Lavender Lemon Cream Bars (Printable)

Buttery crust topped with creamy lemon-lavender filling and powdered sugar for an elegant teatime treat.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Crust

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Filling

05 - 4 large eggs
06 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
08 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender, crushed
10 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
12 - Pinch of salt

→ Topping

13 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt; mix until just combined. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
03 - Bake the crust for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until pale and smooth. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, crushed lavender, flour, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until fully combined.
05 - Pour the filling over the slightly cooled crust. Return to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the center is just set.
06 - Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before slicing.
07 - Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Cut into 16 bars.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lavender transforms ordinary lemon bars into something that feels like you should be wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sitting on a patio in Provence
  • They strike this perfect balance between tangy and creamy, with that subtle floral note that makes people pause and ask what exactly theyre tasting
02 -
  • These bars really need that full hour in the refrigerator to set properly, otherwise you will end up with a gorgeous mess when you try to slice them
  • The filling should still have a slight wobble in the center when you pull it from the oven—it continues cooking as it cools
03 -
  • Grate your lemon zest before juicing the lemons—it is so much easier to zest a whole lemon than to try to zest the squishy, juice-covered remains
  • If your lavender buds are large and chunky, give them a quick pulse in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle before adding