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Raspberry Lemon Bars Recipe with Shortbread Crust and Lemon Curd
If you're craving a sweet treat that's both tart and buttery, these Raspberry Lemon Bars are just what you need. With a rich shortbread crust, a tangy lemon curd filling, and fresh raspberries, these bars are delicious and super easy to make. Using store-bought lemon curd saves time without sacrificing flavor. The perfect summer time treat!
Equipment
- 9×9-inch square baking pan
- Electric mixer (optional)
- Parchment paper
- 1 medium mixing bowl
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup softened butter
- 3/4 cup superfine white sugar, also known as baker’s sugar or caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (reserved for the end)
Raspberry Lemon Filling:
- 10.5 ounces lemon curd
- 1 1/4 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
Shortbread Crust:
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×9-inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper and then greasing it. Wash and gently dry 1 1/4 cup fresh raspberries, set aside.
- Cream together: In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup superfine white sugar, cream together until light and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Mix In Dry Ingredients: While beating with an electric mixer, gradually add 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour to the butter mixture until combined.
- Press and Chill: Press about two-thirds of the shortbread dough into the prepared pan, reserving the remaining dough for the top layer. Refrigerate the prepared crust for 15 minutes before baking.
- Par Bake: Bake the crust in the preheated oven for about 15-minutes, until it's very lightly golden. It will look underbaked and that is ok. DO NOT bake until it is golden brown, it will finish baking after we add the filling.
Fill, assemble, and bake:
- Add Lemon Curd and Raspberries: Spread an even layer of the lemon curd on top of the shortbread base. Add the fresh raspberries on top of the lemon curd, leaving at least a centimeter of space between each one. Ensure the raspberries are completely dry before adding them. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of brown sugar on top of the raspberries.
- Add the Crust: Crumble the remaining shortbread on top of the lemon curd and raspberries in an even layer. Evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar on top of the crumble.
- Bake: Bake on 350°F (175°C) for about 55 minutes or until you see browned edges and the crumble is a light golden brown. Oven temperatures can vary, I recommend checking on the bars at the 45 minute mark, to ensure they do not overbake.
- Cool and Serve: Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool for a few hours until the bars are room temperature. This step is important because it enables the raspberry lemon filling to set. Slice into bars and enjoy!
Video
Notes
It’s important to ensure the raspberries are completely dry before they are added on top of the lemon curd. Wet raspberries will introduce a lot more moisture to the bake and will throw off baking times.
After the Raspberry Lemon Bars come out of the oven, they will need a few hours to set so it’s best to plan ahead.
These bars are best served at room temperature. If you’d like to make them ahead, store them in the fridge. Then, a couple of hours before you’re planning to serve them, take them out of the fridge and let them get back to room temperature. It’s important not to serve them cold as the butter in the shortbread base will harden. Serving Raspberry Lemon Bars at room temperature ensures the best texture.
To help cut down on prep time, I recommend using store-bought lemon curd. If you buy one that you like, it will work perfectly here.
