Lemon Bars with Raspberry Glaze

LEMON BARS with RASPBERRY GLAZE

10/20/2015

There is something so absolutely wonderful about perfectly fresh, sweet and tart Lemon Bars with Raspberry Glaze! Powdered sugar is fine for those times when you don’t mind the mess or messy faces, but for special occasions, this tender shortbread cookie crust is covered with a smooth and rich, burst-in-your-mouth lemon layer of goodness, and topped with a perfect (and easy) raspberry glaze. These are simply the best Lemon Bars made even better with a fresh Raspberry Glaze!

Lemon Bars with Raspberry Glaze

THE PERFECT SHORTBREAD CRUST:

When I first made these years ago, I made the mistake of packing the crust down too hard and baking it twice as long as I do now. Practice makes perfect! The brown sugar in the crust makes for an extra-flavorful golden cookie base, and we prefer it tender, but you can bake the crust for a few extra minutes if you prefer a crisper shortbread bottom.

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS FOR PERFECT LEMON BARS:

FRESH LEMON JUICE: Store-bought bottles are convenient, but you miss out on a lot of fresh lemon flavor. You will definitely taste the difference! I also recommend using organic lemons for this recipe, as you will be using the lemon zest as well.
SEEDLESS RASPBERRY GLAZE: If you prefer a seedless Raspberry glaze, pour the warm glaze mixture through a stainless steel strainer over a medium bowl and press the clear glaze out; discard seeds.
DON’T FORGET TO LOWER OVEN TEMP! Always bake lemon bars at a lower temperature to avoid over-baking the lemon curd filling.
FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: Lemon bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. After cooling to room temperature, place the Lemon Bar slab in the parchment paper on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place in a large bag or freezer container to freeze. Thaw unopened container in the refrigerator before cutting and serving.
BEST BAKING RESULTS? Some people prefer a tender crust – use a glass or ceramic baking dish if that is your preference. For a crispier shortbread texture, bake in a light metal pan. For either method, make sure to line with parchment paper!

Lemon Bars with Raspberry Glaze

LEMON BAR RECIPE VARIATIONS:

Blueberry Lemon Bars – substitute wild Blueberry Preserves and fresh blueberries for the raspberry jam and fresh raspberries.
Strawberry Lemon Bars – substitute Strawberry Preserves and fresh strawberries for the raspberry jam and fresh raspberries.
Rhubarb Lemon Bars – substitute Rhubarb Jam or Raspberry Rhubarb Jam for the raspberry jam – leave out the fresh raspberries.
Raspberry Key Lime Bars – substitute fresh Key Lime juice for the lemon juice, and lime zest for the lemon zest. These are divine!
Gluten-Free Lemon Bars - You can easily make Gluten-Free Lemon Bars by substituting your favorite 1:1 gluten free flour for the all-purpose flour. I use and recommend King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour and Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.

Lemon Bars with Raspberry Glaze

My Sunshine Girl requested these delicious fresh Lemon Bars with Raspberry Glaze for her birthday celebration - never mind a fancy birthday cake and ice cream! Happy Birthday Katie! Love you always, Mama

LEMON BARS with RASPBERRY GLAZE

There is something so absolutely wonderful about a perfectly fresh, sweet and tart Lemon Bars with Raspberry Glaze! Powdered sugar is fine for those times when you don’t mind the mess or messy faces, but for special occasions, this tender shortbread cookie crust is covered with a smooth and rich, burst-in-your-mouth lemon layer of goodness, and topped with a perfect (and easy) raspberry glaze. Simply the best Lemon Bars made even better with a fresh Raspberry Glaze!

