Lemon Blueberry Bars are baked dessert bars with a buttery, crumbly crust topped with a tangy lemon custard filling and juicy blueberries. Dust the bars with confectioners’ sugar for a sweet finishing touch. These bars are based on my amazing Lemon Bar Recipe, which has rave reviews! I just added blueberries!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Crust: The crust is a basic sweetened shortbread crust with a buttery, crumbly texture. It will be pre-baked before adding the topping. This prevents it from becoming soggy. Then, it will be baked again with the filling.
Filling: The bars’ filling is a lemon custard with fresh blueberries. Ensure the eggs are at room temperature before mixing with the other ingredients.
Lemon Juice: If possible, use freshly squeezed lemon juice in the bars. It has a more vibrant flavor that is hard for bottled juice to match. You will need 3-4 lemons for 2/3 cup juice.
Blueberries: Although fresh blueberries are best, you could use frozen. If using frozen berries, add them to the filling while frozen (do not thaw). The baking time may need to be adjusted if using frozen blueberries.
Confectioners’ Sugar: Confectioners’ sugar, also called powdered or icing sugar, is dusted over the top of the chilled bars. This not only looks lovely, but the sweetness also balances the tartness of the lemon flavor.
Can I Make The Bars Ahead Of Time?
Yes, because of the chilling time needed to set the bars, it is best to make them in advance. Making them a day ahead of time and refrigerating them overnight is a great option. They taste best when chilled. Don’t forget to dust a little confectioners’ sugar on top for serving!
How To Store Lemon Blueberry Bars
Once chilled and set, store the bars, covered, in the refrigerator. They will last up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, freeze the bars.
Freezing Lemon Blueberry Bars
For longer storage, freeze the bars. To freeze lemon blueberry bars, first, cut them into individual bars. Then, place the bars on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze the bars for an hour or two, or until solid. Once solid, wrap the bars in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They will last up to 2-3 months. Thaw the bars in the refrigerator overnight.
Lemon Blueberry Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Filling
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
- ⅔ cup (163 g) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 ½ cups (222 g) fresh blueberries
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, blend butter, flour, and sugar with a pastry cutter or a fork. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until firm and golden.
Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and flour.
- Whisk in the beaten eggs. Add lemon juice.
- Pour filling over the baked crust. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the top of the filling.
- Bake for an additional 28-30 minutes, or until the sides are just starting to golden.
- Let the bars cool to room temperature. Once cool, transfer to the refrigerator to completely cool for at least 2 hours.
- Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
If you are a fan of lemon bars you are going to LOVE this version! The addition of blueberries makes this bar really stand out!
Elizabeth
I like the gooey texture of the custard-like filling in the bars. And, it goes perfectly well with the crust. If you love lemon bars, you will want to try them with the added blueberries.
Bella
I love lemon bars and the flavor of this is great, but I personally like lemon bars without other elements. The filling is perfectly smooth and tart! This recipe is great if you love the combo of lemon and blueberries!
Annabelle
I didn't love the texture of these bars, but the flavor was lovely!
Selena
I really like these! They are a lovely balance of tart and sweet. The shortbread crust really gave it a nice foundation.
Can I substitute raspberry for blueberries
Will gluten free flour ruin the crust?
Can this be frozen
This is what is written in the blog post. Should you have questions in the future, I often try to anticipate them and answer them for you! Feel free to check out the blog post. It’s all helpful information. 🙂
Freezing Lemon Blueberry Bars
For longer storage, freeze the bars. To freeze lemon blueberry bars, first, cut them into individual bars. Then, place the bars on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze the bars for an hour or two, or until solid. Once solid, wrap the bars in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They will last up to 2-3 months. Thaw the bars in the refrigerator overnight.
Do these need to be kept in the refrigerator?
Hi Janelle – Here is what it says in the blog post.
How To Store Lemon Blueberry Bars
Once chilled and set, store the bars, covered, in the refrigerator. They will last up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, freeze the bars.
Can you just eat them while they’re warm?