Lavender Infused Lemon Bars

A hint of lavender makes a surprise visit into these classic old fashioned lemon bars. Lemon and lavender have a great friendship when it comes to many baked goods, cocktails and even some savory dishes. A little bit of sweet, a little bit of tart and a subtle taste of this floral herb creates a delightful summertime dessert recipe. This layer of citrusy yumminess rests upon a buttery shortbread crust that you’re gonna love. I guarantee it!

Why I love These Lavender Infused Lemon Bars

This recipe takes an old classic and adds an artful floral flavor to the bars. Lavender has a unique and distinctive taste that pairs well with lemon.

The filling is permeated with both a tartness and sweetness that will make you not only pucker but smile. Neither of these “tastes” dominates the other. It is a perfect blending of the two.

The Lavender Lemon filling embraces a buttery shortbread-like crust that holds all of this lusciousness together. The crust, in my opinion, either makes or breaks the bars. This crust is soft and tender yet durable and sturdy so it does not fall apart in your hands.

I’ve been waiting for several years to have an outside area where I could once again plant an herb garden. We previously lived in a place which had very little sun throughout the day. This left me spending ridiculous amounts of money every month on little packages of fresh herbs at the grocery store. The house we’ve recently purchased has a spacious deck on the back which provides me ample room and lots of sunshine for growing a bed of culinary greenery.

A few interesting facts about lavender:

• In cooking with lavender, a little goes a long way. It’s like rosemary, if you use too much of it, it will overpower the dish and make it taste like perfume.
• Use 1/3 the quantity of dried culinary lavender to the fresh flowers.
• When choosing lavender for cooking, make sure it’s a culinary varietal.
• Lavender is thought to be insect repellent. Plant it with other herbs in your garden and it could help keep away those pesky bugs. When made into a sachel for linens, it can detract the moths.
• Lavender is a perennial plant and is actually a member of the mint family. The plant does better with a lot of sunshine and prefers well-drained soil.

The Crust is the Bedrock to these Lavender Infused Lemon Bars

I can’t emphasize enough how easy this crust is yet it’s probably the most important part of the recipe. It truly is the foundation that holds everything else in place. Three simple ingredients. That’s it. Flour, powdered sugar, and chilled butter. Now, the “chilled” butter is necessary as it’s what creates a soft and tender crust.

Using a Food Processor to cut the butter into the flour/powdered sugar

The food processor works great for cutting the butter into the flour and powdered sugar. You can also use a pastry blender to get the same results. Pulsate about 8-10 times until the mixture becomes like coarse meal and you’ll notice buttery flakes running through it.

Using Parchment Paper creates a sling to remove the Baked Bars

Use parchment paper to line the 9×13 inch cake pan. Cut a large piece of the paper that extends about three inches on each side of the pan. With the paper sitting on the pan, I cut into each corner of the paper, up to where the pan starts. Watch this youtube video and I promise it will make more sense. The parchment paper becomes a sling to easily pull out the lemon bars after they’re baked.

Chilling and Baking the Crust

Press the crust mixture into the parchment lined pan and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. While the crust is chilling preheat the oven to 350°F. Once it is chilled, bake the crust for about 20 minutes or until it is lightly golden and soft to the touch. This is considered parbaking and will ensure that you do not end up with a soggy crust.

Infusing Lavender into Sugar

There are a variety of ideas that can be made from lavender infused sugar. It makes for great hostess gifts, it can be added to many baked good recipes or desserts and is perfect for cocktails and/or summertime drinks.

Start with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in your food processor and add 6 tablespoons fresh culinary grade lavender. Pulse until the lavender is finely chopped then add 5 1/2 cups to the food processor and only pulsate it until you see the lavender dispersed throughout the sugar. You don’t want powdered sugar at this point.

Pour the sugar and lavender into a large glass jar and seal. Let this sit for at least two days for the lavender flavor to permeate the sugar. Lavender sugar can last up to 6 months. For this recipe, I used 2 2/3 cups. 

Preparing the Lemon Filling

It’s important to get the lemon filling ready while the crust is parbaking in the oven. Don’t wait until the last minute, because the crust needs to still be warm when you top it with the filling.

Beat the eggs and whisk them together with the sugar, lemon zest, and juice. If you want the real deal, don’t go grabbing the bottle of lemon juice off of the grocery shelf. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the only way to go. There is a night and day difference when using the fresh against the bottled.

Mix the above ingredients only until combined. You don’t want to add too much air to the filling. To finish it off, stir together the flour and baking powder and add it to the egg/sugar mixture using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon. Pour the filling over the warm crust.

Baking the Lemon Bars

I’ve always made my lemon bars thicker than the regular recipes and these lavender infused bars are no different. I want a mouthful of lemony delight when I sink my teeth into them. And because of that, I needed to bake them longer than a regular lemon bar. I started out timing it around 40 minutes but ended up baking it between 50-60 minutes. I also turned down the oven temperature at this point to 325°F so they didn’t bake too quickly.

This batch came out of the oven with a beautiful golden hue which is exactly what I was looking for. Also, you can see, the lovely flecks of lavender scattered throughout. The edges of the lemon bars produce a caramelization that becomes nicely brown. And just like brownies, the outside edges are the best part of the whole “bar” experience.

Sprinkling with Powdered Sugar

Showering these bars with sweet powdered sugar is the crowning accomplishment of this recipe. It’s the perfect companion to equalize the tart citrusy taste of the filling. And as a bonus, when you bite into these lemony enchantments, there’s a puff of white powder that ends up all over your face. It’s magical at the point.

Cutting the Bars

Cutting lemon bars can be a delicate matter. The best way that I’ve found to not get so many ragged edges is #1 – use a sharp knife. #2 Run hot water over the knife and wipe it clean after each cut. The heat from the hot water and cleaning off the knife helps the filling not stick. I cut 24 – 2-inch (or so) squares from this 9×13 inch pan. And one square is so rich and decadent that it is more than enough for one serving.

Storing and Freezing

You can store these bars in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. But you can freeze them for up to one month. Which BTW, they freeze beautifully. Here’s how. Cut them into individual bars but don’t sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place them on a large cookie sheet with about 1-2 inches between each square. Place them in the freezer until frozen. Transfer the bars to freezer ziplock bags. When you’re ready to eat them, remove bars from the freezer and let them thaw. They will probably have some moisture on the top which can be gently dabbed with a paper towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy.

Rich, thick, creamy, sweet, tart – all wrapped up in one bar! That’s what I call a heavenly summertime pastry that you are gonna definitely want to try. And if you love these Lavender Infused Lemon Bars, you will love my Strawberry Lemon Bars.

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