Sourdough Lemon Bars | Easy Recipe
These Sourdough Lemon Bars are a lemon lovers’ dream: Perfectly balanced between sweet and tangy, a luscious lemon filling sits on top of a buttery shortbread crust.
One bite, and you’ll be hooked! Whether you’re looking for a unique way to use up your sourdough discard or just trying to do something with your lemon harvest, these bars are a must-try.
If you thought sourdough was just for bread, think again! The subtle tang from the sourdough discard adds a delightful depth of flavor to this classic dessert, making it even more irresistible.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- A great way to use sourdough discard
- Perfect balance of tart lemon and sweet filling
- Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread crust
- Simple ingredients, big flavor
- This sweet treat is perfect for snacks, gatherings, snacks, or the perfect summer treat
The Ingredients
These are the basic ingredients you’ll need:
For the crust:
- Butter: This is important for creating a rich base and you can even use your homemade butter
- Sugar: Just enough to balance the sour flavor
- Sourdough starter: The star of this recipe, can use your active starter or your sourdough starter discard
- Vanilla: This helps balance the flavors
- Salt: Adding a bit of salt always enhances the sweetness in recipes (only add if you’re using unsalted butter)
- Flour: I use regular all purpose flour for this recipe
- Cornstarch: Gives it a nice crumbly texture
For the lemon filling:
- Eggs: Give the filling richness and structure
- Sugar: To add the right sweetness to the lemon curd filling
- Sourdough starter: Adds a bit more structure and complex flavor
- Fresh lemons: I prefer fresh lemon juice for the lemon layer
- Sour cream: For extra creaminess and a unique twist, you can even use homemade sour cream
Useful Tools and Equipment
You don’t need much, but these will help:
- Mixing bowls: For preparing the crust and filling separately
- Whisk: For a smooth, lump-free filling
- 8×8 baking dish: The perfect size for thick, chewy bars
- Parchment paper: For easy removal of these perfect lemon bars
Substitutions and Variations
Want to switch things up? Here are some ideas:
- Flour: You can also use white spelt flour, einkorn flour, or your favorite gluten-free flour.
- Butter: Coconut oil works well, too, and gives these classic lemon bars a hint of tropical flavor.
- Lemon: While lemons are the classic ingredients, you can also use limes or Meyer lemons (use a little less sugar then). I prefer fresh but bottled lemon juice will work, too.
- Lemon zest: You can add ½ to 1 tsp of lemon zest for that extra kick.
- Sugar: Reduce the sugar slightly if you prefer a more tart lemon bar
- Add-ins: Mix in poppy seeds or top with a dusting of powdered sugar for extra flair.
How to Serve
Here are some delicious ways to enjoy these sourdough lemon bars:
- Chilled straight from the fridge for a refreshing treat
- With a dusting of confectioner’s sugar for a classic look
- Paired with a cup of tea or coffee
- As a dessert for brunch, potlucks, or afternoon snacks
- With a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra indulgence
How Long Do They Last?
You can store these lemon bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (confession: we have kept them longer and they were still amazing). If you’d like to keep them longer, freeze them for 2-3 months – just thaw them in the fridge before serving.
Other Sourdough Dessert Recipes You Might Like
How to Make Sourdough Lemon Bars
This is just a summary of the steps involved. For the full instructions, see the recipe card further down in this post.
- Make the crust: In a large bowl, mix all the shortbread base ingredients until just combined. Press the dough into the prepared glass pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes until just golden brown.
- Bake: Press the dough into the prepared glass pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes until just golden brown.
- Make the filling: While the crust is baking, whisk together the lemon custard filling until smooth.
- Bake the bars: Pour the lemon mixture over the warm crust and return to the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the filling just no longer jiggles.
5. Cool and serve:
Carefully, lift the parchment paper out of the pan and let the bars cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for a couple of hours before slicing. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
FAQs
Yes, either active or discard sourdough starter is great for this recipes.
It adds a subtle tang that enhances the sweetness and depth of flavor.
The center should be just set and slightly jiggly—don’t overbake!
Let me know if you have any questions and happy baking!
Sourdough Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup sourdough starter
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups AP flour
- 2 TBSP cornstarch
For the lemon filling:
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup sourdough starter
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1 TBSP sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325˚F (165˚C).
- In a large bowl, mix all the shortbread base ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Press the dough into the prepared glass pan and pierce with a fork all over. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until just golden brown.
- While the crust is baking, whisk together the lemon custard filling until smooth and uniform. Do not worry about the filling being too runny!
- Pour the lemon mixture over the warm crust and return to the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the filling just no longer jiggles.
- Carefully, lift the parchment paper out of the pan and let the bars cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before slicing. Optional: Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Notes
- you can either use active or discard sourdough starter
- feel free to use heavy cream instead or sour cream for a milder taste
- adjust the sugar to the sourness of the lemons you are using
- fresh lemon juice is best but bottled will work, too
I just tried this recipe yesterday thanks to a neighbor who gifted me about 5 pounds of Meyer lemons family finished it off today.
That’s great! Happy baking ~ Anja
I can’t wait to try these! Lemon bars are my FAVORITE dessert and our lemon tree is bursting with lemons. Will report back on how they turn out!
Great, thank you! Definitely keep me posted ~ Anja