Healthier Lemon Bars (Gluten Free)
These healthier lemon bars deliver a vibrant burst of lemon flavor while catering to gluten-free and dairy-free dietary needs. All you need is a few basic ingredients to make these happen! The base is made with almond flour, providing a naturally gluten-free option. If you’re a lemon lover like me, you’re going to love this dessert!
The intense lemon taste comes from a generous amount of fresh lemon juice and zest, ensuring a tangy and refreshing treat.Natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey are often used in place of refined sugar, contributing to a healthier profile. If you need to sub in granulated sweetener, that is totally okay here!
Perfect for those with dietary restrictions or anyone seeking a lighter dessert. These healthier lemon bars don’t compromise on flavor or satisfaction. You can use melted butter instead of oil in this recipe. Make sure you create a slurry with the starch so that you don’t get any lumps.
If you like this recipe, you will also love my Healthy Lemon Cheesecake Tart or my Chewy Lemon Almond Cookies. More lemon options include this Healthier Lemon Olive Oil Cake, Quick Lemon Ricotta Cake or this Whole Lemon Blender Cake. All of these desserts have been super popular on the blog!
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Healthy Lemon Bars (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
Crust/bottom layer:
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Filling/top layer:
- 4 eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbs arrowroot powder*
- pinch salt
Optional garnish:
- powder sugar + lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line an 8×8 inch brownie pan with parchment paper.
Crust/Bottom Layer:
- In a medium bowl, add in the almond flour, olive oil, syrup, vanilla, salt and mix together until incorporated. Next, transfer the mixture to your brownie pan and spread out evenly, pressing down with your fingers. Bake for 13-15 or until starting to turn lightly golden brown on the edges.
Lemon Filling/Top Layer:
- While the crust is baking in the oven make the filling: In a mini bowl, whisk together the arrowroot powder + 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice until it dissolves.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add in the eggs and lightly beat them. Next add in the arrowroot powder slurry, lemon zest, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt and whisk together until smooth. Pour this on top of the crust immediately when it comes out of the oven. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until filling is set and no longer jiggles. DO NOT SKIP THESE NEXT STEPS: Let it cool completely on a wire rack and then place in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to firm up the bars. Slice and serve with optional garnish of powdered sugar.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
- You can use melted butter instead of the oil.
- You can use honey or any white granulated sweetener instead of the maple syrup.
- Make sure you cool and refrigerate the bars for at least 4 hours. This is a necessary step to set the texture and develop the flavors properly!
- If you aren’t concerned with this being gluten and you would like to use all purpose flour, decrease the amount to 1 cup all purpose flour in the crust layer.
- *You can sub in cornstarch, tapioca flour or all purpose flour for the arrowroot powder.
Nutrition
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