Move over lemon bars, there's a new flavor in town! Using the fresh flavors of lemon, lime, and mint, these easy Lemon Lime Bars take lemon squares to a whole new level. Sweet and tart with a hint of mint, enjoy this burst of citrus sunshine on a plate!
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[April, 2021: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]
Why this recipe works
- Bright, fresh flavors of lemon and lime curd paired with mint complement each other wonderfully
- The lemon and lime curd filling and shortbread base come together quickly
- Takes ordinary lemon squares to a whole new level!
I have a afternoon tea tradition with my daughters. I take them for tea on their birthdays, no matter the day or the distance. It’s our way of celebrating them on their special day.
On our very first tea date when she was 5 years old, my older daughter was served a lemon bar, and she was hooked. Now I make lemon bars (aka lemon squares) every so often when the mood strikes, and I like to get her opinion whenever possible.
When I have lemons, and limes, and mint in the refrigerator, I update the classic lemon bar recipe with a bright, citrusy lemon lime dessert with a hint of mint. Mint Lemon Lime Bars bars, anyone?
These Lemon Lime bars are sweet and pleasantly tart. The mint peeks out on the backend as you go to take another bite. The lemon and lime curd is soft and creamy, and the buttery shortbread holds everything together well.
My daughter, the connoisseur, loves them!
And for another way to liven up lemon bars, try my Cranberry Lemon Bars, wish fresh cranberry tartness and zingy lemon custard adding up to one delicious treat!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
How summery! Reminds me of the mint limeade at one of my favourite restaurants. I'll definitely have to make these again!
- Darcy
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this lemon lime bar recipe:
Ingredient Notes
Classic lemon bars are essentially baked lemon curd seated on a shortbread base.
In a lemon curd recipe, lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and butter are cooked on a stove until thickened. An easy lemon bars recipe skips the thickening step and bakes the curd (minus the butter), and just whisks the curd ingredients together.
Lemons and limes: You'll need the juice and zest of both the lemons and limes for this recipe. A microplane grater and citrus juicer makes quick work getting the lemons ready. Zest the lemons and lime first, then juice them into a bowl measuring out enough to total ½ cup of juice. I also recommend straining the juices as you measure them to remove the seeds.
Using freshly juiced fruit will give the brightest flavor, but you can use bottled lemon or lime juice in a pinch.
Mint: Used in the form of mint sugar, a blend of...uhm...mint and sugar. It replaces the usual sugar found in a classic lemon bar recipe. Rather than making the mint sugar, you can chop the mint up very finely (mint confetti) and mix it in with the rest of the curd ingredients. You can, of course, skip the mint if you prefer to make this a straight lemon lime dessert recipe.
Shortbread: Made from a four ingredient shortbread recipe using melted butter, sugar, flour, and salt. The shortbread dough comes together quickly in a bowl, no mixer needed.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make Lemon and Lime Bars
There are two main steps to this lemon lime recipe: making the shortbread base, then making the mint-enhanced lemon lime curd. Let's dive in a little deeper.
Step 1: Make the shortbread base
In a medium bowl, mix the cooled melted butter, sugar, and salt. Add the flour and stir to combine (photo 1).
Note that if the butter is too warm, it may not mix well with the other ingredients and will separate out during baking. After mixing in the flour, the shortbread dough will be soft and pliable.
Lightly coat a 9- x 9-inch baking pan with baking spray or butter. Line the baking pan with two pieces of parchment paper placed perpendicular to each other, covering all four sides and leaving a 2-inch overhang. If desired, use binder clips to keep the parchment paper away from the curd while baking. Just clip them to the sides of the pan.
Press the dough into the prepared pan with your fingers. I find that covering the top with plastic wrap helps to create a flatter surface while you're pressing out the dough.
Refrigerate the shortbread base for 15 minutes, then par-bake at 325°F for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned (photo 2).
After the shortbread comes out of the oven, lightly prick it with a fork, but NOT all the way through (photo 3). This step is optional, but it helps to seal the filling to the base.
Step 2: Make the mint sugar
While the shortbread is baking, put the sugar and mint leaves in a small food processor and pulse until it's well blended (photo 4). The food processor helps to get the mint chopped as finely as possible while mixing it with the sugar. This has the added benefit of infusing the sugar with the mint oil.
Step 3: Make the lemon lime layer
In a small bowl, sift the flour and powdered sugar together. Using powdered sugar in the filling gives the curd a creamy texture, and the small amount of cornstarch (in the powdered sugar) helps to firm things up. Sifting the flour with the powdered sugar helps to prevent lumps.
In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs until just combined. Add the mint sugar, flour mixture, lemon and lime juices and zest, and salt and whisk until just combined (photo 5).
Step 4: Bake the lemon lime dessert
Pour the filling onto the warm, poked shortbread, tapping out the air on the counter before heading to the oven. One trick I use is using binder clips to keep the parchment paper away from the curd while it bakes. Just clip them to the sides of the pan and bake away!
