If like me you love lemon flavours in your baking then you will love this recipe for lemon shortbread bars. They’re buttery and crumbly with a lovely lemony flavour and each square contains only 188 calories.
I absolutely love anything with lemon flavours from lemon cakes to lemon chicken. Anything with lemon, you name it and I love it. I make shortbread biscuits regularly but have recently began making shortbread into bars instead. It’s a much quicker process as you simply make the shortbread dough and add it to a square tin which you bake immediately without having to refrigerate first.
These lemon shortbread bars are not only delicious but they are one of the easiest recipes to prepare on this blog. It really doesn’t require much effort to make these yummy lemony treats. The recipe is a basic shortbread recipe with added lemon. It is covered in a lemon flavoured glaze and finished off with some lemon zest.
Enjoy these yummy treats any time of day though I usually have them as an after-dinner treat. If you love lemon and shortbread then this recipe combines the two perfectly.
Ingredients for Lemon Shortbread Bars
For the full list of ingredients and measurements, scroll to the recipe card below.
Lemon Bar Ingredients
- Flour - use plain flour also known as all-purpose flour.
- Salt – I use fine sea salt.
- Cornflour – also known as cornstarch.
- Butter – use unsalted butter that is soft.
- Icing sugar – also known as confectioners sugar or powdered sugar.
- Lemon juice – squeezed from a fresh lemon.
- Vanilla – use good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Lemon extract – provides a stronger lemon flavour.
Lemon Glaze Ingredients
- Icing sugar – also known as confectioners sugar or powdered sugar.
- Lemon juice – to mix in with the icing sugar.
- Lemon zest - to top the glaze.
How to Make Lemon Shortbread Bars
Make the Lemon Bars
Preheat the oven: Start by preheating the oven to 180oC and lining an 8 x 8-inch baking tin with parchment paper.
Prepare the dry ingredients: Add the plain flour, salt and cornflour to a medium sized bowl then whisk them together and set aside.
Combine the butter and icing sugar: Combine the butter and icing sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Add the remaining ingredients: Mix in the lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon extract then pour in the dry ingredients and continue to combine until a dough forms.
Bake the lemon bars: Transfer the dough to the baking tin and use a palette knife to spread it evenly in the tin. Bake for 25 minutes then allow to completely cool in the tin.
Make the Lemon Glaze
Combine the icing sugar and lemon juice: In a small bowl, combine the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth and lump free.
Top the lemon bars with the glaze: Pour the lemon glaze on top of the shortbread and use a palette knife to spread it evenly over the bars. Optionally, sprinkle on some lemon zest then allow the glaze to set and cut into 16 pieces.
Recipe Tips
- For the best results prepare this recipe using a stand mixer or hand mixer.
- Using lemon extract alongside the lemon juice is optionally. You can use lemon juice alone but the flavour will not be as strong.
- The shortbread is very delicate so be very careful which lifting the parchment paper out the tin.
Storage
These lemon shortbread bars should be stored in an airtight container and can last up to 6 days at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutrition based on 1 serving - Calories: 188kcal | Fat: 10.5g | Saturates: 6.4g | Carbohydrates: 21.5g | Sugar: 10.5g | Fibre: 0.5g | Protein: 1.7g | Salt: 0.05g.
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Lemon Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
For the Lemon Bars
- 250g plain flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- 195g unsalted butter
- 80g icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice squeezed from 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the Lemon Glaze
- 80g icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest optional
Instructions
- Make the Shortbread Bars: Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350oF/180oC/160℃ fan and line an 8 x 8-inch baking tin with parchment paper. Ensure you leave some overhang to lift the shortbread out the tin. To a medium size bowl add the plain flour, salt and cornflour. Whisk them together and set aside.
- To a large bowl or stand mixer bowl with a paddle attached, cream together the butter and icing sugar until fluffy. Add in the lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon extract and combine. Pour in the dry ingredients and continue to combine until a dough forms.
- Add the dough into the baking tin and use a palette knife to spread it in the tin. Bake for 25 minutes then allow to completely cool before removing the shortbread from the tin using the overhung parchment paper.
- Make the Lemon Glaze: Combine the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Pour it on top of the shortbread and spread it using a palette knife. Sprinkle on some lemon zest if you want. Once the glaze sets cut into 16 pieces then enjoy.
Susan Blake says
I tried this recipe yesterday, they came out perfect. I’m normally rubbish at baking but these were so easy to make and I was happy with the results. My daughter loved them.