Small-Batch Strawberry Lemon Bars

These lemon bars are basically the baked version the summertime staple drink, strawberry lemonade! This recipe is intended to be a small-batch because personally I can never finish a whole pan of lemon bars, so this amount is just right for you and a few friends! The star of this recipe is freeze-dried strawberries, which pack a much bigger punch from a flavor and color standpoint than fresh strawberry purée. Combined with the classic tart lemon flavor and a brown butter shortbread crust as a rich foundation, these strawberry lemon bars are the whole package for a summer dessert!

Ingredients You’ll Need for these Strawberry Lemon Bars

Unsalted Butter – You will need 1 stick of unsalted butter for the shortbread crust. The butter in the shortbread crust will be browned to add more depth of flavor.
Sugars – You will need 1/4 cup of light brown sugar for the shortbread crust and 1 1/8 cups of granulated sugar for the filling.
All-Purpose Flour – You will need 1 1/2 cup of flour total for the crust and filling.
Table Salt – You’ll need a quarter teaspoon of salt for the crust.
Freeze-Dried Strawberries – You will need 15 grams of freeze-dried strawberry powder. I buy my freeze-dried strawberries from Trader Joe’s, and one 1.2-ounce bag provides plenty for this recipe. You can grind these in a food processor, blender, or even crush them in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, but I recommend a spice grinder for the best, finest results.
Lemons – You will need 1/2 cup of lemon juice, freshly squeezed and 1/2 tablespoon of lemon zest for the filling. One lemon should give you enough zest for a half tablespoon, and 4-6 lemons should give you a half cup of juice. I don’t want to hear anyone telling me they used store-bought, pre-squeezed lemon juice here!
Eggs – The filling will need 3 large eggs to ensure it sets properly in the oven.

Notes:

How do I brown the butter?

Place the butter in a skillet and begin to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally so the milk solids at the bottom don’t burn. Be patient, as the butter can sputter and burn quickly if the heat is too high. After about 5-10 minutes, the milk solids at the bottom of the pan should start to turn a “teddy bear brown” color and the surrounding liquid will become light amber. Let it cool off just to room temperature. You can place the butter in a bowl and chill with an ice bath or in the refrigerator to speed up this process.

Where to buy freeze-dried strawberries:

I buy my freeze-dried strawberries from Trader Joe’s, one 1.2-ounce bag is plenty for this recipe. Make sure you purchase ones that say “freeze-dried” and not just dehydrated, as anything other than freeze-dried will not blend into the fine powder we want.

How should I make the strawberry powder?

Because freeze-dried strawberries tend to break up very easily, almost anything will work to create a fine powder. A blender, food processor, or even a rolling pin and plastic bag will yield a fine enough powder. The main reason I recommend a spice/coffee grinder is because such a small amount of strawberry powder is required in this recipe, so a blender is unnecessarily large for this task. Make sure you make the powder right before using though, as it will pick up moisture quickly over time and cake very easily, which prevents it from mixing properly in the filling.

How do I know when it’s done baking?

Once the filling has set and the top is ever so slightly browning, you’re done! The filling has set when it no longer wobbles in the center when shaken back and forth.

The Brown Butter Cookie Recipe This Shortbread Crust is Based On

Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies

A Few More Tips

Measure the strawberry powder after blending since he powder particles sit a lot more dense than whole strawberry pieces.
For super straight, clean cut edges, stick the cooled pan in the freezer for about 1 hour before cutting the bars.