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Tangy Raspberry Lemon Bars Recipe Easy Homemade Shortbread Crust Delight

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Bright, tangy, and sweet raspberry lemon bars with a buttery shortbread crust that melts in your mouth. Perfect for a quick, homemade treat with a refreshing fruit punch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened (room temperature for easy creaming)
  • 2/3 cup (85g) granulated sugar
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (300g) fresh raspberries (thawed and drained if frozen)
  • 4 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (32g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, letting some hang over the edges for easy removal, or grease it well.
  2. Make the shortbread crust: In a large bowl, cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 2/3 cup granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer.
  3. Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined and the dough starts to come together. The texture will be crumbly but should hold when pressed.
  4. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan, covering the entire bottom and smoothing it out with your fingers or the back of a spoon. Do not press too hard; it should be firm but light.
  5. Bake the crust for 18-20 minutes until just turning golden around the edges but not browned all over.
  6. While the crust bakes, prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, zest of 2 lemons, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth and well combined.
  7. Gently fold in 2 cups fresh raspberries. Mash some slightly if you prefer more raspberry flavor or keep mostly whole for texture.
  8. Once the crust is out of the oven, pour the filling evenly over the warm crust. Place the pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
  9. Bake for another 25-30 minutes until the filling is set but still has a slight jiggle in the center. A toothpick inserted should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
  10. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm up before slicing.
  11. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out, then cut into 12-16 squares. Wipe your knife clean between cuts for clean edges.

Notes

Use softened butter, not melted, for the crust to trap air and create a tender texture. Do not overbake the crust; it should be pale golden. Fresh lemon juice and zest are key for brightness. Fold raspberries gently to avoid watery filling. Chill bars completely before slicing to prevent crumbling. For seedless filling, strain through a fine mesh sieve before baking. Frozen raspberries must be thawed and drained to avoid excess moisture.

Nutrition

Keywords: raspberry lemon bars, lemon bars, shortbread crust, homemade dessert, easy baking, tangy dessert, raspberry dessert, lemon dessert

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