Yummy Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

This post, which features yummy gluten-free lemon bars, contains affiliate links. This post has been updated in March 2020. Please see my disclosures.

I personally think dessert is meant to have chocolate in it… however, there is one exception in my book, and that is when it comes to lemon bars.

Lemon bars are my kryptonite.

I love lemon bars and will choose them over a chocolatey dessert any day.

For a long time, I thought I had to give up lemon bars because it’s rare to find a good gluten-free lemon bar at the supermarket, and I didn’t know how to make them. 

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However, as my baking skills have improved over the years, I’ve realized that it’s quite easy to make lemon bars at home, especially if you have a recipe as good as the one I’m sharing with you in this post.

I used to love my mother-in-law’s lemon bar recipe, so I took her recipe and made it gluten-free and even more lemony and delicious.

The results are amazing, and these gluten-free lemon bars are delicious!

How to Make Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

Lemon bars have a shortbread bottom and custardly lemon topping. You’ll need a good 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make both the shortbread and custard topping.

To make the shortbread base, combine all the crust ingredients in your mixer. You’ll need a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, sugar, and softened butter.

Mix the ingredients together well using your mixer, and you’ll wind up with a crumbly crust that, when pressed together, forms the solid base for your lemon bars.

You can see below how I press the mixture in place to form an even layer of crust.

You’ll bake the shortbread crust for 17-18 minutes until it’s set and only par-baked.

While the crust is baking, prepare your lemony custard topping.

Combine all your filling ingredients, including sugar, eggs, 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Once the crust is par-baked (after about 17-18 minutes in the oven), pour the egg mixture over it and place it back in the oven to continue baking.

Bake for another 18-20 minutes until the lemon topping is set and the edges are only slightly brown.

Be sure to allow the mixture to fully cool before cutting into it, and definitely before topping it with powdered sugar. If you put the powdered sugar on top of warm lemon bars, it will be absorbed into the lemon topping and won’t look as pretty.

I usually allow the lemon bars to cool for a full hour at room temperature, then put it in my fridge for a few hours – or overnight – before I cut into them.

If you cut into it while it’s still warm, you’ll wind up with a gooey mess. Resist the urge to get perfectly squared and oh-so-pretty lemon bars!

Tip! If you want to be evenly shaped and pretty when you cut into them, trim off the edges (and eat them as your much-deserved reward for working so hard in the kitchen). 

Why I Love ‘Em

These gluten-free lemon bars have a lot going for them.

For starters, the crust is soft, flakey, and buttery. You bite into it, and the crust melts in your mouth. 

Furthermore, the custardy topping is sweet and lemony and has a wonderful texture that is hard to describe. You can taste the fresh-squeezed lemon and lemon zest bits. People will go crazy for your lemon bars – I promise!

Top them with a sprinkle of powdered sugar for an elevated taste and appeal. 

I cut my gluten-free lemon bars into 16 small squares, allowing each person to enjoy 5-6 bites of sweetness. Eat ’em slow so you can savor all the flavors that sing in your mouth.

Any way you slice them, I’m certain you will love these gluten-free lemon bars, and it will be a go-to dessert recipe when you’re asked to bring a non-chocolate dessert. 

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