Name: Blackberry Bars (A Twist on the Classic Lemon Bar)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 2 sticks butter, softened; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; zest of one lemon; 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; 1/4 tsp. cloves; 1/2 tsp. salt; 2 1/4 cups AP flour; 2 cups blackberries; zest of one lemon; 1 cup granulated sugar; 3/4 cup lemon juice; 6 eggs plus 2 egg yolks; 12 tbsp. butter, softened

blackberry bars recipe (a twist on the classic lemon bar)

A good lemon bar is like a burst of sunshine on a melancholy day–it’s bright, tart, sweet, and refreshing; there’s not many things better than biting into a lemon bar on a summer day. And as much as I love a classic, tangy lemon bar, I also love to experiment when I bake. So as the summer months approach now and I’ve been seeing a plethora of delicious, juicy (and, most importantly, on-sale!) berries joining the ranks of the supermarket shelves, I’ve been itching to make some berry-themed desserts. Thus, these delicious bars were born!

Blackberry bars recipe classic lemon bar variation

Blackberries are one of my favorite fruits; I’ve always loved their perfect mix of tart and sweet and gorgeous color. So it’s probably not much of surprise to choose these for my lemon bar experiment; plus, my boyfriend LOVES blackberries, and I figured I could do something nice for him (I know, I know, best girlfriend ever over here…as he rolls his eyes at me…).

These bars are very much like a typical lemon bar in methodology and even texture. I use a variation on my favorite shortbread recipe to produce that trademark buttery, crumbly crust we associate with lemon bars. (If you’ve tried my Earl Grey Scottish Shortbread, it’s very similar to this, just without the Earl Grey, of course!). I add some lemon zest and spices to add some extra flavor that pairs well with the blackberries.

For the filling, I make a loose blackberry curd that I then bake with the crust, just like a classic lemon bar. The curd uses a good amount of lemons as well, to add more of that zesty tang that I love in lemon bars. It’s easy to make as well–just through everything in a pot and cook for a few minutes; it’s really a simple process.

When you take a bite of these, you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried this before…dare I say, these may be better than even the original lemon bar (Lemon bar Gods, forgive me…but I must speak the truth…). I encourage all of you to also experiment with other citrus or berry fillings and discover your own versions of the delicious, classic lemon bar 🙂

Now, enough talk, let’s bake:

Blackberry Bars (A Twist on the Classic Lemon Bar)

These bars feature all the hallmarks of a delicious lemon bar: they have a tangy, refreshing filling and a tender, crumby crust. Plus, they’re color is vibrant and summery–their violet color looks beautiful on any dessert table. As warm days approach now, I thought these blackberry bars would be a perfect summertime dessert; since lemon bars are one of my go-to easy-bake desserts for this time of year, I thought that it might be fun to make spin on it. Thus, these delicious bars were born (and don’t tell the lemon bars…but these might actually be my favorite!).

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16 bars

Ingredients

For the shortbread crust:

2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of one lemon
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups AP flour

For the Blackberry Filling:

2 cups blackberries
zest of one lemon
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice
6 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
12 tbsp. butter, softened

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper.
Combine flour, salt, and spices into a bowl and set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer until light and fluffy, around 3-5 minutes. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and beat until combined.
Slowly beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture, until completely combined and no loose flour is showing. The dough should feel stiff but not dry or too crumbly; if it is too dry, add just a touch (maybe 1-2 tsp.) of heavy cream into the dough. If it is too wet, add a touch more flour.
Press the dough evenly into the pan, until the entire bottom is covered.
Bake the crust for 20 minutes, until just lightly golden. It will be baked again with the filling, so it doesn’t have to look completely done.
While the crust is baking, prepare the blackberry curd filling. In a blender or food processor, puree the blackberries until smooth. If you want a completely smooth batter, I would recommend pushing this puree then through a sieve or strainer (this is optional, however–it just depends on if you mind getting any small blackberry seeds in your bars).
In a medium saucepan, combine the blackberry puree along with the rest of the filling ingredients, aside from the butter. Heat on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts to thicken a bit. Add in the butter and cook for 3-4 minutes longer. Set aside to cool until crust is ready.
Once the crust has baked, pour the blackberry filling over the crust and smooth out with a spatula.
Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the crust and filling for another 40-50 minutes, until the filling does not look liquid-y anymore.
TIP: To tell when the bars are done, I like to shake the pan a bit. If it wobbles slightly (especially towards the center) but isn’t liquid, it is perfect (the mixture will fully set as it cools). You don’t want to wait until the entire thing looks solid, as it will probably be over-baked.
Let the bars cool completely (I find that they’re easiest to cut if you put them in the fridge for a few hours or overnight). Cut into any size you prefer (I like to make 16 bars from this pan). Garnish with powdered sugar and/or fresh blackberries, if desired.
Enjoy!

Notes

These bars will keep for around a week; I like to store them in the fridge for freshness and bring them out around 30 minutes before eating, so they aren’t as cold (although I know some people who love it that way!).

You can also freeze these bars for up to 3 months.

The crust dough can be made up to 3 days ahead of time, if stored in the fridge. Just take the dough out a little bit before handling it the day you want to use it, as it might be a little too stiff to work with if using straight out of the fridge.

Everyone has their own preferences for the filling-to-crust ratio for lemon bars and the like; feel free to use a little less or more filling or crust to adjust to your own liking. This crust is relatively thin, so if you want a very thick crust, I would recommend either making it in a smaller pan, or increasing the size.

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Another fun summer recipe to try is my Strawberries Romanoff–it’s like a boozy strawberry parfait (and absolutely delicious!).

Happy baking, everyone!

Recipe: Blackberry Bars (A Twist on the Classic Lemon Bar)