These healthy paleo lemon bars are perfectly sweet & tart with a delicious gluten free crust. An easy, scrumptious party treat or after dinner dessert! 

a stack of paleo lemon bars dusted with powdered sugar

Easy, Healthy, Paleo Lemon Bars Recipe

Lemon lemon and more lemon! This is the best time of the year. The weather is warming up, flowers are blooming, and citrus season is fast approaching! Spring and summer remind me of delicious citrus-centric recipes, and lemons are the perfect fruit to bake with! I love the blend of sweet and tart, and what is better than when the “healthy” version is just as good as the original?! I just can’t get enough lemon desserts, and this gluten free lemon bar recipe is totally hitting the spot!

The best part? These gluten free lemon bars are grain-free, dairy-free, and absolutely scrumptious! With only 10 minutes of prep, your oven does all the work. Set in the fridge for 2 hours, and you have the most delicious after dinner dessert that the whole family will love!

a close up of gluten free lemon bars in a row dusted with powdered sugar

How to Make Gluten Free Lemon Bars

As I said, lemon lemon and more lemon! The combination of lemon juice and lemon zest gives these paleo lemon bars the perfect tart flavor, balanced with the sweetness of the maple syrup in every bite!

Gluten Free Crust

The gluten free crust for these lemon bars is simply a blend of almond flour, coconut flour, vanilla extract, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt. Simply combine with a fork and press into your 8×8 pan to create a divine gluten free crust.

Paleo Lemon Bars Filling

This lemon bar filling is made with just a few easy-to-find ingredients. Lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and tapioca flour blend together to make a deliciously gooey filling that will set perfect to create the “lemon bar” shape. Dusted with powdered sugar and served chilled, these refreshing, gluten free bars will satisfy all of your sweet treat cravings!

overhead view of healthy lemon bars dusted with powdered sugar surrounded by slices of lemons

Keto Lemon Bars Option

These paleo and gluten free lemon bars are actually made with mostly keto-friendly ingredients! With a couple of easy swaps, these become keto lemon bars in a snap!

To make these lemon bars keto:

  1. Simply swap the maple syrup for keto-friendly maple syrup from brands like Lakanto or Birch Benders.
  2. Swap the powder sugar dusting for Swerve powdered sugar (zero carbs and zero sugar!).

After making these swaps, these keto lemon bars have just 6 net carbs per bar!

Mary’s Tips & Tricks

Setting: The most important step in getting the gluten free lemon bars to the right consistency is refrigeration! In order to set properly, be sure to place these lemon bars in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Once completely set, they are ready to serve!

Almond Flour vs. Flour: I love using almond flour as a swap for regular flour for a few reasons. It’s low carb, packed full of protein, and gluten free! It’s easy to bake with and is easy to find at local grocery stores.

Serving: You can serve these paleo lemon bars straight from the refrigerator or let them come to room temperature after setting. Both are great!

a close up of a four lemon bars stacked on top of each other with lemon slices on white parchment paper

FAQs

How long do paleo lemon bars stay good in the fridge?

If stored in an airtight container, these lemon bars will last up to a week in the refrigerator!

Are lemon bars supposed to be gooey?

While lemon bars definitely have an ooey-gooey middle, they shouldn’t be too gooey, as the filling needs to set before getting to the right consistency. If you skip the setting process, they will be much gooier than they should be.

Can I freeze gluten free lemon bars?

Yes! Store your lemon bars in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 6 months! Make sure to separate layers of lemon bars with parchment paper. Defrost overnight in the fridge and serve!

More Gluten Free Bars

Grain Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Vegan Millionaires Shortbread

Paleo Blueberry Crumb Bars

Paleo Fudge Covered Date Nut Bars

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Healthy Paleo Lemon Bars

These healthy paleo lemon bars are perfectly sweet & tart with a delicious gluten free crust. An easy, scrumptious party treat or after dinner dessert! 
5 from 21 votes
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Ingredients

crust

Lemon filling

  • 4 eggs + 1 yolk
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup lemon juice, about 4 lemons
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp tapioca flour
  • organic powdered sugar, for dusting – optional

Equipment

  • 1 8×8 pan metal works better than glass for this recipe!

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 8×8 metal pan with cooking oil.
  • Combine the crust ingredients: almond flour, coconut flour, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla and salt in a bowl. Mix well using a fork until combined.
  • Add the mixture to the pan and press it down into an even layer using your hands. Bake for 16-17 minutes until golden brown.
  • While the crust is baking, combine the eggs (+ yolk), maple syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk very well until combined. You can also use an electric mixer to ensure the egg is well combined. Add the tapioca flour last and continue to mix until combined.
  • When the crust comes out of the oven, pour the egg and lemon mixture over top right away. Reduce the oven temp to 325. Bake for an additional 19-20 minutes until the top is mostly set.
  • Let the bars cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then transfer the pan to the fridge for at least 2 hours. Slide a knife around the edges of the bars to loosen, then cut into 9 square pieces. Sprinkle with organic powdered sugar, if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

The most important step in getting the gluten free lemon bars to the right consistency is refrigeration! In order to set properly, be sure to place these lemon bars in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Once completely set, they are ready to serve!
You can use a 9×9 pan, but just note they will be thinner than the bars pictured!
It’s important to pour the lemon filling on top of the crust IMMEDIATELY after you pull the crust out of the oven for best results!
To make paleo powdered sugar, simply blend up coconut sugar in your blender and voila! 
You can store these bars in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 285kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 104mg, Potassium: 103mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 106IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 1mg