These Hibiscus Lemon Bars are insanely good — imagine a perfect lemon bar infused with the bright berry flavor of hibiscus. Can you say vitamin C?
Have you had hibiscus tea? It’s made with deep red hibiscus petals, and it’s got a tart berry flavor that I just love. If you’ve ever had Red Zinger tea, you know what I’m talking about. It’s got so much vitamin C that it’s used it to fight off colds and flu but I like it here for that gorgeous shade of pink and its tangy, slightly herby flavor. I basically made a cold brew of fresh squeezed lemon juice and hibiscus for a subtle but delicious twist on my favorite lemon bars.
I don’t know anybody who can resist these, my mouth is watering just looking at the photos. I’ve always loved the idea of a pink lemon bar, but other recipes that include strawberries are just too sweet for me. If I’m going to go to the trouble to make a lemon dessert I want it to be LEMONY! So take note, lemon purists — these bars are super tart, the hibiscus doesn’t neutralize the lemon, it just enhances it.
I used the basic proportions from Ina Garten’s lemon bars for these Hibiscus Lemon Bars. You can double the recipe and bake it in a 9×13 pan.
My gorgeous lemons were sent to me from the Limoneira ranch here in Southern California. They’re one of the pioneers of the California citrus industry and they’ve been growing lemons and other fruit since 1893, making them one of the oldest and largest citrus growers in the country. If you have trouble finding Meyer lemons in your local area you can buy them direct from Limoneira, here. They make wonderful gifts, too.
notes ~
- You can use any type of good hibiscus tea for this, but the more hibiscus flowers in the formulation, the better. If you only have bagged tea, tear it open and use the loose tea.
- I love the touch of vanilla in the crust, it’s surprisingly good with the lemon.
- I line my pan with parchment so I can lift out the bars and cut them neatly. Just be sure to chill them before you attempt to remove them.
- These are good. :)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp dried hibiscus or hibiscus tea
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together. I did this in my stand mixer. Add in the flour and salt, and mix just until combined. Press the dough into a 9x9 baking pan. I lightly flour my fingers so they don't stick to the dough. Press it evenly across the bottom of the pan. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes until it is just lightly browned. Set it aside to cool, but leave the oven on.
- Meanwhile make the filling. Stir the hibiscus into the lemon juice and let sit for 15 minutes until it is a dark pink color. Then strain it and discard the hibiscus.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar together until well blended. Stir in the lemon juice and then blend in the flour.
- Pour the filling over the crust and return to the oven to bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the center of the filling is set and not jiggly.
- Let cool fully before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Don’t forget to pin these Hibiscus Lemon Bars!
33 Comments
Homemade Hibiscus Lemon Bars
May 1, 2019 at 10:20 am[…] Homemade Hibiscus Lemon Bars […]
Lisa Houston
November 24, 2018 at 7:06 pmIs there anyway to use fresh Hibiscus flowers? If not have you ever dried them and then used them? I also am interested in trying to make candied Hibiscus flowers. Thanks!
Sue
November 24, 2018 at 8:16 pmI haven’t tried but I’m sure you could do that Lisa, just make sure they’re pesticide free. I’ve never had a candied hibiscus, yum!
Edible Flowers
June 18, 2018 at 6:00 am[…] The hibiscus flower has a tart flavor, somewhat similar to a cranberry, and is popular enough that even Starbucks has a Hibiscus Drink. You can make your own hibiscus tea, too, but if you prefer an alcoholic drink, try a Hibiscus Margarita. Utilize its sweetness in desserts too, such as a Hibiscus Loaf Cake and Hibiscus Lemon Bars. […]
Audrey
March 22, 2017 at 6:06 pmI made these bars and what size pan do I use if not doubling the recipe? Also I used hibiscus flowers and the mixture was pink but after it backed the top was Brown and the inside yellow. What went wrong?
Sue
March 31, 2018 at 4:12 pmI use a 9×9 pan for this recipe Audrey. Did you use dried hibiscus, and let it steep in the juice until a very dark pink? The mixture should stay nice and bright even after baking.
