Lemon Blueberry Shortbread Bars are bright, zesty, and bursting with flavor! The buttery lemon shortbread crust is topped with a jammy blueberry filling, and finished with an incredible lemon crumble. These delectable bars are sure to be the star at any Spring or Summer party!
Jump to:
These are the BEST blueberry lemon bars out there! A layer of rich and buttery lemon shortbread is topped with a sweet blueberry jam filling and finished with more lemon crumble.
They're light, bright, and perfect for spring or summer! Best of all, you won't believe how simple they are to make. Simply press in the crust, top with blueberries, crumble, and bake, that's it! Sweet, simple, and summery.
For more lemon blueberry recipes, try this sheet cake, these cookies, or Starbucks' copycat blueberry muffins!
Why You'll Love These Blueberry Lemon Shortbread Bars
- They're busting with bright lemon and tart blueberry flavor
- The lemon shortbread is light, buttery, and melt in your mouth delicious
- The blueberries become all jammy, and make the perfect filling
- These shortbread bars are super simple to make and can be prepared in under 15 minutes
- Everyone LOVES these and they're sure to be a star at any upcoming party!
Key Ingredients Needed
*For the full list of ingredients and measurements, see recipe card below*
- Butter: When baking, I typically use salted butter to balance out the sweetness. Unsalted butter also works, you'll just need to add ⅛ teaspoon more salt.
- Brown sugar: I prefer the taste of light brown sugar in the crust, but you can use dark brown (it will change the color) or granulated sugar if that's all you have.
- Lemons: You will need both the zest and juice from the lemons. Make sure you wash them first!
- Flour: For the lemon crust, I used all purpose flour. Gluten free all purpose flour will work as well, as long as it contains xanthan gum!
- Frozen blueberries: You will need to use frozen blueberries. The recipe and ingredient amounts were tested with frozen because they tend to have more water than fresh.
- Cornstarch: This ingredient is essential for making a filling that holds up and isn't too runny. If you don't have cornstarch, arrowroot powder or tapioca starch will work also.
- Sugar: For the blueberry filling, I prefer to use regular granulated sugar. It makes it sweet without changing the flavor or texture of the filling.
- Salt: This is critical for balancing the sweetness and baking a flavorful dessert! I bake with Kosher salt and always recommend using it because it has a milder taste and adds flavor without being overpowering.
- Powdered sugar: If you choose to make the glaze, be sure to make it with powdered sugar!
How To Make Lemon Blueberry Shortbread Bars
Make The Lemon Shortbread Crust
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour brown sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt. Mix until well combined.
STEP THREE: To the dry ingredients, add in the melted butter and lemon juice. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything in until it's well combined. (if the spatula is too difficult, try using your hands!)
STEP FOUR: Set the lemon shortbread aside while you make the blueberry filling.
Make The Blueberry Filling
STEP ONE: In another large mixing bowl, add the frozen blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, salt, vanilla, and cornstarch. Gently mix everything together.
STEP TWO: Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the blueberries to macerate and release their juice.
Assembling and Baking
STEP ONE: Take ⅔ of the lemon shortbread dough and place it onto the bottom of your parchment lined baking pan. Use your fingers to press it into an even layer, making sure to take the dough to all sides of the pan so the bottom is completely covered.
STEP TWO: Carefully pour the macerated blueberry filling on top of the lemon crust and spread it into an even layer.
STEP THREE: Using your hands, crumble the remaining ⅓ of the lemon shortbread over top of the blueberries.
STEP FOUR: Bake the bars for 45-50 minutes, or until the berries are bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
STEP FIVE: Carefully remove the lemon blueberry bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely before cutting and serving.
Expert Baking Tips
- Zest the lemon first: It's easier if you zest the lemon before juicing it! That way you can zest a whole lemon instead of half.
- Use frozen blueberries: The amount of cornstarch is equal to the amount of water released from FROZEN blueberries. You don't want to use fresh for this recipe!
- Line the pan with parchment paper: To make the bars easy to lift out of the pan, make sure you line it with parchment paper before baking.
- Bake till bubbly: You'll want the blueberry filling to be bubbly and the top crust to be golden brown, that way you know they're done.
