These Healthy Lemon Bars have almond flour shortbread crust and bold, tart lemon filling. Gluten free, naturally sweetened and made with only 7 ingredients!
We also love these healthy lemon cookies and healthy key lime pie bars.
Unlike traditional lemon bars filled with more butter, refined sugars, and white flour, these healthy lemon bars use unrefined maple syrup, almond flour, and lower quantities of sugar and butter. They are so good, everyone who tries them, loves them!
Reader’s Review
LOVED IT!They turned out perfectly beautiful and delicious! It was so easy to make them. I actually had to make a second batch because the first one was gone in 30 minutes 😂
Kitti
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy: All you need is 7 ingredients and that is including vanilla extract.
- Healthy dessert: Refined sugar free, gluten free and 6 grams of protein per bar.
- Flavorful: Bursting with fresh lemon flavor!
- Great make ahead dessert: You have to chill the bars after baking, so it’s a great recipe to make the day before you want to serve it.
Ingredients for Healthy Lemon Bars
- Almond flour: You can use store-bought almond flour or here is quick and easy almond flour recipe. You may also be able to use almond meal.
- Cornstarch: This will help absorb extra moisture in the dough. Arrowroot powder or tapioca starch will also work.
- Butter: Acts as a binder. You can use melted coconut oil instead for dairy free lemon bars.
- Eggs: You need large eggs. No need them to be at room temperature.
- Lemons: You’ll need fresh lemon juice and zest, not bottled juice. I love to use Meyer lemons but regular lemons work as well. You will need 4-5 lemons but I recommend to buy an extra one in case they turn out less juicy.
- Maple syrup: Feel free to swap it out with another liquid sweetener like agave or honey but keep in mind bars will have a stronger flavor of it.
- Vanilla extract: I use pure vanilla extract for the best results.
- I also use Misto cooking spray.
How to Make Healthy Lemon Bars
- Prep and make the crust: Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang. Stir well all crust ingredients and press into a pan. Then bake it for 15 minutes.
- Make the lemon filling: Meanwhile, as the crust cooks, whisk gently the eggs, lemon zest and juice, maple syrup and cornstarch until there are no white lumps left. Do not overmix to avoid air bubbles.
- Bake: Carefully pour the filling in one corner of the pan while the crust is still warm, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the filling is firm with a slight jiggle in the middle. Do not overbake!
- Chill and slice: Let the bars cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Cut into 12 or 16 neat squares with a sharp knife, wiping it down between each cut. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Tips for Best Results
- Don’t use glass baking dish: In order to prevent your crust from burning, I recommend to use ceramic or metal baking square dish.
- To prevent white specks in the filling: Make sure to whisk the eggs better as white specks are cooked egg whites.
- To avoid crust mixing with the filling: Make sure to check the baked crust for cracks. Also pour lemon filling slowly in the corner of the pan and while the crust is still warm.
- Don’t over bake: When overcooked, the tops can crack and lemon custard can curdle. All ovens vary and I tested this recipe in 2 ovens and baking time varied from 15 to 20 minutes.
- About the air bubbles: Little air bubbles are normal. It’s just air releasing and rising from the eggs.
How to Store
Store: You can store healthy lemon bars in a cool, dry place for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Place them on a baking tray, not touching, and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months and just pop one onto the counter to thaw.
FAQs
I do not recommend to use a different flour. I developed this recipe to use almond flour and any other flour will act quite differently.
Unfortunately, no. I do not recommend to use any egg substitute as this recipe relies on a custard like filling the eggs produce. You will end up with a completely different texture and flavor.
More Healthy Recipes to Try
- Healthy lemon poppy seed bread
- Healthy lemon zucchini bread
- Healthy pecan pie bars
- Healthy lemon poppy seed muffins
- Healthy strawberry oatmeal bars
- Healthy carrot cake bars
Healthy Lemon Bars
Video
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 3/4 cups almond flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For Lemon Filling:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 lemon, zest of
- 1/2 cup lemon juice , from 3 large lemons (I used Meyer lemons)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Cooking spray, I use Misto
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line square 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add almond flour, 1 tbsp cornstarch, melted butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Stir with spatula until well mixed, transfer to prepared baking dish and flatten with hands and spatula into an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, maple syrup and cornstarch. Whisk very well until no white strands.
- Remove crust from the oven and very carefully pour filling on a side on top (abrupt pouring will lift the crust). Place back in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm but still a bit jiggly in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the counter for 30 minutes. Then transfer to the fridge to firm up for another hour.
- Cut into 12 squares, dust with icing sugar (if you wish) and serve.
Notes
- Store: In a cool dry place for a few days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Freeze: I like to freeze lemon bars on a baking tray (not touching) until solid and then transfer them to a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Whenever you want one, just pop it out onto the counter or within the fridge to thaw.
- Honey: You can use honey but lemon bars will have more overpowering taste of honey. It is personal preference.
- Cornstarch: It thickens the filling and absorbs the moisture in the dough. You can substitute with arrowroot powder.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Omg! Best lemon dessert ever!!!
wonderful!!!!
Hi Olena, I love your recipes and your approach to cooking & baking. Each recipe covers a question so I never wonder…like ‘ can I freeze this?” Or “ can it be made in an instant pot?” The answer is usually already included.
Before I make this (so Please consider I’ve not tasted them), I can see where the crust is probably more soft/moist than I want. Can I take the maple syrup out and substitute a tablespoon of sugar. I know that is not considered healthy but I’m not a purist and more “things in moderation“ person. Besides, almonds are naturally sweet. (I do have some dry maple sugar on hand…hmmm). My other thought was to substitute a quarter cup of chickpea flour or something similar. But I think they are more moist due to the maple syrup…which is surely delicious. I just prefer to have a more dry crust.
Absolutely! I am not purist by all means anymore myself haha. Yes, and 1/4 cup chickpea flour will be fine. I know what you mean by dry crust. Let me know how it goes, I love these kinds of experiments. And I am so happy you find my recipe posts helpful!!!
LOVED IT!They turned out perfectly beautiful and delicious! It was so easy to make them. I actually had to make a second batch because the first one was gone in 30 minutes 😂
I tried to upload a picture but the platform doesn’t let me.
Do you have any IG I could follow?
Yes, follow and tag @ifoodreal on Instagram! Would love to see the pictures, so glad they were enjoyed!