Gluten Free Lemon Bars

These gluten free lemon bars are the perfect balance of tangy and sweet with a buttery shortbread crust and creamy lemon filling. Easy to make and full of fresh citrus flavor, this classic dessert is always a crowd-pleaser for spring, summer, or any time you're craving something zesty.  

If you've never had lemon bars, they are filled with a lemon custard that is similar to lemon meringue pie without all the fuss of pie baking.  Lemon lovers will go crazy for this recipe!

I love the bright flavor of lemon desserts!  If you feel the same, you should also try my lemon chess pie recipe or these perfect gluten free lemon cupcakes.

My Lemon Bar Backstory

Every time I bake, I can't help but think of my grandma. She was always making something sweet when I was a kid. Some of my fondest memories are sitting in her kitchen, watching her bake and sneaking little tastes whenever I could.

When I was about ten, she put together a family recipe book, a community-style cookbook filled with recipes from relatives near and far. My copy is a little worn now, but it's one of my most treasured possessions. 

After going gluten free, I wasn't able to enjoy any of these recipes.  So in 2018, I started working on re-imagining the recipes with new ingredients.  One of the first recipes I tackled was for these classic lemon squares and the result is these gluten free lemon squares. They've got the same nostalgic charm as the traditional recipe, but with a modern twist and just the right balance of sweet and tart.

Here's the original recipe from Trudie Vogelsberg that appeared in the Yorgason Family Cookbook in 1988.

After testing a gluten free version of the recipe above, I felt like the amount of crust could easily handle more lemon filling.  So I've made some extra alterations to the original recipe.  If you want to try it as it was originally published, it works fine with a straight swap of a gluten free flour blend for all purpose flour.

Ingredient Notes

These classic lemon bars require just seven simple ingredients that can be found in any grocery store. The recipe is both gluten free and dairy free as written below.

• Gluten-Free Flour Blend - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 flour blend for this recipe, but I feel like any brand of gluten free flour blend will work fine.  Since the recipe uses flour for the shortbread base and for thickening the lemon curd, gluten is less important.  I do not recommend trying a single flour, like almond flour, as that substitution will not work here. 
• Vegan Butter - I used Country Crock plant butter, but any stick type vegan butter will work fine.  If you're not dairy free, use unsalted butter in the same measure. 
• Lemon Juice & Lemon Zest - There is no substitute for fresh lemons here.  Since they are readily available year round, there is no excuse to use bottled lemon juice.  You will get the best lemon flavor from using fresh lemon juice and lemon zest - you will need 2-3 large lemons for this recipe.

See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

How to Make Gluten Free Lemon Bars

You're going to love how easy this recipe is to make.  The preparation is very similar to my pecan pie bars in the way the crust partially bakes before adding the filling on top.You'll need an 8-inch square pan
lined with parchment paper to bake this recipe.

STEP 1: Combine the gluten free flour, powdered sugar, cold butter, and salt in a food processor.  Pulse until it is mixed and forms some pea sized crumbs. It will appear very dry but should stick together if you squeeze it.

STEP 2: Dump the crust mixture into your prepared baking pan.  Use a flat bottomed cup to press it into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Now bake the crust for 13-15 minutes.

STEP 3: While the crust is baking, add the eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and gluten free flour to a large mixing bowl.  Beat with a hand mixer for 3 minutes until well mixed and a little foamy.

STEP 4: When the bake time has elapsed, remove the pan from the oven and pour the filling mixture on top of the crust.  Return the bars to the oven for the remaining bake time.

STEP 5: Once the bars have baked, remove them from the oven and cool to room temperature.  Then refrigerate for 1-2 hours before slicing. Sprinkle the tops with confectioners' sugar immediately before serving.

Storage

Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More lemon recipes to try:

If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.