Description
A bright and tangy gluten-free lemon bar recipe with a buttery almond crust, ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for quick desserts with a crisp crust and silky lemon filling.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (150g) almond flour (finely ground)
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) maple syrup
- ½ cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons (16g) gluten-free all-purpose flour (with xanthan gum)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Optional: powdered sugar for dusting
- Optional: fresh berries (raspberries or blueberries) for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy lifting.
- In a medium bowl, mix almond flour, melted butter, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt until mixture feels like wet sand. Press evenly into the bottom of the pan using the bottom of a glass to pack firmly.
- Bake crust for 10-12 minutes until golden around edges. Remove from oven.
- While crust bakes, whisk eggs and coconut sugar in a large bowl until thick and pale (about 2 minutes by hand or 1 minute with mixer).
- Add gluten-free flour and salt to egg mixture, whisk until just combined. Stir in fresh lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth and glossy.
- Pour lemon filling over baked crust and spread evenly with a spatula.
- Return pan to oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until filling is set but slightly jiggly in the center.
- Cool lemon bars completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes to allow filling to firm up.
- Lift bars out using parchment overhang, slice into 16 squares, and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature, optionally with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
[‘Use fresh lemons for best flavor; bottled lemon juice is not recommended.’, ‘Do not overmix the filling to avoid cracks.’, ‘Press the crust firmly to prevent crumbling.’, ‘Bake crust fully before adding filling to avoid sogginess.’, ‘Filling should be slightly jiggly when done; it firms up as it cools.’, ‘Cool completely before slicing to prevent mess.’, ‘Bars keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving.’, ‘Freezing is not recommended as it affects texture.’, ‘For dairy-free version, substitute butter with coconut oil and eggs with flax eggs.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/16 of recip
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 40
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
Keywords: gluten-free, lemon bars, almond crust, quick dessert, dairy-free option, paleo, citrus dessert