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Home » Dessert » Yummy Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

Yummy Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

Last Updated March 24, 2023. Published May 23, 2018 Good For You Gluten Free

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Yummy Gluten-Free Lemon Bars
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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. 

Related Reading:  Gluten-Free Lemon Crinkle Cookies Made with Almond Flour

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!

The Most Perfect Gluten Free Lemon Bars Ever - Good For You Gluten Free

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.

overhead picture of all the ingredients needed to make this perfect gluten-free lemon bar recipe

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.

Picture of gluten-free lemon bar crumbly crust

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

Picture of me pressing down the crust of the gluten-free lemon bars recipe

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.

Pouring the filling mixture over hot par-baked crust

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!

Final shot of stacked gluten-free 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. 

Overhead picture of a plate full of gluten-free lemon bars

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.

Close up on gluten-free lemon bars so you can see how beautiful and tasty they look

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. 

Related Reading:  The BEST Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Applesauce Cake You’ll Ever Eat

Perfect Gluten-Free Lemon Bars header

Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

This is simply the most perfect gluten-free lemon bar recipe you'll ever make or eat. The crust is buttery, soft, and flaky, and the topping is lemony and sweet. Be sure to use fresh lemons to make these bars sing!
4.75 from 12 votes
Print Pin
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: gluten-free lemon bars, lemon bar recipe, lemon bars
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 36 minutes
Cooling time: 2 hours
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 150kcal
Author: Jenny Levine Finke

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 1/3 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend (190 grams)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup softened butter

Filling

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 4 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (about the juice of 1 lemon)
  • Zest of one entire lemon (about 2 tsp)

Topping:

  • 2 Tbsp powdered sugar set aside for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350º degrees F.
  • Grease an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
  • In a bowl attached to your standing mixer (or use your hand mixer), combine all crust ingredients. Using the low setting on your mixer to mix ingredients for about 1-2 minutes until well combined and you wind up with a crumbly mixture.
  • Press mixture in an even layer in your greased baking dish.
  • Bake crust for 17-18 minutes until the edges start to lightly brown.
  • While the crust is baking, combine all filling ingredients in the same bowl and mix on medium speed until well combined.
  • Pour filling over par-baked hot crust and continue baking for 18-20 minutes until filling is set and edges just begin to brown.
  • Allow ample time for lemon bars to cool, preferably overnight in the fridge (it's easiest to cut the bars when they are completely cool).
  • Cut into 16 even squares and top with powdered sugar as desired.

Notes

Cutting into your lemon bars can be a disaster if you don’t follow the instructions. When you remove the lemon bars from the oven, allow it to cool at room temperature for about an hour. Cover with plastic wrap and then put it in your fridge to continue cooling. The cooling process is key for the custard filling to set. I typically refrigerate my lemon bars overnight or for at least two hours before cutting into squares.
To get the perfect square cuts, trim off the edges with a knife. You can eat the crispy edges, they’re good! It will make for a better presentation when you do.
I like to dirty only one bowl in the process, so you’ll see I just use the same bowl to create the crust and filling. Less mess equals less clean up for me.
I have not tested any egg-free versions of this recipe (and I’m not sure if it would work), but you can use dairy-free butter to easily make this recipe dairy-free.
Use fresh lemon juice and zest. The fake stuff or pre-squeezed lemon just isn’t the same.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 216IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @GoodForYouGlutenFree or tag #goodforyouglutenfree!

Filed Under: Brownies & Bars, Dessert

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Hi, I'm Jenny Levine Finke and am passionate about the gluten-free lifestyle. I'm a certified integrative nutrition coach and self-taught expert on [most] gluten-free things. I have celiac disease and know the struggles you're going through first-hand. This is why I've dedicated this blog to serving the celiac and gluten sensitive communities with important information, product and restaurant reviews, and simple recipes I hope you'll love. Read More…

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4155 shares