This delicious twist on lemon bars features a buttery pistachio crust and a sweet lemon-pistachio filling. The bright flavors of these bars make them the ultimate crowd pleaser!
Looking for a nut free option? Try our creamy lemon bars.
Recipe snapshot
FLAVOR: Sweet and tart lemon, buttery pistachios, and a hint of vanilla.
WHAT SETS THIS RECIPE APART: The addition of pistachios makes this recipe different than other lemon bars. The pistachios add crunch, color, and the flavor pairs great with lemon.
SKILL LEVEL: All steps of this recipe are simple, making it great for beginners.
How to make lemon pistachio bars
*Full recipe below in recipe card*
Shortbread crust
Combine the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of an 8×8 pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Lemon pistachio filling
Whisk together the filling ingredients and pour into the prebaked crust. Bake for about 20 minutes.
Dust with powdered sugar
Let the bars cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, dust with powdered sugar.
Behind the recipe testing
Tips and recommendations:
- Roasted salted pistachios taste the best in this recipe. I typically don’t bake with salted nuts, but all of my taste testers preferred this recipe with roasted salted pistachios.
- Fully line the pan with parchment paper or foil. These bars can be a bit sticky and this allows you to lift them right out of the pan.
- Finely chop the pistachios for the crust and coarsely chop them for the filling. The small pieces in the crust ensures that the crust slices easily. The larger pieces in the filling ensures you get distinct pieces all throughout.
- Don’t skip the powdered sugar garnish! Real talk: These bars are not the prettiest straight out of the oven. A dusting of powdered sugar makes them much more presentable.
Serving and storage
Serve chilled or at room temperature. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More lemon recipes
Free Baking Guide!
Become a BETTER BAKER with our RECIPES, TIPS, & TRICKS
Recipe
Lemon Pistachio Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup (125g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (about 20 pieces)
- ¼ cup (35g) finely chopped shelled pistachios*
Filling:
- 2 large eggs
- 1¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 3 (26g) tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- finely grated zest of 2 medium-sized lemons, about 1½ tablespoons
- ⅓ cup (78 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (35g) coarsely chopped shelled pistachios*
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper or foil and lightly grease it.
- Combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add cubed butter and mix until the butter is broken into small, pea-sized pieces. Stir in chopped pistachios. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup (if sticky, place a piece of parchment paper on the dough before pressing). Bake until the edges are beginning to turn light brown, about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, proceed with the filling.
Filling:
- Whisk eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla until well combined. Stir in the pistachios. Pour over the pre-baked crust ensuring that the pistachios are somewhat evenly distributed. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. After cooling, dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Debra says
Nice twist on lemon bars! I will make again!
Allison Mattina says
Yay! I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