Dreamy, creamy Orange Bars with a shortbread crust are bright, tangy, and bursting with sweet citrus flavor -- and a fun twist on classic lemon bars. They're the best orange bars, perfect for Easter, bake sales, baby showers, or any special occasion.
If you love citrus desserts, be sure to try Lemon Ricotta Olive Oil Cake and Lemon Cut Out Shortbread Cookies next!
If you love a good lemon bar, this orange bar recipe is a must-make. The shortbread crust is perfectly thick, but tender, and not-too-sweet, and the sweet orange filling is thick and creamy. And they're so easy to make with simple ingredients you can easily find in any grocery store.
❤️You're Going to Love These
- Bright and zesty filling with the sweet-tart flavor of oranges
- Thick, tender, buttery crust that’s the right amount of crumbly
- A refreshing twist on classic lemon bars
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Delicious citrus bars for spring gatherings, Easter, or anytime citrus cravings hit
🍋Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.
- Powdered sugar. Powdered sugar in the shortbread crust gives it a melt-in-your-mouth texture. And a little dusting on top of the bars is a sweet, pretty finish.
- Baking powder. Baking powder gives the crust a tender texture and the filling a little lift.
- Unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, skip the salt in the crust.
- Fresh orange juice. I use navel oranges, but Cara Cara or blood oranges add a fun twist and a pop of color. You can also use bottled orange juice (without pulp).
- Orange zest. If you use bottled orange juice, please do not skip the orange zest, if possible. The oils in orange zest contain more concentrated and distinct orange flavor than the juice.
- Lemon juice. A little lemon juice adds tartness to the orange juice.
🍊Variations
- Orange extract. Up to one teaspoon of orange extract adds even more bold orange flavor to the filling -- especially if you skip the zest.
- Vanilla extract. If desired, add one teaspoon of vanilla extract with the butter to the crust recipe.
🥣How to Make Orange Bars
Step 1: Make the crust. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter until it forms a soft, thick dough. Press dough into an 11x7 or 9x9 glass pan sprayed with nonstick spray and lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Dock the crust with a fork -- don't poke all the way through.
Step 2: Make the filling while the crust bakes. Combine sugar and orange zest in a bowl. Pinch it together with your fingers to release the oils. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, and whisk. Whisk in eggs, then orange juice and lemon juice. Pour filling over hot crust. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the center is set and no longer jiggles. Cool one hour, then chill in the refrigerator, 2-3 hours.
Step 3: Immediately before serving, dust the tops of the bars with powdered sugar.
Step 4: To cut orange squares neatly, start with very cold bars. Warm a sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and make decisive cuts. Repeat this process after each cut.
👉Top Tip: Lightly spray the pan before adding parchment to keep it from slipping when pressing in the crust.
☑️Tips
- Zest only the outer orange peel—the white pith underneath is bitter.
- Use a glass pan. Metal can react with citrus and leave a metallic taste.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving to avoid a sticky top.
- Don't skip the zest. It packs more concentrated orange flavor than the juice alone.
🎁Storage
- Store orange bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.
- Freeze in a single layer then stack between layers of parchment paper and wrap with plastic wrap and a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, thaw in the refrigerator.
❓FAQs
Orange juice from fresh oranges has the brightest flavor, but store-bought works in a pinch—just use pulp-free for a smoother texture.
Navel oranges are perfect, but feel free to mix in blood oranges or Cara Cara for a fun flavor and color variation.
Yes, store them in the fridge for up to 7 days. They taste great chilled and hold their shape better when cold.
Absolutely! Freeze in a single layer until firm, then stack between parchment in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
Overbaking can cause cracks. Pull them out when the center is just set and no longer jiggles, even if they seem a little soft.
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📖 Recipe
Orange Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
Orange Filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest 1-2 oranges
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Spray a glass 11 x 7 or 9 x 9 baking pan with nonstick spray, then line it with parchment paper.
- Make the crust. In a large bowl, whisk flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt to remove clumps. Stir in melted butter until combined. Use your hands to gather the dough together if needed.1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup melted unsalted butter
- Press the dough into the prepared pan. Bake 15-20 minutes. The edges will be light golden brown. Use a fork to poke holes into the crust -- do not poke all the way through.
- Make the filling while the crust is baking. Place the sugar and orange zest in a large bowl. Pinch the sugar and zest together with your fingers to release the orange oils. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to remove clumps. Whisk in eggs until combined, then the orange juice and lemon juice until smooth. The filling will be very runny.1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 4 large eggs, room temperature, ½ cup orange juice, 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Pour the filling over the hot crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the center is set and no longer jiggles. Cool for one hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares. Dust the top of the bars with powdered sugar immediately before serving.
Notes
- Zest only the outer orange peel—the white pith underneath is bitter.
- Lightly spray the pan before adding parchment to keep it from slipping when pressing in the crust.
- Use a glass pan. Metal can react with citrus and leave a metallic taste.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving to avoid a sticky top.
- Don't skip the zest. It packs more concentrated orange flavor than the juice alone.
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