Lavender Lemon Bar Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on two sides to lift the bars out later. Lightly grease the parchment.

Make dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups flour, 0.25 cup granulated sugar, 0.25 tsp salt, and 1 tbs lemon zest until evenly distributed.

Cut in butter: Add 0.5 cup cold cubed unsalted butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.

Press and blind bake: Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, creating a compact, level crust. Bake on the middle rack for 15–18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside while preparing the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).

Infuse cream with lavender: In a small saucepan, warm 2 tbsp heavy cream with 1 tsp lightly crushed culinary lavender over low heat until steaming but not boiling, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes to infuse. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing to extract liquid. Discard solids and let the infused cream cool slightly.

Whisk dry and eggs: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1.25 cups granulated sugar and 0.25 cup flour until combined. Add 4 eggs, 0.75 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 tbs lemon zest and the cooled lavender-infused cream. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.

Combine and bake: Pour the lemon-lavender filling over the warm prebaked crust, spreading evenly. Return to oven and bake at 325°F (160°C) for 20–25 minutes, or until the filling is set but still has a slight jiggle in the center. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

Cool: Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Then refrigerate for 1–2 hours until completely chilled and firm for clean slicing.

Make lavender whipped cream: Place a mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 5–10 minutes to chill. In the chilled bowl, combine 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream, 2 tbsp powdered sugar, 0.5 tsp vanilla extract and 0.5 tsp very finely crushed culinary lavender. Whip on medium-high speed until soft to medium peaks form, being careful not to overwhip.

Slice and plate: Use the parchment overhang to lift the chilled lemon bars from the pan. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry to slice into 12 bars (3x4 grid) for moderately sized servings. Wipe the knife between cuts for clean edges.

Garnish: Dust the tops lightly with 2 tbsp powdered sugar. Pipe or dollop a spoonful of lavender whipped cream onto each bar. Garnish each bar with a small lemon slice or curl if desired and a tiny pinch of whole lavender buds for presentation (optional).

Serve: Serve chilled. Bars will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; whipped cream is best made fresh the same day.