Robin Mozingo
June 19, 2016 at 8:01 amI have made these several times and they are wonderful! My husband and even my toddler loves them!
Sue
June 19, 2016 at 8:05 amThanks for taking the time to check back in Robin, I think I’ll make a batch for this weekend, we’re topping 100F!
Susan
May 16, 2016 at 1:57 pmI have some raspberry and hibiscus preserves that were gifted to me and you’re right, the hibiscus flavor is amazing! What a pretty and delicious idea, Sue, and one I’d LOVE to try!
Lorda
May 15, 2016 at 4:47 pmThese are just lovely! I doubled the recipe and used hibiscus cranberry tea for a nice tart flavor. Thanks for sharing this perfect spring treat, Sue!
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners
May 10, 2016 at 6:44 amWow, I love these, Sue. I’m all about lemon this time of year and this is a gorgeous and delicious bite of flavor! Sharing all over :)
Sara
May 9, 2016 at 8:45 pmI LOVE lemon bars and the addition of hibiscus sounds like it would taste amazing and definitely looks so pretty in that shade of pink!
2 sisters recipes
May 9, 2016 at 3:28 pmWow Sue your bars are always so amazing and different! I am saving this recipe!!
Beautiful photos too!
Sue
May 9, 2016 at 6:12 pmIt’s so funny, I keep making bars, bars, bars! But I blog what I like to eat, so, I guess that means I love bars ;) Thanks for the visit!
Jennifer Farley
May 9, 2016 at 2:26 pmWhat a beautiful way to use hibiscus! These are lovely.
Laura | Tutti Dolci
May 9, 2016 at 2:14 pmSuch pretty bars and that flavor pairing sounds divine!
Shiho
May 9, 2016 at 1:15 pmIt looks pretty and sounds delicious. I have just had flu, I would rather to eat this cake than taking vitamin c pills :D
Sue
May 9, 2016 at 1:16 pmHaha, I have to agree with you Shiho!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
May 9, 2016 at 12:35 pmThese bars sounds so delicious and refreshing Sue! The color is just gorgeous! Pinned!
Diana
May 9, 2016 at 12:02 pmI love hibiscus and I always drink hibiscus tea! Very refreshing! So I can imagine how lovely do these bars taste!
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes
May 9, 2016 at 9:45 amThese look perfect and delicious! I love hibiscus tea lemonade (I buy the Tazo Passion Iced Tea bags and add my own lemon juice).. this looks light and perfect for spring!
Sue
May 9, 2016 at 12:07 pmI was thinking of doing an hibiscus lemonade post soon, I love the combination so much.
Tania @ COOKTORIA
May 9, 2016 at 8:47 amWow! These bars sound so delicious and exotic! I am saving the recipe for later!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
May 9, 2016 at 7:44 amLove that dreamy pinky colour! They look scrumptious!
Sue
May 9, 2016 at 9:04 amThanks Angie — I love that color too!
The Food Hunter
May 9, 2016 at 7:42 amI love the flavor combo and the color!
ZazaCook
May 9, 2016 at 7:39 amI adore this recipe! Sounds delicious:)
Chris Scheuer
May 9, 2016 at 7:36 amGorgeous! What a fun twist too on a classic. These would be perfect for a ladies get together with pretty china cups!
Hannah
May 9, 2016 at 6:49 amI love lemon bars and obsess over hibiscus tea! This looks right up my alley! Just to check, the hibiscus infuses into the lemon juice at room temperature? You don’t have to heat it? Thanks!
Sue
May 9, 2016 at 7:14 amHi Hannah! Yes, I just did it at room temperature and it happens pretty quickly. Hope you enjoy :)
monique
May 9, 2016 at 5:43 amPretty!!!
Medeja
May 9, 2016 at 5:10 amThese bars look really lovely!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
May 9, 2016 at 4:16 amWhat a lovely dish and such a nice way to give classic lemon bars a flavour twist :) Pinned!