Raspberry Curd
-
Lemon Raspberry Cookies
-
Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and share a comment below. I’d love to see your creations — tag @flouringkitchen on Instagram.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Raspberry Bars
Mary
Pin Recipe
Shop Ingredients
Equipment
- eight inch square baking pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Shortbread Base
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 lemon, zested (reserve juice for filling)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
Raspberry Lemon Filling
- 2 lemons, zested (reserve juice for filling)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (60 g)
- 3 large eggs
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup raspberries, packed (defrosted if frozen)
- ½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (from 2–3 lemons)
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, for topping
Instructions
Shortbread Base
- Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Lightly oil an 8″ square pan and line it with parchment paper, trimming the paper so it fits and leaves an overhang.
- Combine ½ cup granulated sugar and the zest from 1 lemon; rub together until fragrant.
- Beat in 1 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth and lighter in color. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and ¼ teaspoon sea salt and mix to combine.
- Sift in 2 cups all-purpose flour and fold just until the dough has no dry streaks. Press into the prepared pan, raising a thin border around the edges. Bake 20–25 minutes until edges are lightly golden and the surface is no longer shiny.
Raspberry Lemon Filling
- Rub together 1 cup granulated sugar and the zest from 2 lemons in a non-metal bowl. Add ½ cup flour and whisk to remove lumps.
- Add 3 large eggs and ⅛ teaspoon salt and whisk gently by hand until smooth — avoid overmixing.
- Mash and strain raspberries to get ¼ cup puree. Combine the raspberry puree with ½ cup fresh lemon juice and add to the egg-sugar mixture; whisk gently to combine.
- Remove the baked crust from the oven and leave the parchment in place. Pour the filling over the hot crust and smooth the top, popping any large bubbles. Return to the oven and bake 17–20 minutes, until edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly but not liquid.
- Cool in the pan at room temperature for about two hours, then chill for one hour. Lift the bars from the pan using the parchment, dust with powdered sugar just before serving, and cut into bars. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Store bars in the refrigerator in a single layer to keep the filling firm. They can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; dust with powdered sugar right before serving. For longer storage, freeze in a single layer in an airtight container for up to two months.
Shortbread Crust Tips:
- Weigh flour for best consistency. If using cups, spoon and level — do not pack.
- Stop mixing as soon as dry streaks disappear to avoid a tough crust.
- Create a raised edge to contain the filling.
- Bake until the surface is matte and the edges are golden.
Filling Tips:
- Whisk gently to avoid excess air and surface imperfections.
- Remove from the oven when the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble; it will finish setting while cooling.
- Chill for at least an hour so bars cut cleanly while remaining creamy.
Nutrition
Let us know how it went!