Black Bottom Lemon Bars

Classic lemon bars are already hard to resist, but a dark chocolate shortbread crust makes them feel completely new. Tart lemon, bittersweet cocoa, buttery shortbread ~ these black bottom lemon bars might be that rare dessert that wins over everybody.

➡ The chocolate crust reins in the sweetness and makes the lemon taste even brighter.

➡ Nothing fussy here ~ just a simple bake with a little drama built in.

➡ They look like classic lemon bars until you cut in ~ that chocolatey bottom layer changes everything.

With over a hundred lemon recipes in my index it’s not often I come across a completely new lemon dessert, so I’m excited to share this one. It’s easy to throw together ~ no mixers or processors needed!

How to make black bottom lemon bars

1. Make a quick chocolate shortbread dough (it will be crumbly.)
2. Press down into your pan and par-bake.
3. Whisk together the lemony filling and pour over the warm crust.
4. Bake until just set.

Sue’s baking notes for black bottom lemon bars

COCOA POWDER: Choose your cocoa based on the effect you want. Natural cocoa makes a softer chocolate crust; Hershey’s Special Dark gives you a bolder, almost Oreo-like black bottom. I like both, but the darker cocoa definitely makes the contrast more dramatic.

SHORTBREAD CRUST: The chocolate shortbread crust will look crumbly. Cocoa powder makes this dough drier than classic shortbread, almost like a crumb crust. Press it in firmly and evenly ~ it will bake up into a tender cookie base.

BAKE TIME: Pull the bars when the edges are set and the center still has a soft wobble. They finish setting as they cool and chill.

Looking for other unique lemon bars? Check out my Whole Meyer Lemon Bars or my Hibiscus Lemon Bars.

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Black Bottom Lemon Bars

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Black bottom lemon bars pair a bright, tart lemon filling with a dark chocolate shortbread crust. They’re buttery, bold, and a little unexpected ~ a fun twist on classic lemon bars.

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Prep Time:10 minutes minutes

Cook Time:40 minutes minutes

Total Time:50 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

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Equipment

• 9×9 square baking pan
• parchment paper optional

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

chocolate shortbread crust

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

lemon filling

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest
• pinch salt

garnish

• powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9×9 baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang if you’d like to remove the bars for neater slicing.

make the crust

• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla until the mixture is evenly moistened and holds together when squeezed.
• Press the crumbly mixture firmly into the 9×9 pan and bake for 18 minutes.

make the filling

• Whisk the filling ingredients together until smooth and the eggs are completely incorporated.
• When the crust comes out of the oven, gently pour the filling over the top. One trick is to pour it over the back of a large spoon so it lands softly on the delicate crust. A few chocolate crumbs might come loose and float in the filling, that's not a problem.
• Continue baking for 22–25 minutes, or until just set (the center might have a slight wobble.)
• Let the bars cool at room temperature, then chill before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
• If you’ve used parchment paper, lift the chilled bars out of the pan for easier slicing. Use a long sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts. Store the bars in the refrigerator.

Notes

For an extra chocolatey crust add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to the mixture.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: baking, bar dessert, chocolate, lemon, shortbread

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bar · Calories: 263 kcal · Carbohydrates: 42 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 10 g · Saturated Fat: 6 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g · Trans Fat: 0.3 g · Cholesterol: 82 mg · Sodium: 74 mg · Potassium: 82 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 30 g · Vitamin A: 327 IU · Vitamin C: 6 mg · Calcium: 18 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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