Easy and Delicious Lemon Lime Bars

These Lemon Lime bars are easy and super tasty. Combining the flavors of lemon and lime in a delicious dessert bar!

Baking Something Different

I love baking, 8 years ago I started a cupcake business from my home that catered birthday parties, events, and so much more. I started baking seriously because I had a lot of time on my hands after having my 2nd son. He was a breeze and so easy to take care of, that he would simply watch while I baked.

What are Lemon Lime Bars?

Lemon Lime Bars are a vibrant and tangy dessert that combines the zesty flavors of lemons and limes in a buttery, crumbly shortbread crust, topped with a luscious citrusy filling. These bars are sweet, slightly tart, and incredibly refreshing, making them perfect for spring and summer gatherings, or whenever you want a burst of citrus delight.

Getting the crust right: the butter crumb

The shortbread crust for this recipe uses cold butter worked into the dry ingredients until it forms a fine, even crumb — exactly the same technique as making pie dough or biscuits. The goal is visible crumbs of butter throughout the mixture rather than a smooth, homogeneous dough.

Use cold butter cut into small cubes. A pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips all work — if using fingers, work quickly so your body heat doesn’t melt the butter. You’re done when the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with no large butter chunks remaining but also no smooth patches where the butter has fully incorporated.

Press the crumb mixture firmly into the pan — more firmly than feels necessary. A well-pressed crust holds together cleanly when the bars are cut. A loosely pressed crust crumbles at the edges when sliced.

INGREDIENT NOTES

Cold butter (¾ cup, cut into small cubes): Cold is essential for the crumb crust to work. Room-temperature butter incorporates too smoothly and produces a dense, pastry-like crust rather than the crumbly shortbread texture. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the butter cubes after cutting them and before working into the dry ingredients.

Cornstarch (2 tablespoons in the crust): This is what gives the shortbread crust its tender, melt-in-the-mouth quality. It inhibits gluten development so the crust stays crumbly rather than becoming tough and bread-like. Don’t skip it.

Half and half (⅓ cup): This adds richness to the filling without making it as dense as a cream-only filling. If you don’t have half and half, substitute with 3 tablespoons heavy cream and 3 tablespoons whole milk stirred together.

Fresh lemon and lime juice: The juice quantities are small — 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon each — so the flavor is primarily coming from the eggs, sugar, and zest rather than a large volume of juice. Fresh juice is worth using here because those small quantities mean the difference between fresh and bottled is more pronounced than in a recipe that uses larger amounts.

Green food coloring (1 drop, optional): Without it, both layers look nearly identical. One drop turns the lime layer a pale, distinct green — two-toned bars cut into by the powdered sugar look significantly more interesting than two identical cream-colored layers. Worth using.

How Do You Make These Bars

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the two long sides for easy removal.

Step 2: Make the crust
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and cut in using a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large butter pieces remaining.

Step 3: Press and bake crust
Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan — press harder than feels necessary for a crust that holds together cleanly when cut. Bake for 15 minutes until just barely starting to color at the edges.

Step 4: Make the lemon filling
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, white sugar, half and half, and 3 tablespoons of flour until smooth. Divide evenly between two bowls.

Step 5: Flavor each bowl
To one bowl, add 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and the lemon juice. To the second bowl, add 1 teaspoon of lime zest, the lime juice, and 1 drop of green food coloring if using. Stir each bowl until combined.

Step 6: First layer — lemon
Remove the crust from the oven. Pour the lemon mixture evenly over the hot crust. Return to oven and bake 10-12 minutes until just set — the center should jiggle slightly when you nudge the pan but not slosh. Edges should look firm and matte.

Step 7: Second layer — lime
Pour the lime mixture very slowly and gently over the set lemon layer, working from one edge inward and pouring as close to the surface as possible. If poured too forcefully, it will break through the lemon layer and the two will blend. Bake another 10-12 minutes until this layer is also just set.

Step 8: Cool and cut
Cool completely on a wire rack — at least 1 hour at room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting. Cold bars cut significantly cleaner than room-temperature ones. Use the parchment overhang to lift the slab out of the pan, place on a cutting board, and cut into 20-24 bars with a sharp knife. Sift powdered sugar generously over the top before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I use bottled lemon and lime juice instead of fresh?
A: Fresh juice is highly recommended for the best flavor, but in a pinch, you can use bottled juice. Just be sure to check that it’s 100% juice without any added sugars or preservatives.

Q: Can I use a different crust instead of shortbread?
A: Yes, you can use a graham cracker or a digestive biscuit crust as an alternative to the shortbread crust.

Q: Can I make these bars gluten-free?
A: Definitely! Replace the all-purpose flour in the crust with a gluten-free flour blend. Make sure to also check that the other ingredients are gluten-free.

The cool thing about these lemon lime bars is that they are not cake like in texture. They are more chewy which is a nice change from the usual cake texture.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze: You can also freeze the bars by wrapping them individually and storing them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

I love these little treats because they are super simple to make and everyone will love them! They don’t need any extra steps like frosting for a cake, they are simply good by themselves. The fresh flavors alone are totally worth it!

The lemon and the lime zest that is used really brings this recipe to life. One of the keys to this recipe is making sure to blend the butter until it’s a good crumb. If you have ever made biscuits, or even dumplings, you know that blending the butter perfectly is so important for the right type of texture.

Topping Options

1. Whipped Cream: A dollop of whipped cream adds a creamy contrast to the tangy flavors.
2. Fresh Berries: Fresh raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries provide a fruity complement.
3. Mint Leaves: A few mint leaves can be used for garnish, adding a refreshing touch.

What to Serve With These Lemon Lime Dessert Bars

Iced Tea or Lemonade: The tangy flavor pairs well with refreshing beverages.

Fruit Salad: A light fruit salad complements the citrus flavors.

Vanilla Ice Cream: Serving the bars with a scoop of vanilla ice cream creates a balance between the creamy and tangy textures.

Note that the food coloring is optional, but I love it because it really makes the bars pop!

These are great for BBQs, parties, birthdays, and so much more. It’s a no fuss treat that everyone will love!

Why This Lemon Lime Bars Recipe Works

This Lemon Lime Bars recipe works because it strikes the perfect balance between sweetness and tartness. The buttery shortbread crust serves as a wonderful base, providing a contrasting texture to the smooth citrus filling. The combination of both lemon and lime juices and zests gives these bars a more complex and rounded citrus flavor compared to using just one type of citrus. They are also very versatile and can be adapted to include other flavors and ingredients.

The two-layer method is worth the extra bake time — don’t rush it and don’t pour the lime layer too soon. Refrigerate fully before cutting and you’ll get clean edges on every bar. Sift the powdered sugar right before serving rather than before refrigerating, since it absorbs overnight. Leave a comment and tell me whether you used the food coloring — I think it’s worth it for the look alone.

What are some other delicious lemon recipes to try?