This easy lemon lime bars recipe is a crowd favorite. They have a buttery shortbread crust tart and a luscious lemon lime filling. Top with powdered sugar and lemon and lime zest to make them extra pretty and delicious!
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My favorite lemon lime bars recipe has the perfect ratio of buttery shortbread crust and luscious fresh lemon lime filling. They are made with pantry friendly ingredients and everyone loves them!
I tested this recipe until I came up with the best lemon lime bars! They are perfectly sweet, creamy with just the right amount of tart citrus flavor. Lemon juice helps round out the flavor of the lime.
For more delicious treats, try my recipe for key lime cookies, Sour Cream Lemon Cookies or Lemon Crinkle Cookies.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- There are only 10 ingredients needed to make this lime slice recipe including flour, sugar, butter, fresh lime and lemon, salt, cornstarch, baking powder and eggs.
- These lemon lime bars are baked over a delicious shortbread crust. It is flavored with lime zest and just enough saltiness. Be sure to try my lemon cranberry bars for another luscious fruity treat!
- The filling is perfectly sweet, creamy and has the perfect amount of tang just like my cranberry curd tart recipe.
- No special tools are needed to make these!
Ingredients
Below are useful notes about some of the ingredients for these lemon and lime bars.
- Butter: 1 stick (1/2 cup) of room temperature unsalted butter for the crust.
- Powdered sugar: For the crust and the topping.
- Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the filling. Sugar help give the filling structure.
- Eggs: Use 3 large eggs. Eggs help the filling thicken. Without eggs, the filling would stay liquidy.
- 3-4 limes: We’re using lime zest in the crust and filling and fresh lime juice in the filling. Use lime juice squeezed from fresh limes. If you have extra limes, try my lime drizzle cake or fruity pebbles cake!
- 1 lemon: I recommend the juice of one medium lemon in the filling. The lemon enhances the overall citrus flavor just like in my baked lemon donuts and ricotta donuts. Use lemon and/or lime zest in the filling and crust.
Please see recipe card below for full list of ingredients and their measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can swap in all or part oranges, or grapefruits!
- Use key limes or meyer lemons in place of regular limes and lemons.
- Top with fresh whipped cream to make them extra indulgent!
- Try these bars with a pinch of flaky sea salt on top.
Instructions
Step 1: (Photo 1 above) Stir the lime zest into the flour. Stir in the powdered sugar, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Add the cubed butter and toss to coat.
Step 2: (Photo 2 above) Use a pastry cutter, fork or your hands to work the butter in until it resembles coarse meal.
Step 3: (Photo 3 above) Press the mixture into an 8 inch square pan. Bake at 350 F for 11-15 minutes, until edges are very lightly golden.
Step 4: (Photo 4 above) In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, lime zest, lemon juice and lime juice. Whisk in the flour. Pour mixture over the hot crust. Bake 28-20 minutes.
Step 5: (Photo 5 above) Cool at room temperature for 1 hour then chill in the fridge for another 1-2 more hours.
Step 6: (Photo 6 above) Dust powdered sugar and zest extra lime on top. Slice and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh lemon and lime juice. Store bought juice is not as fresh. The bars taste much better with freshly squeezed juice!
- Do not overmix the filling. Overmixing will create lots of air bubbles on top of the baked bars. Some bubbles on top are normal and the bars will still taste great. Cover the bubbles by dusting powdered sugar over them before serving.
- Let bars cool at room temperature for 1 hour. After that, refrigerate for 1-2 more hours til somewhat chilled.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! I prefer both lemon and lime, but you can use just lemon or just lime. I love the flavor and tanginess of lemon and lime together.
Yes. The filling in lemon lime bars contains eggs. It’s best to keep them in the refrigerator before and after you serve them.
Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store in a single layer. You can also freeze them for up to two months.
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Lemon Lime Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 lime zested, use zest only
- 1 ¼ cups (156.25 g) all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar plus more for decorating
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) salt
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Lemon Lime Filling
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) lime zest from about 1½ limes, or lemon zest
- ¼ cup lemon juice from 1 medium or large lemon
- ¼ cup (78.86 ml) lime juice about 2-3 limes
- 1½ cup (266.67 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (62.5 g) all purpose flour
- 3 (3) large eggs room temperature
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8 inch square pan with parchment paper. Place two overlapping strips going in either direction with some parchment hanging over both sides of the pan.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir the lime zest into the flour. Stir in the baking powder, powdered sugar, and cornstarch. Add the cubed butter. Toss the butter to coat. Use a pastry cutter, fork or your hands to work the butter in until it resembles coarse meal.
- Use your fingertips or the bottom of a 1 cup measuring cup to press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.
- Bake for 11-15 minutes, until edges are very lightly golden.
Lime Filling
- While the crust bakes, prepare the filling. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, lime zest, lemon juice and lime juice. Whisk in the flour. Avoid overmixing.
- When the crust has finished baking, give the filling mixture a final stir then pour it over the crust. Immediately return the pan to the oven and bake another 28-30 minutes, or until the filling is set. The bars are ready when the edges are set and the filling is a little wiggly but not liquid. They'll continue to set as they cool then chill.
- Set pan on a wire rack. Allow bars to cool completely at room temperature for about 1 hour then place the whole pan in the refrigerator to chill for another 1-2 more hours so that bars are somewhat chilled when serving.
- When ready to serve, lift the bars out of the pan. Dust some powdered sugar and zest a little fresh lime on top. Use a long sharp knife to cut bars into 9, 12, or 16 squares and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Anne
The best ever!!!!
Natalie
Thank you Anne!! So happy you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Lindsay Cruise
Delicious and a must try if you’re a Lemon fan! Thank you for a great recipe
Natalie
Thank you Lindsay! So glad you enjoyed these lemon lime bars 🙂
Racha
My husband loves lemony desserts! These where easy to make for him and he absolutely LOVED them.
For sure will be trying other recipes on your site.
Natalie
Hi Racha,
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I love to hear that this lime slice was a hit with your husband! Excited for you to try more of my recipes 🙂 Have a great week! -Natalie
Barbara Briggs Ward
Summery Citrus means Summer Delicious
Natalie
Thank you so much! This is definitely a delicious, super summery treat 🙂
Otis
I love fruity desserts and this absolutely hit the spot if you are looking for something fresh and sweet 😋
Natalie
Hey Otis 🙂 Great to know you’re a big fruit dessert fan. So happy you enjoyed these bars! Have a great weekend! Xo