Return the pan to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the center is set and doesn’t jiggle when the pan is tapped (photo 6). Turn off the oven a couple of minutes before the filling is entirely set. Crack the oven door and allow the bars to cool gradually for 1 hour.
Remove the bars from the oven and cool to room temperature, then chill for 1 hour. Use the parchment paper as a sling to transfer to a cutting board.
Step 5: Slice the squares
Cut the slab into 16 squares (photo 7). It’s best to dip the knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts to get neater squares.
Using a fine mesh strainer, generously dust the bars with powdered sugar. The bars are best served chilled, and dusting them with the powdered sugar just before serving helps to keep it from melting away.
Storage instructions
Store the bars in the refrigerator for up to a week. They also can be frozen, cut into squares but without the powdered sugar dusting, for up to 4 months. Wrap the frozen lemon and lime squares in plastic wrap and store in an airtight bag. Thaw in the refrigerator for an hour or two, then dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Yield Notes
In a 9- x 9-inch baking pan, you'll get 16 2-inch lemon lime squares. This recipe can be easily doubled. Press the shortbread dough into a 9- x 13-inch baking pan and par-bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Bake the lemon and lime curd filling for 22 to 26 minutes. You'll get about 24 2-inch squares.
How to cover up any imperfections
Despite our best intentions, imperfections can occur. If you over-whip the eggs, trapped air will bubble up even if you tap them out before putting the pan in the oven. Cracks can also appear on the surface of the bars when the curd is over-baked.
Like when baking cheesecake, turn off the oven a couple of minutes before the filling is entirely set and crack the oven door, allowing the filling to cool gradually before removing it to cool completely.
And of course, a generous dusting with powdered sugar will cover imperfections or disappearing topping. And no matter what they look like, these bars will taste fabulous!
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions that you might have...
Sure. Instead of using a food processor to grind the sugar and mint together, just finely chop the mint by hand (my chef instructors at culinary school would call it “mint confetti”) and add it in with the rest of the filling ingredients.
Yes! Any citrus juices can be used, in any combination. Just make sure there's the equivalent of ½ cup of juice in total. If you're using sweeter fruit, like oranges, you might want to reduce the sugar up to ¼ cup (but not much more as the sugar helps the curd texture). And don't forget to add the zest to up the flavor punch!
I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
More recipes with citrus to try
Recipe
Lemon Lime Bars with Mint
Equipment
Ingredients
For the shortbread base
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the mint sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup fresh mint, packed, optional, see Recipe Notes
For the lemon lime curd filling
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus more for dusting, see Recipe Notes
- 4 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- ⅓ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed, from 2 lemons, see Recipe Notes
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed, from 1 lime, see Recipe Notes
- 1 tablespoon zest, lemons and lime combined, see Recipe Notes
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to to 325 °F. Lightly coat a 9- x 9-inch baking pan with baking spray. Line the baking pan with two pieces of parchment paper placed perpendicular to each other, covering all four sides and leaving a 2-inch overhang. If desired, use binder clips to keep the parchment paper away from the curd while baking. Just clip them to the sides of the pan. Set aside.
- Make the shortbread: In a medium bowl, mix the cooled melted butter, sugar, and salt. Add the flour and stir to combine.
- Transfer the shortbread dough into the prepared baking pan. Press the dough evenly into the pan, making sure to get the dough all the way into the corners. Covering the dough with plastic wrap and rolling it out with a pie roller helps. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes.
- Par-bake the shortbread for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Pierce the top it lightly with a fork (don’t go all the way through), then let the crust cool on a wire rack.
- Make the mint sugar: While the shortbread is baking, put the sugar and mint leaves in a small food processor and pulse until they’re finely blended.
- Make the lemon lime curd filling: In a small bowl, sift the flour and powdered sugar together.
- In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs until just combined. Add the mint sugar, flour mixture, lemon and lime juices and zest, and salt and whisk until just combined.
- Remove the par-baked shortbread from the oven and pierce the top it lightly with a fork (don’t go all the way through). Pour the curd filling onto the warm crust. Tap the pan a couple of times on the counter to release the trapped air.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the center is set and doesn’t jiggle when the pan is tapped. Turn off the oven a couple of minutes before the filling is entirely set. Crack the oven door and allow the bars to cool gradually for 1 hour.
- Remove the bars from the oven and cool to room temperature, then chill for 1 hour.
- Use the parchment paper as a sling to transfer to a cutting board. Cut the slab into 16 squares. It’s best to dip the knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts to get neater squares.
- Using a fine mesh strainer, generously dust the bars with powdered sugar. The bars are best served chilled, and dusting them with the powdered sugar just before serving helps to keep it from melting away.
- Storage instructions: Store the bars in the refrigerator for up to a week. They also can be frozen, cut into squares but without the powdered sugar dusting, for up to 4 months. Wrap the frozen lemon and lime squares in plastic wrap and store in an airtight bag. Thaw in the refrigerator for an hour or two, then dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Darcy says
How summery! Reminds me of the mint limeaid at one of my favourite restaurants. I'll definitely have to make these again!
Tammy says
I'm so glad you liked them! Thanks for sharing 😉