Keto Lemon Bars

By
Ariane Resnick
headshot for ariane resnick
Ariane Resnick
Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef, certified nutritionist, and bestselling author who takes great joy in shattering the image of what, and how, nutritionists eat.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/12/23
Keto lemon bars

Nadine Greeff / Stocksy
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Cool and Chill: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 12 bars
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
238 Calories
18g Fat
14g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 238
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 5g 27%
Cholesterol 127mg 42%
Sodium 82mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 70mg 5%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 189mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Lemon bars are a delicious way to showcase fresh lemon, injecting a sweet-tart dose of sunshine into any moment. This keto version is no different, offering all the flavors and textures you're accustomed to from a lemon bar. There's a shortbread crust that's not too crumbly, a gooey rich filling full of both lemon juice and freshly grated zest, and a light sprinkle of powdered sweetener on top.

We've swapped out the sugar for powdered Swerve, a sweetener that contains erythritol (a common noncaloric sugar alcohol used for low-carb baking) as well as added prebiotics to help stabilize it at high temperatures. We use almond flour instead of wheat in the crust, and also add almond flour to the filling in lieu of starch. The filling doesn't require cooking on the stove first, actually making this recipe easier to execute than some non-keto lemon bars.

Each serving of these lemon bars has just three to five net carbs, making them a great keto and sugar-free dessert. Quick and easy, free of sugar, grains, and gluten—what's not to love?

Ingredients

For the Crust:

For the Filling:

  • 3/4 cup lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest

  • 3/4 cup powdered Swerve, plus more for garnish

  • 1/2 cup almond flour

  • 3 eggs

  • 1 egg yolk

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

    Ingredients for keto lemon bars recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Ariane Resnick

  2. Make the crust by mixing together almond flour, butter, sweetener, and egg yolk with a fork until a crumbly dough is formed.

    Almond flour, butter, sweetener, and egg yolk in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Ariane Resnick

  3. Press the dough into a greased or parchment-lined 9 x 9 or 1 1x 7-inch baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden.

    Dough pressed in baking dish and baked

    The Spruce Eats / Ariane Resnick

  4. While the crust bakes, make the filling. Mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, sweetener, almond flour, eggs, and egg yolk in a bowl together with a whisk.

    Ingredients for filling in a bowl for lemon bars

    The Spruce Eats / Ariane Resnick

  5. Remove crust from oven and immediately pour filling over the top. Return to oven.

    Filling poured over the prebaked crust

    The Spruce Eats / Ariane Resnick

  6. Bake for an additional 10 minutes until the filling is cooked through and only slightly jiggly in the center. Let cool completely.

    Baked filling for lemon bars

    The Spruce Eats / Ariane Resnick

  7. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing. Slice into 12 bars and dust with powdered sweetener. Enjoy!

    Sliced keto lemon bars

    The Spruce Eats / Ariane Resnick

Tips

  • Any powdered cup-for-cup style noncaloric sweetener would work—provided it's powdered and not granular. Other examples to use are powdered monk fruit or a powdered monk fruit/erythritol blend.
  • It's imperative to refrigerate the bars before slicing in order for them to be as firm as possible.
  • Fresh lemon juice is a must; you won't get the same brightness from bottled.
  • Don't poke holes in the crust as the filling will leak through if you do; if the crust bubbles after the blind bake, press lightly on the bubbles with a fork before adding the filling.
  • Once baked, discolorations of white and yellow on top of the bars, as well as cracking after cooling, are normal and don't affect the taste. Powdered sweetener will hide any imperfections before serving.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Lemon bars should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eaten within two to three days
  • Double wrap and freeze them for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge before serving.


Is lemon OK on a keto diet?

Lemons are low in carbs, especially when compared to other fruits, and are acceptable on a keto diet in moderation. One lemon contains roughly five net carbs, but since drinks, desserts, and other lemon recipes tend to contain much less than one lemon per serving, they don't contribute much in carbs to each serving.