- Cool completely: In order to keep the filling from leaking out all over the place, you need to allow these lemon blueberry bars to cool completely.
- Top with a glaze: The glaze is my favorite, and it's so simple! Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice for a light lemon glaze to drizzle on top. (see recipe in recipe card below)
FAQs
Yes, if you want to make gluten free bars all you have to do is swap out the all purpose flour for gluten free all purpose flour with xanthan gum.
I wouldn't change the blueberries for another berry. The water content varies between different berries, so I cannot guarantee that the filling would be the correct texture.
If the filling is runny, the bars are either not baked enough or the cornstarch wasn't measured properly.
I recommend baking the bars for at least 45 minutes as well as taking time to properly measure the cornstarch.
How To Store The Shortbread Bars
Keep leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Additionally, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
The blueberry filling will leak and bleed into the lemon crust, but that's ok they still taste great! However, if you're going for presentation, I DO NOT suggest making them ahead of time.
*I do NOT recommend freezing these bars, they do not hold up well and it will affect the texture*
a quick note about baking in grams...
You may notice that my recipes are listed in grams instead of cups. That's because it's really the most accurate way to measure and bake exceptional treats every time with little room for error.
While the recipe card does have an option for you to switch from Metric measurements to US measurements, I personally have not tested the switch. I recommend purchasing a $10 scale from Amazon and simplifying your life!
More Lemon Blueberry Recipes You'll Love!
- Blueberry lemon sheet cake
- Lemon blueberry cookies
- Starbucks' blueberry muffins
- Small batch lemon curd
- Lemon raspberry sheet cake (not blueberry, but just as good!!!)
Did you make these delicious blueberry lemon shortbread bars? If so, I would appreciate you leaving a comment and star rating down below.
Additionally, follow me on Instagram (@coleinthekitchen), Pinterest, Facebook, or sign up for emails so you never miss a new recipe!
PrintBest Ever Lemon Blueberry Shortbread Bars
Lemon Blueberry Shortbread Bars are bright, zesty, and bursting with flavor! The buttery lemon shortbread crust is topped with a jammy blueberry filling, and finished with an incredible lemon crumble. These delectable bars are sure to be the star at any Spring or Summer party!
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 45 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 Servings 1x
- Category: Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Lemon Shortbread:
- 12 tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 330g all purpose flour
- 210g light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Blueberry Filling:
- 14 ounces frozen blueberries
- 50g white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Lemon Glaze (optional):
- ½ cup sifted powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, light brown sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- To the flour mixture, add in the melted butter and lemon juice. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything in until it is fully combined. (if the spatula is too difficult, try using your hands!)
- Set the lemon shortbread aside while you make the blueberry jam filling.
- In another large mixing bowl, add the frozen blueberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Gently fold everything together with a rubber spatula.
- Set the blueberries aside for 5 minutes to allow them to macerate and release their juice.
- After the 5 minutes, take ⅔rds of the lemon shortbread dough and place it onto the bottom of your parchment lined baking pan. Use your fingers to press it into an even layer, making sure to take the dough to all sides of the pan so the bottom is completely covered.
- Carefully pour the macerated blueberry filling on top of the crust and spread it into an even layer.
- Now, using your hands, crumble the remaining ⅓rd of the shortbread over top of the blueberries.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the berries are bubbling and the crust is golden brown.
- Carefully remove the lemon blueberry bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely before cutting and serving.
- (optional) In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until you have a thick, but pourable glaze. Drizzle over cooled bars and enjoy!
Notes
- Zest the lemon first: It's easier if you zest the lemon before juicing it! That way you can zest a whole lemon instead of half.
- Use frozen blueberries: The amount of cornstarch is equal to the amount of water released from FROZEN blueberries. You don't want to use fresh for this recipe!
- Line the pan with parchment paper: To make the bars easy to lift out of the pan, make sure you line it with parchment paper before baking.
- Bake till bubbly: You'll want the blueberry filling to be bubbly and the top crust to be golden brown, that way you know they're done.
- Cool completely: In order to keep the filling from leaking out all over the place, you need to allow these lemon blueberry bars to cool completely.
- Storing: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leave a Reply