Keto Lemon Bars

Written by
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
Ariane Resnick
Updated 12/28/20
Keto Lemon Bars Recipe

The Spruce / Ariane Resnick 
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Chill: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yields: 12 bars

Lemon bars differ from dessert bars, like brownies or blondies, by being brighter in color and lighter in taste, 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 or pre-cooking the curd. The filling, due to not requiring stovetop cooking first like a standard lemon curd, actually makes this recipe easier to execute than a non-keto lemon bar! Quicker to make and 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
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 3 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
  • Garnish: Keto confectioners' sweetener

Steps to Make It

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

    Ingredients for Keto Lemon Bars
    The Spruce / 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.

    mix together almond flour, butter, sweetener, and egg yolk
    The Spruce / Ariane Resnick

  3. Press the dough into a greased or parchment-lined 9x9 or 11x7-inch baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden.

    Press dough in pan and bake
    The Spruce / Ariane Resnick

  4. While the crust bakes, make the filling. Mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, powdered Swerve, almond flour, and egg yolks in a bowl together with a whisk.

    Mix ingredients for filling for lemon bars
    The Spruce / Ariane Resnick

  5. Remove crust from oven and immediately pour filling in; return to oven.

    Pour filling in on top of prebaked crust
    The Spruce / Ariane Resnick 

  6. Bake for an additional 10 minutes until filling is cooked through and only slightly jiggly. Let cool completely. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.

    Cook lemon bars until jiggly
    The Spruce / Ariane Resnick 

  7. Slice into 12 bars, and dust with confectioners' sweetener. Enjoy!

    Slice and dust with confectioners sweetener - Keto Lemon Bars
    The Spruce / Ariane Resnick 

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 inimitable; you won't get the same brightness from bottled.
  • If you don't have a microplane to create lemon zest, it can be substituted out for 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract.
  • For a firmer/more crumbly crust, omit the egg yolk.
  • Don't poke holes in the crust as the filling will leak through if you do; if crust bubbles after blind bake, press lightly on 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 not a problem. Both will be hidden by the confectioners' sweetener added before serving.
  • Lemon bars should be kept in the refrigerator and eaten within 2 to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 2 to 3 months—just make sure they're double wrapped.

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