These sweet and tangy strawberry lemon bars are bursting with fresh strawberry flavor and are so easy to make. They have a buttery oat flour shortbread crust and a creamy lemon filling. The perfect summer treat!
Lemon desserts are perfect for spring and summer when the weather starts warming up—they're bright, refreshing, and always a hit. These strawberry lemon bars are no exception! They've got a smooth, pink strawberry-lemon filling and a thick, buttery oat flour shortbread crust.
They're secretly gluten-free, made with simple ingredients like coconut sugar, honey, and fresh strawberries—but taste just like the classic version. Super easy to make and perfect for BBQs, brunches, or sunny days when you're craving something sweet and tangy.
If you love lemon, be sure to try my lemonade popsicles too—they're another must-make warm-weather treat!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: These strawberry lemon bars come together with simple steps and are perfect for beginner bakers.
- Bright and Refreshing Flavor: The creamy strawberry-lemon filling is perfectly tangy and sweet, bursting with fresh fruit.
- Perfect for Summer: This is the ultimate warm-weather dessert, ideal for BBQs, brunches, parties, or simply because.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: These bars hold up well in the fridge and are easy to prepare in advance for stress-free entertaining.
The Ingredients
- Oat Flour: We use oat flour for the crust and to help set the filling. You can buy it or make your own at home.
- Coconut Sugar: This sweetens the crust and adds a subtle caramel flavor.
- Butter: Butter makes the crust soft and buttery, but you can use dairy-free butter or coconut oil to keep it dairy-free.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a warm, sweet flavor to the bars.
- Eggs: Eggs help hold the lemon filling together.
- Lemons: Fresh lemon juice is best, and you'll need about 10 to 12 lemons to get 1 cup.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries add natural sweetness and a pretty pink color.
- Strawberry Jam: This gives extra strawberry flavor to the filling.
- Honey: Honey sweetens the filling naturally, but you can use maple syrup if you prefer.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Strawberry Lemon Bars
- Step 1: Press the shortbread dough into a lined pan and bake at 325°F for 15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. While the crust is still warm, poke it all over with a fork.
- Step 2: Whisk the eggs with the rest of the filling ingredients.
- Step 3: Blend the filling mixture on high for 30 seconds.
- Step 4: Pour the filling over the warm crust with holes.
- Step 5: Bake again at 325°F for 20–25 minutes, until the center barely jiggles.
- Step 6: Let the bars cool completely—about 2 hours at room temperature, then chill for 1–2 hours. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into neat squares, wiping your knife between cuts.
Hint: For clean cuts, chill the bars well and use a sharp knife warmed under hot water before slicing.
Video Tutorial
Expert Baking Tips
- Let Lemon Bars Cool for at Least 3 Hours: This gives the strawberry lemon bars enough time to fully set and chill. Be sure to refrigerate them before serving.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the brightest, most vibrant flavor. It really makes a noticeable difference compared to bottled juice.
- Perfect Lemon Bar Squares: If you want "perfect" lemon bars with crisp edges, clean your knife with a dish towel between each cut.
Equipment
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- High-Speed Blender
- 8x8-inch Baking Dish
- Parchment Paper
- Measuring Tools
Substitutions & Variations
- Make them gluten-free: These bars are naturally gluten-free.
- Make them dairy-free: Use dairy-free, vegan butter or melted coconut oil instead of salted butter in the oat flour shortbread crust. The custard filling is already dairy-free.
- Oat flour substitution: If you don't have oat flour, you can substitute it with an equal amount of all-purpose flour or almond flour.
- Coconut sugar substitution: Substitute coconut sugar with an equal amount of granulated sugar, brown sugar, or maple syrup.
- Strawberry jam substitution: Substitute strawberry jam with raspberry jam or any other fruit preserves of your choice. NOTE: This will change the flavor of the bars!
- Honey substitution: You can substitute maple syrup for honey.
- Nutty crust: Add chopped almonds or pecans to the crust for extra crunch.
Storage & Freezing
Storing: Keep any leftover strawberry lemon bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days. They're best enjoyed chilled straight from the fridge.
Freezing: To freeze, cool the bars completely, then wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready, thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don't recommend using frozen strawberries for these lemon bars. They can make the filling runny and slushy, increase baking time, and prevent the bars from setting properly.
Lemon bars can crack or fail to set if they're overbaked, which dries out the filling. Baking at a lower temperature (like 325°F) and pulling them out when the center just barely jiggles helps keep them creamy. Also, make sure to let them cool and chill fully before slicing—this helps the filling firm up and prevents cracks.
The bars are done when the center filling barely jiggles but isn't runny. The edges should be firm. The filling will continue to set as the bars cool.
Yes! Use dairy-free vegan butter or melted coconut oil instead of salted butter in the crust. The lemon custard filling is already dairy-free.
Definitely! These bars are great for making ahead for BBQs, parties, or brunch. Just bake, chill, and cut right before serving.
For neat, clean cuts, wipe your knife between each slice.
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Oat Flour Shortbread Base:
- 1 ½ cup oat flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 6 - 8 tablespoon salted butter (or unsalted butter + ¼ teaspoon salt), melted
- 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry Lemon Filling:
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice, about 10 lemons
- ½ cup fresh strawberries, destemmed
- ½ cup strawberry jam, I love Bonne Maman
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup oat flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease an 8x8’ baking dish with butter and then line it with parchment. I highly recommend leaving an overhang of parchment paper on the sides of the dish so you can easily lift the bars out to cut them.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all the oat flour shortbread ingredients. Start with 6 tablespoons of butter and mix the ingredients together. The crust should hold together well when squeezed & not be too soft. If it is too crumbly, add 1 - 2 tablespoons more melted butter.
- Dump the dough into the greased pan and press it evenly into the bottom of the dish. I like to press mine flat with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup. Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes until lightly golden around the edges. Gently poke the crust all over with a fork immediately after you remove it from the oven. Don’t poke all the way through to the bottom; just make indents.
- While the crust is baking, make the strawberry lemon filling. In another bowl, whisk together eggs. Then add them to the blender with all filling ingredients and blend for 30 seconds on high. I like a few strawberry flecks, but blending until totally smooth works too.
- Pour the filling over the warm crust (poked with holes) and bake at 325°F for 20 - 25 minutes or until the center just barely jiggles.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack. I usually cool them for 2 hours at room temperature, then place the baking tray into the refrigerator for 1 - 2 more hours until fully chilled.
- Once the bars are cooled, lift the parchment paper out of the pan; then dust the tops of the bars with powdered sugar. For clean-edged, neat squares, wipe your cutting knife between each cut.
- Serve chilled and enjoy!
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