Description
Homemade lemon strawberry crumb bars showcase summer’s sweetest flavors with buttery shortbread crust and tangy fruit filling. Delightful dessert bars blend zesty citrus and fresh strawberries into a perfect seasonal treat you’ll savor to the last crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit and Filling:
- 1.5 cups (340 grams) fresh strawberries, diced
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) lemon zest
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
Wet and Binding Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) cold butter, cubed
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Set oven to 375°F (190°C) and thoroughly coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine dry base ingredients in a large mixing bowl, creating a uniform flour mixture.
- Incorporate chilled butter pieces into the dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter or fingertips to achieve a coarse, sandy texture.
- Fold beaten egg into the crumbly dough until it just comes together.
- Gently press approximately half of the dough mixture into the prepared pan, creating an even bottom layer.
- Prepare fruit filling by mixing strawberry pieces with fresh lemon juice, zest, and cornstarch until strawberries are evenly coated.
- Distribute strawberry mixture uniformly across the initial dough layer, ensuring consistent coverage.
- Sprinkle remaining dough crumbles over the strawberry layer, creating a rustic, textured top.
- Slide pan into preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, watching for golden-brown edges and slightly bubbling center.
- Remove from oven and allow bars to cool completely in pan before slicing into squares for clean, precise cuts.
Notes
- Adapt the crumb base by substituting gluten-free flour for a celiac-friendly version that maintains the same delightful texture.
- Enhance fruit stability by thoroughly coating strawberries in cornstarch to prevent excess liquid and ensure a perfectly set filling.
- Achieve crisp edges and even baking by using a light-colored metal baking pan that conducts heat uniformly and prevents burning.
- Maximize flavor intensity by using fresh, ripe strawberries and zesting lemons just before mixing to capture maximum citrusy essential oils.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 182 kcal
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 52 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 37 mg