Lemon Bars with Raspberry Glaze

INGREDIENTS:
CRUST:
¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (35g) powdered sugar
1/3 cup (73g) light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt

LEMON CURD FILLING:
2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour
1-1/2 Tablespoons lemon zest
1 cup (240ml) fresh lemon juice (3 to 4 large fresh lemons)
4 large eggs (room temperature)
3 large egg yolks (room temperature)
3 1/2 Tablespoons heavy cream (room temperature)

RASPBERRY GLAZE:
1 cup raspberry preserves or fruit spread
1 cup fresh raspberries

HOW I MAKE THESE:

Remove butter, eggs and heavy cream from refrigerator.
PREPARE LEMONS: Wash and dry fresh organic lemons. Use a microplane grater to zest lemons until you have about 4 tablespoons of lemon zest; set aside. After zesting, juice the lemons. The easiest way to juice lemons is to nuke them for 15 seconds in a microwave, then roll on a countertop, pressing firmly as you roll – this allows the maximum amount of lemon juice to be released.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper, and then spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.
PREPARE SHORTBREAD CRUST: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, brown sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Add butter cubes and mix with a fork or pastry blender until mixture begins to come together in a crumbly fashion.
Firmly press mixture into an even layer on bottom of the prepared pan, making sure the layer of crust is nice and even and pressing together any cracks. Bake in preheated oven until lightly golden, about 12-15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
Remove from the oven. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the warm crust (not all the way through the crust). This step helps the filling stick and holds the crust in place.
PREPARE LEMON FILLING: While crust is baking, prepare lemon filling.
Whisk eggs and egg yolks together in a bowl; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and flour. Mix in whisked egg mixture, and then the heavy cream and continue whisking until well blended. Mix in lemon juice and lemon zest, whisking until well blended.
Immediately after removing crust from oven, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Pour mixture over hot crust (hold a whisk or silicone spatula low over the crust and pour your mixture over that so that you don’t crack the crust).
Return pan to oven and bake until filling is set, about 22 - 25 minutes, or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles – you can give the pan a light tap with an oven mitt to test that it no longer jiggles.
PREPARE RASPBERRY GLAZE: While lemon bars are baking, in a small saucepan combine the raspberry preserves and fresh raspberries. Cook over medium heat, mashing raspberries until the mixture just starts to come to a simmer; set aside.
After baking, remove bars from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Slowly pour raspberry glaze over top of lemon bars, spreading gently to cover the top completely. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least two hours.
Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhand on the sides.
Cut into squares before serving. For neat squares, run the knife under hot water and wipe the clean blade dry between each cut.
Cover and store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

YIELD: 24 servings

RECIPE VARIATIONS:

Blueberry Lemon Bars – substitute wild Blueberry Preserves and fresh blueberries for the raspberry jam and fresh raspberries.
Strawberry Lemon Bars – substitute Strawberry Preserves and fresh strawberries for the raspberry jam and fresh raspberries.
Rhubarb Lemon Bars – substitute Rhubarb Jam or Raspberry Rhubarb Jam for the raspberry jam – leave out the fresh raspberries.
Raspberry Key Lime Bars – substitute fresh Key Lime juice for the lemon juice, and lime zest for the lemon zest. These are divine!
Gluten-Free Lemon Bars - You can easily make Gluten-Free Lemon Bars by substituting your favorite 1:1 gluten free flour for the all-purpose flour. I use and recommend King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour and Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS:

FRESH LEMON JUICE: Store-bought bottles are convenient, but you miss out on a lot of fresh lemon flavor. You will definitely taste the difference! I also recommend using organic lemons for this recipe, as you will be using the lemon zest as well.
SEEDLESS RASPBERRY GLAZE: If you prefer a seedless Raspberry glaze, pour the warm glaze mixture through a stainless steel strainer over a medium bowl and press the clear glaze out; discard seeds.
DON’T FORGET TO LOWER OVEN TEMP! Always bake lemon bars at a lower temperature to avoid over-baking the lemon curd filling.
FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: Lemon bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. After cooling to room temperature, place the Lemon Bar slab in the parchment paper on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place in a large bag or freezer container to freeze. Thaw unopened container in the refrigerator before cutting and serving.
BEST BAKING RESULTS? Some people prefer a tender crust – use a glass or ceramic baking dish if that is your preference. For a crispier shortbread texture, bake in a light metal pan. For either method, make sure to line with parchment paper!

Original recipe published October 2015; revised and reposted March 2023.

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