Healthy Lemon Bars (Gluten Free, Paleo)

These healthy lemon bars have a rich and buttery shortbread crust and a luscious lemon filling. They’re delicious, thick, and perfectly tangy. Even though they’re paleo and made with healthier ingredients, they taste exactly like classic lemon bars. A gorgeous addition to spring and summer holidays and events.

While fruit adorned desserts are a summer favorite, my top pick is lemon bars. The thick and buttery shortbread crust paired with the tangy sweetness of the lemon filling? It just doesn’t get much better than that!

When I first started making lemon bars, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy they were to make. If you’re new to lemon bars, classic lemon bar recipes include a simple shortbread crust and a lemon curd that’s made with a handful of basic ingredients like eggs, lemon juice, and white sugar. In researching traditional recipes, I was excited to get experimenting with some healthier swaps because often times, the healthier alternatives improve the flavor.

After a lot of experimenting, I can confidently say this is the best healthy lemon bar recipe! The cookie crust is soft and thick, the lemon curd is tangy, firm, and creamy (no cracks or dryness here!), and there’s clear separation between the crust and the lemon curd.

And bonus! These lemon bars are delicious and gorgeous. The golden yellow is a beautiful pop of color on the summer BBQ table. Luckily there are plenty of spring events and summer holidays… a lot of opportunities for yummy luscious lemon bar goodness.

Why This Lemon Bar Recipe is Healthier

I love figuring out ways to make healthy swaps in desserts without sacrificing texture or flavor. While these paleo lemon bars are made with healthier ingredients, they taste exactly like classic lemon bars—luscious, thick, and tangy! This healthy lemon bar recipe is:

• Made with whole ingredients: The filling is just whole eggs, fresh lemon juice, and maple syrup!
• Gluten free: The shortbread crust is made with my signature trifecta of flours—almond flour, coconut flour, and tapioca flour. It’s sweetened with maple syrup and the ghee gives it a buttery texture.
• Dairy free: Ghee is grass-fed butter with all the dairy solids removed. If you want to eliminate the ghee, just swap it out for coconut oil. A great dose of healthy fats!
• Naturally sweetened: Maple syrup is the only sweetener used for both the crust and the filling. It pairs perfectly with lemon and makes the bars sweet without the use of refined sugars.

What You’ll Need to Make Healthy Lemon Bars

There are just a few simple ingredients you’ll need to make lemon bars. You likely have most if not all of the ingredients already on hand, so let’s get to baking!

For the crust:

• Almond flour
• Coconut flour
• Tapioca flour
• Sea salt
• Maple syrup
• Ghee
• Vanilla extract

For the lemon filling:

• Eggs
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Maple syrup
• Lemon zest
• Tapioca flour

How to Make Healthy Lemon Bars

I love how easy it is to make healthy lemon bars! You can make them in five easy steps:

1. Prepare the oven. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Make your crust. In a medium bowl, mix all of the crust ingredients together until a uniform dough forms. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes.
3. Make your lemon filling. While the crust bakes, add the eggs, lemon juice, maple syrup, and lemon zest to a large bowl and whisk well by hand. Whisk quickly until you don’t see any egg white remaining. Add the tapioca flour and whisk until there are no clumps. Once the crust has finished baking, remove it from the oven. Immediately add the filling. Do not allow the crust to cool. 
4. Bake the bars. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and return the bars to the oven to bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the filling is set. A little jiggle in the center is just right!
5. Chill in the fridge. Allow the bars to cool completely, then transfer the pan to the refrigerator for 3-4 hours to let the bars set. Before serving, cut into twelve squares and sprinkle the bars with powdered sugar.

Perfectly Rich and Buttery Shortbread Crust

What sets these healthy lemon bars apart from the rest is the thick and buttery shortbread crust. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had my fair share of thin and sad crusts in the past. You know, the kind that can’t sufficiently hold whatever filling its adorned with? Not this crust! With these healthy lemon bars, the shortbread crust is thick, soft, and rich. It’s the perfect cookie base to the luscious lemon curd filling. When you cut and serve, you’ll see a clear separation between crust and bar, and you can easy grab one and take a bite out of it without it falling apart. So yum!

Paleo Lemon Bars

Yes, these lemon bars are totally paleo! The main component of lemon bars is a thick lemon curd made out of lemon juice and eggs. I typically use organic lemons and pasture-raised eggs. To make these lemon bars paleo, the shortbread crust is actually a rendition of my almond flour sugar cookies. It’s completely grain free, and the only sweetener that is used is maple syrup. The organic powdered sugar topping is totally optional and the lemon bars are just as good without it! If you need the bars to be completely dairy free, swap out the ghee for coconut oil.

How Do I Store Healthy Lemon Bars?

Store any leftover healthy lemon bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. If you’re baking the bars ahead of time and they’ll be stored in the fridge overnight before serving, leave off the powdered sugar topping until just before serving.

To freeze, cut the cooled bars into squares and place them on a baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour, then wrap each bar in parchment paper and place them in a large sealable silicone bag. Store them in the freezer for up to 4 months. Thaw the bars in the fridge, then dust with organic powdered sugar before serving.

Can I Make Substitutions?

Sure can! However, this is where I make that special note that you won’t get the same consistent results if you vary from the original recipe. But, if you find yourself short, here’s a few swaps you can make:

• Almond flour: You can use another nut flour, like cashew flour.
• Tapioca flour: You can use arrowroot flour in a pinch, but this will change the texture slightly as arrowroot is a little more gummy.
• Maple Syrup: This can be swapped for honey. Note: lemon bars will be much sweeter with honey.
• Ghee: Use unsalted butter or coconut oil.

What I Love About This Healthy Lemon Bar Recipe

• This recipe makes the best healthy lemon bars with a luscious lemon curd filling.
• The ingredients are simple and easy to find.
• The rich and buttery shortbread crust has the perfect texture! It’s thick and soft, and there is clear separation between crust and filling.
• These healthy lemon bars are paleo, gluten free, and sweetened with maple syrup.
• These paleo lemon bars are great for special occasions, baby and bridal showers, and summer holidays!

Lemon Bar Recipe Tips and Tricks

• You can use either one or two pieces of parchment paper to line the baking dish. I’ve tried both and the bars release easily with just one sheet lined across the bottom of the pan and up the two sides.
• It’s best to use a ceramic or standard baking pan. A glass baking dish can cause the crust to burn.
• Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the filling. You won’t get the same color or flavor with bottled lemon juice.
• Zest your lemon before you slice and juice it.
• The key to a smooth and luscious lemon curd is whisking the filling ingredients by hand. You need to whisk the ingredients very quickly to properly incorporate the egg whites. If you don’t whisk it by hand, you’ll have white chunks on top and in the filling of your healthy lemon bars.
• If you use organic powdered sugar as a garnish, sift it overtop. Do this just before serving.
• Chill the paleo lemon bars for at least 3 hours before serving to let the lemon filling set.

Stocking the Pantry

I personally use Thrive Market for most of my pantry needs because it saves me some cash—especially when it comes to commonly used items like blanched almond flour, ghee, and coconut oil. For a complete list of my recommend pantry items and what I use in my home, check out my Baking and Cooking Resources Page.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

• Paleo Blueberry Lemon Scones
• 4-Ingredient Vegan Caramel Sauce
• Fudgy Paleo Brownies (Crackly Top, Gluten-Free)
• Fluffy Paleo Cinnamon Rolls
• Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

What did you think about this healthy lemon bar recipe? Come back and let me know in the comments below!

Be strong,