
Zesty Sunshine: Easy Gluten-Free Lemon Bars with a Buttery Almond Flour Crust
Hey there, fellow food lovers! Let me tell you, there's something utterly magical about the tang of lemon combined with a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust. It's like a miniature vacation for your taste buds, and these Gluten-Free Lemon Bars are my go-to for a little bit of that magic any day of the week. I remember making these for a summer picnic a few years back, and even the most dedicated gluten-eaters couldn't get enough! The bright, zesty flavor just screams happiness, and the fact that they're gluten-free means everyone can enjoy them without a second thought.
Honestly, I used to be intimidated by gluten-free baking. I'd see recipes that looked complicated and taste…well, just plain sad. But then I discovered almond flour, and my world changed! It's seriously a game-changer for gluten-free goodies, adding that perfect nutty note and a wonderful crumbly texture. If you're like I was, hesitant to try gluten-free baking, trust me, this recipe is the perfect place to start. It's so simple, it's almost foolproof, and the result? Well, let's just say you'll be baking these again and again. So, grab your aprons and let's get started!
Ingredients
For the Almond Flour Crust:
- 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cold water + more if needed
For the Lemon Filling:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose gluten free flour mix (like Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1)
- 4 large eggs
- ⅔ cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons, depending on size)
- Zest of 2 large lemons (reserve a tablespoon if you like a more lemony taste)
- 2 tablespoons of melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: First, let's get our oven preheated to 350°F (175°C). While that's heating up, line a 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out – makes life a whole lot easier!
- Make the Almond Crust:
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sugar, and salt. It's best to use blanched almond flour for a smoother texture, but if you only have almond meal it will work too, just know, the texture will be slightly more coarse
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If you don't have a pastry blender, don't sweat, your fingers will work almost as well. Just don't overwork the mixture or your crust will be tough.
- Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla extract and add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until a dough just comes together. Add a bit more water if the mixture seems too dry. We're aiming for a dough that's moist, but not sticky.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. I find that using the bottom of a glass or a measuring cup helps to flatten it out nicely.
- Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or just until lightly golden. We want it partially baked so the lemon filling won't soak into the crust. Don't over bake! While its baking we are free to prepare the lemon curd filling.
- Prepare the Lemon Filling:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and gluten-free all-purpose flour. These are the dry base of our filling.
- Add in the eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition until well combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Pour in the fresh lemon juice and the lemon zest. If you like your lemon bars super tangy add an additional tablespoon of lemon zest. This gives it extra zing! Make sure its been melted and cooled then add melted butter. Gently whisk everything together until it's all smooth and lovely.
- Assemble and Bake:
- Pour the lemon filling over the par-baked crust and here's a trick – run a toothpick or a knife through the top of the filling before baking to make sure any trapped air bubbles are released. This gives us a nice even top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for another 20-25 minutes, or until the filling is set and just barely jiggles in the center. If it's still too watery, give it another 5 minutes. Remember that it'll firm up quite a bit as it cools.
- Allow the lemon bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This is SUPER important! If you try to cut them before they are fully cooled, you'll end up with a delicious mess.
- Chill and Serve:
- Once completely cooled, lift the bars using the parchment paper overhang and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares using a sharp knife and voila! Dust with powdered sugar (optional) before serving.

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Zesty Gluten-Free Lemon Bars
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Yields: 16 squares
Ingredients
- Almond Flour Crust:
- 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- Lemon Filling:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup gluten free all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- ⅔ cup fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 2 large lemons
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Crust: Combine almond flour, sugar, salt. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Stir in egg yolk, vanilla, and water. Press into pan. Bake 10-12 mins.
- Filling: Whisk sugar, flour, then eggs. Whisk in lemon juice, zest, and cooled melted butter.
- Pour filling over crust. Bake 20-25 mins or until set.
- Cool completely. Lift out, cut into squares. Dust with powdered sugar (optional).
Tips & Tricks
- Flavor Enhancements: If you're feeling adventurous, add a touch of almond extract to the crust or a sprinkle of dried lavender into the filling for a subtle floral note.
- Making Ahead: These lemon bars can be made a day in advance, making them perfect for parties or potlucks. Just store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Substitutions: For a dairy-free option, try using your favorite vegan butter stick as a substitute for unsalted butter. The taste may slightly vary, but these bars will still be amazing.
- Presentation: To make them extra special, garnish with fresh berries or a dollop of coconut cream.
- Crust Consistency: If you find your crust too crumbly, you can use a slightly smaller pan so to have a thicker crust for more support. Alternatively, a few more tablespoons of almond flour will do the trick too.
- Lemon Juice Tip: To get the most juice out of your lemons, roll them firmly on the countertop and microwave them for 15 seconds before juicing.
Product Recommendations
For the best results in this recipe, here are a few Amazon product recommendations:
- A good food processor such as this Cuisinart Food Processor can really help with the crust for this recipe, making short work of bringing the dough together.
- A Pyrex 8x8 baking dish makes baking easier, and with this you can see when your goods are baking to perfection!
- If you're serious about getting the most juice from your lemons then this is for you! A Citrus Juicer will help you get every drop, effortlessly.
- To help get the best results while also keeping your counter clean, I always use either a Silicon Mat or Parchment Paper. When we use Parchment Paper we can easily lift the full recipe out of the oven when baking.

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