Strawberry Lemon Crumb Bars

Updated: Feb 28, 2022

What happens when a strawberry crumble pie meets a lemon bar? You get strawberry lemonade in bar form! Sweet from the strawberries yet tangy from the lemon with a soft yet dense texture from the creamy lemon filling, these fragrant and juicy bars are bursting with flavor. Add in a buttery shortbread crust and a crumbly streusel topping and you have a treat filled with so many textures and flavors in every bite. There’s no better way to celebrate spring or summer than with these easy and delicious bars.

Ingredients

Crust and Crumble

1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Lemon Layer

2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
¾ cup full-fat sour cream
½ cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Strawberry Layer

3 cups diced fresh strawberries
⅔ cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1½ Tbsp cornstarch

Directions

Crust and Crumble

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with enough parchment paper to overhang on the edges and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugars, and vanilla until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed until combined. The mixture will be very dry and sandy with some larger, well-formed crumble pieces.
Set about 1¼ cup of the crumble mixture aside.
Transfer the remaining mixture to the prepared pan and use a spatula or your fingers to press the mixture to create an even, smooth, flat crust.
Bake the crust for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Lemon Layer

In a medium bowl, use an electric handheld mixer to beat the eggs, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla together until smooth.
Gradually add the flour and beat on low speed until incorporated and smooth.
Pour the lemon filling over the cooled crust and smooth it with a spatula to evenly spread the filling; set aside.

Strawberry Layer

In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cornstarch.
Evenly distribute the strawberry mixture on top of the lemon layer. Then evenly sprinkle the reserved crust mixture on top of the strawberry layer.
Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the crumb topping is set and light golden. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the bars to cool for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Place the pan in the refrigerator for 2 hours before slicing and serving to ensure clean, neat cuts.