These rosemary shortbread bars are rich, buttery and delicious! The addition of lemon makes these bars not too sweet and definitely worth sharing!
Rosemary Shortbread Bars with Lemon
There is nothing quite like the combination of lemon and rosemary. Especially in the wintertime! The best part about this recipe that the ingredients are readily available. We have a lemon tree out back and always keep rosemary in the garden. And the other ingredients are pantry staples! I like to bake up this shortbread for impromptu dinner invitations and gatherings with friends. And it is the perfect dessert that can be made ahead of time or enjoyed hot out of the oven.
I adapted this recipe from the New York Times Rosemary Shortbread recipe. I love the addition of the lemon zest in these bars. It really brings out the buttery flavor.
Find the full, printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
Rosemary Shortbread Bars Ingredients
For this simple, rustic recipe you just need the following 6 ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted cold butter – cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
I love that this recipe calls for simple pantry staples that you most likely always have on hand. There is nothing fancy about this recipe for rosemary shortbread bars, but it is always a crowd favorite!
Rosemary Shortbread Directions
This recipe for rosemary shortbread bars is so easy to prepare.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. And while the oven is heating up, mince your rosemary, zest the lemon and cut the butter into cubes. Then add the dry ingredients to your food processor or mixer. Pulse or mix the flour, sugar, rosemary and salt until blended. Next, add the butter and lemon zest. Mix until the ingredients start to come together. Now, the dough will be dry to the touch but will come together when pressed. Don’t overmix. You want the butter to still be in fine pieces and not thoroughly mixed in.
Press the dough into a square baking dish (8″ or 9″ works). Prick all over with a fork and bake for 45-50 minutes.
Then remove from oven when edges are beginning to brown and let cool slightly before cutting into squares or bars.
Rosemary Shortbread Bars with Lemon
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 cup unsalted, cold butter cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. Using your food processor or stand mixer, pulse or mix together flour, sugar, rosemary and salt. Add butter, and lemon zest and pulse until the dough resembles bread crumbs. Pulse a few more times until the dough start to come together, but don’t over process. Dough will not be smooth and may seem dry.
- Press dough into an ungreased 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan. Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes for 9-inch pan, 45 to 50 minutes for 8-inch. Allow to cool slightly. Cut into squares, while still warm.
Notes
Nutrition
If you liked this recipe for Rosemary Shortbread Bars, check out these other popular recipes:
The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Hollie
I love this treat and have had the bars made by a friend who said they are super-easy so I’m trying to make them for my husband for his birthday.
I doubled the recipe and followed the directions, but they weren’t getting brown… !? (starting to worry this was a bust!) Wait–I think I figured out the problem! My oven temp wasn’t correct.
Hollie
So, I have a gas stove/oven and once I adjusted temp back to 325, and made sure gas was on, oven temp began rising to set temp and now things seem to be heading in better direction! Ugh, still kinda worried… will post about outcome!
Hollie
Outcome: DELICIOUS!! Oh my word, I am so thankful they weren’t ruined bc of oven malfunction. In fact, I tried one while still warm and highly recommend that! 😋😅🥳
ashley
Yay! This recipe is foolproof and so delicious! Thank you for trying it! xoxo