Keto Lemon Bars
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/keto-lemon-bars-5077316-a56b6669f44249498eaf74bbde84ef88.jpg)
Nadine Greeff / Stocksy
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
238 | Calories |
18g | Fat |
14g | Carbs |
7g | Protein |
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. |
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 confectioners' sweetener on top.
We've swapped out the sugar for powdered Swerve, a form of erythritol (a common non-caloric sugar alcohol used for low-carb baking) that has prebiotics added 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:
-
1 1/2 cups almond flour
-
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
-
1/4 cup powdered Swerve
-
1 egg yolk
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
-
Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
The Spruce / Ariane Resnick -
Make the crust by mixing together almond flour, butter, sweetener, and egg yolk with a fork until a crumbly dough is formed.
The Spruce / Ariane Resnick -
Press the dough into a greased or parchment-lined 9x9 or 11x7-inch baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden.
The Spruce / Ariane Resnick -
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.
The Spruce / Ariane Resnick -
Remove crust from oven and immediately pour filling over the top. Return to oven.
The Spruce / Ariane Resnick -
Bake for an additional 10 minutes until the filling is cooked through and only slightly jiggly in the center. Let cool completely.
The Spruce / Ariane Resnick -
Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing. Slice into 12 bars and dust with confectioners' sweetener. Enjoy!
The Spruce / Ariane Resnick
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.
Tips
- Any powdered cup-for-cup style non-caloric 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. Confectioners' sweetener will hide any imperfections before serving.
Is Lemon Okay on a Keto Diet?
Lemons are low in carbs, especially when compared to other fruits, and are acceptable on a keto diet within 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.
Recipe Tags: