White Chocolate Lemon Bars are chewy, creamy, and full of tart lemon flavor. They are deliciously moist without being fragile and can easily travel to picnics or in a care package.
Why you'll love this recipe
- These bars are lemony, soft, and chewy, not a moist, gooey lemon bar doesn't travel well.
- Made with heat resistant ingredients for a sturdy, long lasting bar with great flavor and texture.
- Top with the lemon glaze recipe or use yellow sugar for easy packaging and mailing.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Combine the ingredients to form the batter.
- Spread the batter evenly into a foil lined 9" x 9" pan then sprinkle the top of the bars with yellow sugar. With fingertips, press the sugar gently to make sure it sticks to the batter.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool completely in pan on wire rack. When cool, remove from pan by lifting the overhanging foil. Cut into bars.
Storage
Store cooled blondies at room temperature in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, don't cut into individual bars. Instead, wrap the entire square.
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Chewy White Chocolate Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Bars
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter flavor vegetable shortening
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest zest of 1 lemon
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 2-3 tablespoons yellow decorating sugar
Powdered sugar glaze
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9” x 9” size pan with foil extending over the edges. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt.
- Place vegetable shortening in a large mixing bowl and microwave about 1 minute until melted.
- Into the bowl of melted shortening add flour mixture, sugar, eggs and yolk, vanilla, zest, and lemon juice. Mix with a large spoon until smooth.
- Stir in white chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan then sprinkle the top of the bars with yellow sugar. With fingertips, press the sugar gently to make sure it sticks to the batter.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
- When cool, remove from pan by lifting the overhanging foil.
- If icing, mix together lemon juice and confectioners sugar until smooth. Adjust consistency if necessary by adding more sugar or juice. Drizzle over uncut bars.
- Cut into bars.
- Store cooled blondies at room temperature in an airtight container or ziplock bag for 2** weeks. For longer storage, I recommend not cutting into individual bars, but wrapping the entire square.
- **Desert-safe adaptations: The lemon juice and zest baked into the batter should not pose a spoilage problem. The lemon juice in the icing is not baked in and should not be used. Wrapping the entire pan of lemon bars without cutting will preserve moisture and keep the bars chewy for longer.
Notes
- Double wrap bars individually or in pairs in plastic wrap before placing in airtight containers or ziplock bags.
- For longer shipping times, wrap the entire pan of lemon blondies in plastic wrap without cutting and seal in a gallon sized freezer weight ziplock bag. Include a plastic knife in the package.
Nutrition
Originally published: May 17, 2013. Last Updated: June 16, 2023. Updated for additional information, improved photos, and better reader experience.
Mama's Gotta Bake
I love the combination of lemon and white chocolate. I'm going on a little picnic this weekend, and I think these bars would be the perfect treat to bring along!
themondaybox
Thanks, Sheryl! I think these lemon bars are picnic perfect; they travel well and don't need refrigeration. If you try them please let me know what you think. 🙂
saltandserenity
I love the combo of lemon and white chocolate. I have never seen them used together but I am imagining how good these are. I be t the lemon cuts the white chocolate's sweetness. I also lay awake thinking about cookies! But then, I am thinking about them when I am on the treadmill and in spin class and .....
themondaybox
The lemon and white chocolate just seemed to make sense together. You are right, Cindy, the lemon cuts the sweetness of the white chocolate. Also, the white chocolate adds a creamy sweetness to the lemon. They are a good pair, I think, in a chewy bar. 🙂 It is so good to hear that others ponder cookies and baking possibilities at random times day and night. 🙂 I would fall off the eliptical if I thought about cookies while doing aerobic gym stuff, but my mind definitely wanders to baking when I am supposed to be clearing my mind during pilates!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
Great job! These look amazing - love the icing but if you're traveling I can understand the smearing - but just lick the paper! Lemon blondies - delicious.
themondaybox
Thanks, Tricia! I think if the icing was left to dry overnight it would probably dry hard and be mail-able. But when short on time and determined to ice....I agree, send instructions in the care package to lick the paper! 🙂
Ashley
I am just starting to like lemon in desserts : ) And all of a sudden I feel bold and have been putting it in lots of baked goods! lol These look delicious - I love that icing too! I don't even recognize myself anymore - me, like lemon? Crazy!
