These Gluten Free Lemon Bars are fresh, zesty and have a healthy gluten-free shortbread crust that will make you fall in love instantly. Made with almond flour, fresh lemon zest and lemon slices on top, this classic dessert is completely paleo, refined-sugar-free, dairy-free with a low carb, keto option!
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Easy Gluten Free Lemon Bars Recipe
When summer comes around, so do citrus desserts – and we can’t get enough of them. These gluten-free lemon bars are like fresh-squeezed lemonade in cookie bar form! The sweet and tart combination is spot-on, and the presentation is simple, yet super fancy!
These cool and refreshing lemon bars will make you want to grab an insulated lunchbox and have a picnic. My family has declared these the official dessert of summer!
Are These Lemon Bars Healthy?
In addition to being gluten-free, these bars are paleo, grain-free and dairy free. With a couple of quick substitutions, these healthy lemon bars can be made low-carb and keto as well! In other words, they’re a lot healthier than your average lemon bars. They use natural sweeteners to give you the same great taste without all the calories.
What You’ll Need
How is it all possible, you ask? Here are the ingredients that make it happen:
For the Shortbread Crust
- Ghee: Melted and cooled. You can also use grass-fed butter or refined coconut oil.
- Pure Maple Syrup: For low-carb and keto, use Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup or your preferred liquid sweetener instead.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: You’ll need one teaspoon.
- Super Fine Blanched Almond Flour: This gluten-free flour is quite nutritious!
- Coconut Flour: To supplement the almond flour.
- Fine Sea Salt: Just a dash.
For the Lemon Filling
- Large Eggs: Be sure to bring the eggs to room temperature.
- Maple Syrup: Or alternative liquid sweetener.
- Lemon Juice: You’ll need the juice of 3-4 large lemons.
- Lemon Zest: About 1 lemon’s worth.
- Arrowroot Flour: You could also use tapioca flour or sifted coconut flour.
For the Garnish
- Powdered Organic Sugar: Sifted. For low-carb and keto, use powdered SWERVE or powdered monk fruit.
- Lemon Zest: To taste.
- Lemon Slices: Cut into halves or quarters.
Always Use Fresh Lemon Juice
Nobody wants to see a beautiful lemon bar only to end up with a mouthful of fake lemon flavor. Yuck! Because these bars are so lemony, they won’t taste so delicious with bottled lemon juice. It’s just not the same. Luckily, lemons are available year-round at your local grocery store!
How to Make Gluten Free Lemon Bars
There are two main components to these lemon bars – the crust and the filling. They’re both super easy to make, and the filling comes together while the crust undergoes its first round of baking.
- Prep for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 square metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang. Set aside.
- Form Crust Dough: In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth. Sift in the almond flour and coconut flour and mix until the dough forms and comes together.
- Bake Crust & Let Cool: Press the crust into the bottom of the lined pan and bake it for 11-12 minutes, or until golden. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool slightly, no longer than 1-2 minutes.
- Make Lemon Filling: While the crust is baking, whisk the eggs with the maple syrup in a medium-sized bowl until smooth. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest, then whisk again. Add the coconut flour and continue mixing well until the batter is smooth and no lumps are present.
- Pour Into Crust & Bake: Pour the filling over the slightly cooled crust and lower the oven temperature to 325°F. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the filling is just set and no longer jiggles. Be careful not to over bake.
- Chill: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool in the pan for an hour, then chill them in the fridge for another 2-3 hours before serving to firm them up.
- Cut Bars & Garnish: Use a sharp knife to cut out the bars, then dust them with some powdered sugar and some lemon zest. Garnish one or two bars with a lemon slice.
Tips for Success
Other than using fresh lemon juice, there are a few more ways to make sure your bars turn out just right. Here are my top tips and tricks for this recipe:
- Use a Metal Pan: This is a super important one, as a glass pan will cause the crust to burn. Always use a parchment-lined metal pan for these lemon bars.
- Leave a Parchment Overhang: When it comes to removing your bars from the pan, it really helps to have some overhanging parchment paper to lift them with.
- Don’t Forget to Turn Down the Oven: The crust cooks at a higher temperature than the filling, so it’s crucial that you lower the oven temperature before putting in your bars. Otherwise, the filling will not cook properly and may burn.
- Avoid Over Baking: You really don’t want to overcook these. As soon as the filling stops jiggling, the bars are done.
How to Store Homemade Lemon Bars
Gluten-free lemon bars should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for up to a week!
Can I Freeze Gluten Free Lemon Bars?
You can freeze your bars for up to 3 months if you omit the sliced lemon and powdered sugar garnishes. Make sure that frozen lemon bars are stored in a freezer-safe container. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before enjoying.
More Lemon Desserts to Try
Want more zesty lemon dessert recipes? These will make your mouth water!
- Gluten Free Lemon Cake
- Vegan Lemon Protein Balls
- Lemon Loaf
- Lemon Macarons
- Keto Lemon Cookies
- Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
These Gluten Free Lemon Bars are fresh, zesty and have a healthy gluten-free shortbread crust that will make you fall in love instantly. Made with almond flour, fresh lemon zest and lemon slices on top, this classic dessert is completely paleo, refined-sugar-free, dairy-free with a low carb, keto option!
- 1/3 cup ghee or sub grass-fed butter or refined coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup for low carb/keto, sub with 3 tbsp Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup or preferred liquid sweetener
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups super fine blanched almond flour
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup maple syrup for low carb/keto, sub with 1/3 cup Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup or other liquid sweetener
- 2/3 cup lemon juice about 3-4 large lemons
- zest from one lemon about 1 tbsp
- 2 tbsp arrowroot flour or sub tapioca flour or 1 tablespoon sifted coconut flour
- sifted organic powdered sugar for low-carb/keto, use powdered SWERVE or powdered monk fruit
- lemon zest
- lemon slices cut into halves or quarters
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 square metal baking pan (do not use glass or the crust will burn) with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth. Sift in the almond flour and coconut flour and mix until the dough forms and comes together.
Press the crust into the bottom of the lined pan and bake it for 11-12 minutes, or until golden. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool slightly, no longer than 1-2 minutes.
While the crust is baking, whisk the eggs with the maple syrup in a medium-sized bowl until smooth. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest, then whisk again. Add the coconut flour and continue mixing well until the batter is smooth and no lumps are present.
Pour the filling over the slightly cooled crust and lower the oven temperature to 325°F. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the filling is just set and no longer jiggles. Be careful not to overbake.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool in the pan for an hour, then chill them in the fridge for another 2-3 hours before serving to firm them up.
Use a sharp knife to cut out the bars, then dust them with some powdered sugar and some lemon zest. Garnish one or two bars with a lemon slice.
Always use fresh lemon juice.
Sabrina -
great set of ingredients for me with almond flour and coconut flour and others, I could never have made this on my own, also really love lemon in anything, so thank you!