Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

 

Tart and rich, lemon bars are the quintessential summer treat. There is nothing better than sinking your teeth into a lemon bar with a creamy, custard lemon filling and a crunchy crust. Gluten-free lemon bars are a great summer treat to bring along to any potluck – they really just make the perfect dessert to end any meal!

Creating a gluten-free lemon bar recipe that was also simple to prepare was somewhat challenging. After a few rounds of lemon bar flops, the results are in, and they are delicious!

Gluten-Free Lemon Bars Recipe

The base of this lemon bar is reminiscent of a delicious shortbread cookie, sprinkled with pecans. Crunchy and full of texture. The lemon layer is tangy with a touch of sweetness. Exactly what you want in a classic lemon bar recipe!

Even though there’s only 1/4 cup of pecans in this recipe, they bring a lot of extra flavor to the cookie crust. Nuts are great for using in shortbread and tart dough recipes because they add flavor, nutrition, and texture. Just substitute some of the flour for ground nuts in your next shortbread or tart recipe, such as in You can even use nuts as the main ingredient of tart dough, such as in this paleo pumpkin tart! Here we use the pecans in conjunction with gluten-free flour to get that perfect lemon bar shortbread taste!

Tips and Tricks for Making Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

I used a pre-made gluten-free flour mix in order to keep the crust quick and easy to make. And when I say, quick and easy, I meant it! It only takes a few minutes to pulse the crust ingredients in a food processor and get it in the oven.

One important note when making lemon bars: you must have patience. It takes a long time for the bars to cool enough to slice. If you cut into them too soon, they will fall apart. So, be sure to wait until they have cooled completely and chill for a couple of hours in the fridge.

Another important note when making lemon bars: use fresh lemon juice!

It’s tempting to use the bottled stuff because it saves so much time, but the flavor will just not be right! It’s worth the extra few minutes to squeeze it fresh.

You only need a half cup of lemon juice, which is about 3 or 4 lemons. Trust me, it’s definitely worth it!

Many traditional lemon bar recipes use flour to thicken the lemon layer, but since this is a gluten-free recipe we need another option. I first made these with an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix but preferred the texture when thickening with coconut flour. This helps give the lemon layer a firm texture.

In the recipe, I give the option of using coconut syrup or honey to create the lemon layer. I personally love the flavor of coconut syrup and prefer it, but should mention that its dark color will make the gluten-free lemon  bars less “yellow.”

 

More Citrus Recipes to Try This Season

How would you make these gluten-free lemon bars? With honey or coconut syrup?

Gluten-free Lemon Bars
Tart and rich, gluten-free lemon bars are the quintessential summer treat. There is nothing better than sinking your teeth into a lemon bar with a creamy, lemon filling and a crunchy pecan shortbread crust. These gluten-free lemon bars are made with no refined sugar, instead using honey or coconut syrup.
    Servings12 bars
    Ingredients
    Crust
    • 1cup gluten-free flour blend
    • 3 tablespoons sugar
    • 1/2cup butter
    • 1/4 cupcup Wildly Organic Pecans
    • 1/8teaspoon almond extract
    Filling
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
    2. Add all crust ingredients, except almond extract to a food processor and pulse briefly to combine.
    3. Pour almond extract over the top and continue to pulse until a dough forms. It will be slightly crumbly.
    4. Press dough evenly into parchment-lined baking dish.
    5. Bake for 20 minutes, until crust begins to brown.
    6. To prepare the filling, juice the lemons and set aside.
    7. In a separate bowl, whisk the butter and honey or coconut syrup. Add the eggs and whisk until well combined.
    8. Gradually add the coconut flour to the lemon juice, whisking until smooth.
    9. Add lemon juice to butter/honey/egg mixture and whisk gently until well combined.
    10. Allow cookie crust to cool briefly before pouring filling over the top. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until firm.
    11. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack until room temperature.
    12. Chill in the fridge for at least two hours before cutting.
    13. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

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