themondaybox
Thanks, Ashley! Once you start baking and playing with flavor combinations, there is no telling what new cravings will arise! 🙂 I find that I like certain flavors only in certain textures. Like lemon. I like it in curd and in chewy things but not in cake or candy. And I LOVE lemonade or limoncello! (if we count those because they aren't baked) 🙂
shannon
what a great way to make a lemon bar transportable! i admire your efforts here; it's not always easy to turn something with one distinct flavor profile into something completely different, and it looks like you did it (and did it well!).
themondaybox
Thanks, Shannon! I think that these very closely maintain the flavor profile and only alter the texture of the traditional lemon bar. I guess these are more like a lemon brownie in feel and chew. A lemonie? 🙂 Not easy is true, especially when you are working with limited knowledge, but its so much fun when you finally get it right. 🙂
shannon
i think "lemonies" are going to be my new favorite thing. 🙂
Reeni
I love the idea of white chocolate and lemon together! Very unique and a pairing I haven't tried before. They are like sunshine and happiness! I love them.
themondaybox
Reeni, the white chocolate adds a sweet creamy dimension to the lemon. In these bars the lemon comes from both juice and zest. The white chocolate smooths it all out. 🙂 Wouldn't it be wonderful to send someone a care package filled with sunshine and happiness!!!
Suzie
That lemon bowl is super cute....how fun! Your lemon bars sounds spectacular! I love everything lemon 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks, Suzie! The bowl is paper mache and comes from a small factory in central Mexico. I couldn't resist. 🙂 I have a tray in the same design.
noyomoco
Lemon bars are the best! These look fabulous 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks, Jennifer! I love lemon bars and am so happy to be able to make a lemon bar that can be shipped as well as gobbled immediately. 🙂
miss messy
YAY white chocolate and lemon! What a perfect combination! How lovely!
themondaybox
Thanks! Yes, they are lemony and smooth at the same time! 🙂
Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
These look amazing! You caught my attention with white chocolate, lemon and chewy! Deliciousness!
themondaybox
Thanks, Serena! White chocolate adds a creaminess to lemon that I find luscious. 🙂
Monica
When I hear the word "chewy", I always pay closer attention! Love your creativity. I'm sure these are delicious and I hear a lot of raves about the combination of lemon and white chocolate (D. Lebovitz says it's good and he knows what he's talking about! : )
themondaybox
Chewy is my pay attention word too, Monica. 🙂 In bars that's key. In cookies, my favorites tend to be chewy in the center with slightly crisp edges. D.Lebovitz certainly is A if not THE chocolate baking guru. I say, go with his authoritative command! 🙂
Patty
I'm a big fan of lemon and white chocolate..in a bar cookie..all the better 😉 ps. love your cookie recipes!
themondaybox
Thank you so much, Patty! I truly appreciate your kind words. Your amazing photos and recipes are what I aspire to. Your California growing season gives you so many fresh herb, fruit, and vegetable options! I am envious. 🙂 The lemons used in these bars are never going to be local to Missouri, but they are rather yummy anyway. 🙂
delicieux
I love a good chewy bar, I mean who doesn't love lemon bars! These remind me of lemon bars my Grandmother used to make. 🙂
themondaybox
I agree, Jennifer, lemon bars are wonderful. That is why I really wanted to figure out a mail-able lemon bar recipe! The chewiness is an added bonus. 🙂 Do you think your grandmother used vegetable shortening in her bars? Many older recipes use vegetable shortening and it often makes a textural difference.
Loretta | A Finn In The Kitchen
I just realized that white chocolate almost literally goes with everything. I wonder if it will ever edge out dark chocolate for that reason? 🙂 These sound delicious!
themondaybox
Thanks, Loretta! I agree, white chocolate does go with so many flavors. It adds a creamy taste while allowing other flavors to shine. However, I doubt that die hard dark chocolate fans (and they are a verbal bunch) will ever let dark chocolate take a back seat. 🙂
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain
How do we make lemon bars even more scrumptious? Add white chocolate! Wendy this is BRILLIANT!! And with all the sunshine lately I'd love to enjoy one of these on the front porch with a glass of lemonade. 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks for being my own personal cheering squad, Jess! Your enthusiasm for baking always makes me smile. 🙂 White chocolate adds a creamy taste that does up the scrumptious factor. You pour the lemonade, I'll bring the lemon bars. 🙂