Keto Lemon Bars

posted by Lyubomira on August 1, 2019
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Keto Lemon Bars – low-carb, sugar and gluten-free alternative of a very popular dessert. Thick and buttery crust with a tangy and sweet, delicate lemon layer on top. Very quick and easy to make with a few Keto pantry staples.

Keto lemon bars on parchment paper

If you have been following me for a while, you may know that I love lemon and citrus desserts. After sharing this Keto Lemon Tart recipe, I’ve been wanting to make some low-carb lemon bars.

There turned out to be and easy fix. I adapted the recipe from my Classic Lemon Bars With Shortbread Crust.

The base in this low-carb lemon squares recipe is made with just almond flour, melted butter, sweetener and vanilla (optional).

Almond flour produces a thick and dense buttery crust, which can easily hold the filling. I did not use any coconut flour in this recipe.

The filling is made with freshly squeezed lemons (unlike lemon jell-o, that some recipes call for), sweetener and eggs. The filling does need a thickening agent, this is why I used almond flour, Xantan gum and even some cornstarch (the amount used is totally fine for the Keto diet) to thicken the filling.

The result – sweet, tangy, buttery and soft Keto Lemon Bars.

Are lemons on on Keto?

Yes, lemons are totally fine on the Keto and any low-carb diet. Lemons are responsible maintaining the normal pH balance of the body, because of their alkaline components.

Keto lemon bars cut on a piece of parchment paper

They are great to add to water, use in dressings, salads, marinades and desserts like these sugar-free lemon squares.

One whole lemon has 5.5 grams of total carbs and the juice of one medium lemon is 3.3 grams of total carbs.

Keto lemon bar with a bite taken into it

What ingredients do I need to make this Keto Lemon Bars Recipe?

  • butter
  • almond flour
  • sweetener (see notes on what sweetener to use)
  • vanilla extract
  • lemon zest
  • lemon juice
  • eggs
  • Xantan Gum
  • cornstarch (optional)
  • topping (strawberries, blueberries, lemon slices -all optional)

Please, if you are not a fan of tangy desserts, make sure you increase the amount of sweetener in the filling with 1-2 tablespoons or use 5-8 drops of liquid stevia for extra sweetness.

Keto lemon bars with slices of lemon on top

What low-carb sweetener is best to use in this Keto lemon bars recipe?

I used Swerve confectioners in both the crust and the filling. When I make lemon desserts and use regular granulated erythritol, it tends to crystalize, once the product is baked (happens a lot with custards).

This is why for these lemon bars I prefer using either confectioners erythritol or Swerve Confectioners. Swerve is basically erythritol with added oligosaccharides. The addition of these helps make Swerve the same level of sweetness as white sugar, whereas erythritol is only about 70% as sweet as sugar.

So if you use erythritol, you may want to increase the amount of sweetener on both the crust and filling with 1/3.

How to make Low-Carb Lemon bars?

  1. For the filling: (Make it first)
  2. Beat egg in a bowl. Add sweetener, cornstarch (optional), Xantan gum, lemon juice, lemon juice, lemon zest and almond flour. Beat to combine.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  4. Line a 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
  5. For the crust:
  6. In a bowl combine the almond flour, sweetener, butter and vanilla, stir to combine.
  7. spread the crust dough covering the bottom of the baking dish.
  8. Bake for 15 minutes.
  9. Pour the filling on top and bake for 25-30 more minutes, until the top is set.
  10. Cool completely, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
  11. Cut into 16 squares. Serve.
  12. To store, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Keto lemon bar with almond crust

More Keto Dessert Recipes With Lemon

 

Keto lemon bars on top of each other

Servings: 16

Keto Lemon Bars

Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
35 minutes
Total Time:
45 minutes
Keto Lemon Bars - low-carb, sugar and gluten-free alternative of a very popular dessert. Thick and buttery crust with a tangy and sweet, delicate lemon layer on top. 
Keto lemon bars on parchment paper
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Ingredients

  • Crust — base
  • 1 3/4 cups almond flour
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup sweetener (powdered erythritol) — I used Swerve confectioners
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • Filling:
  • 4 eggs
  • 2/3 cup low-carb sweetener — I used Swerve confectioners
  • 2/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tsp cornstarch — optional
  • 1/2 tsp Xantan gum
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  1. Prepare the filling:
  2. Beat egg in a bowl. Add sweetener, cornstarch (optional), Xantan gum, lemon juice, lemon juice, lemon zest and almond flour. Beat to combine.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  4. Line a 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
  5. In a bowl combine the almond flour, sweetener, butter and vanilla, stir to combine.
  6. spread the crust dough covering the bottom of the baking dish.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes.
  8. Pour the filling on top and bake for 25-30 more minutes, until the top is set.
  9. Cool completely, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
  10. Cut into 16 squares. Serve.

Recipe Notes

Total Net Carbs 3 g
 
I used Swerve Confectioners as a sweetener.
You can substitute with powdered erythritol either 1:1 or increase the amount of erythritol with 1/3, because Swerve is a little sweeter.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Keto Lemon Bars

Nutrition Information

Calories: 136, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 53mg, Potassium: 25mg, Carbohydrates: 4g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 4g, Vitamin A: 190%, Vitamin C: 4.1%, Calcium: 37%, Iron: 0.7%
posted in Desserts, Keto Desserts, Keto Recipes
originally posted on August 1, 2019 last updated on May 18, 2022
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