Gluten-Free Lemon Bars
Published
Easy gluten-free lemon bars are so good you’ll savor every last crumb. Lemon desserts are my favorite, and each bite of these citrus squares bursts with vibrant, zesty freshness. These tangy lemon squares are made with a buttery shortbread crust and a fresh lemon curd filling.
One of my favorite Springtime desserts to make is these gluten-free lemon bars. The flavor of lemon just screams “Spring” to me. Especially close to Easter, I really enjoy desserts that are lemon-flavored, like my gluten-free lemon cake. I especially love how easy lemon bars are to make! I made these when I was a kid using my Mom’s Betty Crocker cookbook.
Since I went gluten-free, I’ve been searching for the best gluten-free shortbread crust recipe. After finding the best gluten-free shortbread cookie recipe, I think I’ve nailed the crust. Making the crust gluten-free was actually really easy to adapt. Fresh lemon curd is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The shortbread crust is buttery and crumbly, with just the right amount of crispness, providing a delightful contrast to the silky, tangy lemon curd.
Gluten-Free Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted, dairy-free use Smart Balance Butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum, I like Pillsbury gluten-free. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
Lemon Filling
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup lemon juice, about 4 lemons
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum, I like Pillsbury gluten-free.
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13 glass baking pan with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper hangs over the side of the pan to help make lifting the bars out of the pan easier.
- In a large bowl mix the melted butter, sugar, pure vanilla extract, and salt. Add the gluten-free flour and stir to completely combine and the dough forms. The dough will be thick. Firmly press the dough into the lined pan evenly to about 1/2-inch thick, making sure the layer of crust is even. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs. Add the sugar and whisk until combined. Add the lemon juice and pure vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Add the gluten-free flour and whisk until completely combined.
- Pour the lemon filling over the warm crust. Bake the bars for 26 minutes or until the center is just about set and no longer jiggles. Remove bars from the oven and cool completely at room temperature for 1 hour. Cover the bars with plastic wrap and place them into the refrigerator for 2 hours, until chilled.
- Once the bars are chilled, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides of the pan. Dust the top of the bars with powdered sugar and cut into squares before serving. For smoother squares, wipe the knife clean between each row that you cut. Cover and store the leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator. These lemon bars are the best when cold.
Notes
- I like Pillsbury gluten-free. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose. If your gluten-free flour doesn’t contain xanthan gum, you’ll need to add 1 tsp. I always opt for a high-quality blend that already contains it. I like Pillsbury Gluten-Free.
- For dairy-free lemon bars, use Smart Balance Butter or vegan butter.
- Check all ingredient labels for possible cross-contamination and ingredients containing allergens.
- Use the bottom of a flat measuring cup or a small offset spatula to press the shortbread dough evenly into the pan. This ensures an even thickness and consistent baking.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This makes it easy to lift the bars out of the pan for cutting.
- For smoother squares, wipe the knife clean between each row that you cut.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container or cover them tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- For longer storage, you can freeze the lemon bars in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Gluten-Free Lemon Bars Step-by-Step
Gather all your ingredients together.
Preheat the oven to 325°F and line the bottom of a 9” x 13” glass baking dish with parchment paper. Allow the parchment paper to overhang the pan sides to make lifting out the bars easier. Grab a large mixing bowl and mix together 1 cup melted unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and ½ tsp salt until fully combined.
Next, add 2 cups of gluten-free flour and stir until a dough forms. The dough should be thick.
Press the dough firmly into the bottom of the lined baking dish. Be sure to spread it evenly into ½ inch thick crust.
Place the crust in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Make the lemon filling by whisking 6 large eggs in a large mixing bowl.
Add 2 cups of granulated sugar and whisk until the eggs and sugar are combined. Add 1 cup fresh lemon juice and ½ tsp vanilla extract, and whisk together. Add ½ a cup of gluten-free flour and whisk until there are no flour pockets.
Pour the lemon curd filling over the warm shortbread crust.
Place the baking dish back in the oven and bake for about 26 minutes. The center should be set and no longer jiggle. Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the bars to cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Once the bars have cooled, cover the dish in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Once the bars have chilled, lift them out of the pan using the overhang of parchment paper. Dust the top of the bars with some powdered sugar, cut, and serve. Enjoy!
Storage Instructions
Store any leftovers in an airtight container or cover them tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
For longer storage, you can freeze the lemon bars in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Excellent!
The whole family loved these squares.
I added lemon zest from 2 lemons and the lemon custard was amazing.
I used cup4cup GF flour. The crust took much longer to bake than the time states. I add time in increments of 3 minutes and it took another 9 minutes until it looked ready. I could have kept it another 3 minutes.
I did all the following steps. However, when I finally ate it, I was super impressed by the lemon custard. It brought back amazing childhood memories of what a true lemon custard should taste like. The crust was average at best. Slightly grainy texture. This is always my issue with GF baking. Nothing comes close to regular baking with gluten. I appreciate the recipe’s lemon custard so much that I gave this a 5 just for that.
This was my first gluten-free recipe! I made it for a holiday party and got rave reviews and requests for the recipe. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten-free flour and Earth Balance spread and it tasted very close to my mom’s traditional recipe. I even used my discarded lemon halves to make lemon syrup afterwards.
Can any of your recipes work with something other than eggs! My cousin is dairy free corn free and gluten free
Hi Mary, we try to add substitutions when they work 🙂
Hey Mary, just fyi eggs are in the dairy section but are not dairy. i have a dairy allergy so I have to swap out the butter for plant butter, but eggs don’t come from cows so they’re fine unless your cousin specifically is egg free.
I really like this recipe. My only thoughts are to provide a sugar substitute option, because it did work with coconut sugar and stevia! Also, it did not seem to have quite enough lemon filling, for my liking. I would like the ratio of crust to lemon curd to be more like 1:3. Just a preference to make it more pie-like!
Thanks Adrielle!
I have been on a lemon bar journey this summer, and this recipe beat out NYT and Bon Appétit recipes. Multiple friends (and my husband) told me these were “the best thing you’ve ever made.” Bake time was spot on! They are bright, buttery, and basically sunshine in a bar.
Thank you Annie! Sunshine in a bar–love that!
Very fresh and I can’t taste a difference between these and regular gluten bars. My only difficulty was that I would like the lemon part to be firmer. I used KA gluten free and I’m thinking it’s due to the difference in flour. How would I firm up the lemon part? More flour?? Thanks
Otherwise these were a huge hit! Delicious!!
Hi Teresa, Instead of adding more flour (which can affect texture), try:
-Adding 1 more egg yolk for firmness
-Baking 5–8 minutes longer
-Chilling longer to fully set the custard layer
King Arthur GF flour is generally reliable, but the softness is likely due to underbaking or the eggs rather than the flour alone.
I love this recipe it is my go to. I have made a few adjustments though. I add lemon zest to the sugar on both the crust and curd it gives it an extra lemon taste. and instead of 6 full eggs I use 2 full eggs and 4 yolks, it makes a firmer almost smoother curd. Delicious recipe!
Thanks Cheryl!
These are amazing!
I LOVE THIS RECIPE. These lemon squares are SO good!!! Thanks!