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Just because you want to make gluten free sweet treats doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the most delicious ones. These gluten free lemon bars are really tasty and come out perfectly when made with gluten free flour. The vanilla crust is topped with a sweet and tangy lemon filling which is then topped with powdered sugar. If you are celiac (like me) or reducing gluten intake, this dessert will be a new favorite.
The blend of sweet and citrusy flavors in these gluten free lemon bars is so good. The shortbread crust and citrus filling are perfect together, and they’re ideal for any occasion.
If you love lemon desserts, you might also like to whip up some strawberry lemonade bars or this lemon posset brulee. Lemon ricotta cake is great too.
Why You’ll Love It
They’re delicious: This is the most important thing about these gluten free lemon bars. There’s no denying they taste fantastic.
Easy to whip up: As well as being a delicious recipe, this is also a straightforward one and you don’t need any special bakery knowledge to make the bars.
Gluten free: These are every bit as delicious as bars with gluten but they’re made using gluten free ingredients, making them suitable for anyone whether gluten intolerant or not.
Gluten Free Lemon Squares Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below
Gluten free flour: Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour (here) works well in these lemon bars and it’s a 1:1 ratio with regular flour. If preferred, you can use another gluten free flour as long as it has xanthan gum in it. There are various gluten free flours on the market that will be fine for the gluten free shortbread crust.
Powdered sugar: Also known as icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar, this is used in the crust.
Lemons: In bars of this caliber you’ll want to use fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest. Bottled lemon juice just doesn’t taste as good.
Butter: Used both in the crust and the filling. Salted butter is good. If you only have unsalted butter, use that but add a tiny pinch of salt too.
Eggs: This ingredient helps with the consistency of the filling, giving it a perfect texture. Eggs also give the bars a rich flavor.
How to Make Gluten Free Lemon Bars
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card
Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare the crust: Sift the flour, sugar and salt together to get rid of lumps and then mix in the butter and vanilla extract.
Bake the crust: Press the mixture into a parchment paper lined 8-inch square baking dish and bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to brown, then remove the crust from the oven and turn the oven down to 325 degrees F.
Start the lemon curd filling: Mix the sugar and lemon zest together, rubbing between your fingers to get all those lemony oils out.
Finish making the lemon curd filling: Mix the eggs and egg yolks into the lemon sugar mixture and then whisk in the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Cook the filling: Put the egg filling mixture into a saucepan and cook for about 15 minutes on the stove until it reaches about 160 to 165 degrees F, stirring with a spatula all the time so it doesn’t stick or scorch.
Assemble the lemon bars: Strain the hot mixture into a bowl with chilled chunks of butter, mixing gently. Pour the creamy lemon filling into the baked crust.
Bake them: Bake the gluten free lemon bars for about 12 minutes or until the middle jiggles a little, then remove from the oven and cool for 45 minutes.
Chill the bars: Put them in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 3 hours to chill, set and firm up.
The finishing touches: Use a sharp knife to cut the bars and sprinkle powdered sugar on top.
Substitutions and Variations
Lime version: You can swap the lemon juice and lemon zest for lime juice and lime zest to change the flavor of the gluten free lemon bars.
Gluten option: If you don’t need to make these gluten free you can use all-purpose flour.
Serving Suggestions
More sweet treats: If you are serving a selection of desserts or cooking up a storm for a bake sale, you might like to make some other gluten free sweet treats such as chocolate-dipped almond horns, morning glory muffins, or apple butter thumbprint cookies.
Drinks: Although these gluten free lemon bars pair with pretty much any drink you want to have, you might like to have something homemade, such as strawberry lemonade. Strictly for the grownups only, these strawberry mojitos are amazing!
How to Store Lemon Bars
Store: Keep the lemon bars in a single layer in an airtight container. They’ll keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Freeze: To freeze lemon bars, wrap each one individually in 2 layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Thaw the gluten free lemon bars overnight in the refrigerator or on the countertop for a few hours.
Top Tips
Line the baking dish: It’s best to line the baking dish with parchment paper and let the excess just hang over the side. This way, it’s easier to get the lemon bars out of the dish once cooked.
If the dough is sticky: If the dough for your crust is sticky, give it 5 minutes in the refrigerator and you should find it cools just enough to smooth out in the baking dish.
Butter temperature: The butter for the crust should be at room temperature so it’s easier to mix, but the butter for the filling needs to be cold for the best results from the filling.
Gluten Free Lemon Bar FAQs
These GF lemon bars should be made using fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. The bottled kind just won’t yield the same fresh-flavored results.
You can sub orange juice and zest if you want to get creative, or mix and match some lemon with lime.
Try not to get any of the white pith in the zest because it has a bitter flavor. A little bit shouldn’t make much difference though!
Gluten Free Lemon Squares
Gluten Free Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- ¾ and ⅛ Cups gluten free flour, all purpose, 1:1
- ½ Cup powdered sugar
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- ½ Cup salted butter, at room temperature
- ½ Teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Filling:
- 1½ Cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest, from 2 lemons
- 4 eggs
- 3 eggs yolks
- ¾ Cup lemon juice, from 3 or 4 lemons
- ½ Cup salted butter, cold, cut into cubes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper so that the excess hangs over the sides for easy removal.
- For the crust, sift together the flour, sugar and salt so that there are no lumps, then add the softened butter and vanilla extract and mix until everything is well combined.
- Using your fingers or a spoon, press the mixture into the lined dish. If it’s too sticky and hard to spread, pop it in the fridge for 5 or so minutes, just until it cools enough to smooth out.
- Bake for 14 minutes, just until the edges begin to brown. Remove the crust from the oven and turn the oven down to 325 degrees F.
- For the filling, combine the sugar and lemon zest in a medium saucepan and massage between your fingers until all the zest is well incorporated. This will help release the oils in the lemon zest and create a more lemony flavor.
- Cube the cold butter and put it in a medium bowl. Set a fine mesh strainer over the top and set aside somewhere within reach. You’ll use this to strain the lemon curd later.
- Add the eggs and egg yolks into the sugar mixture and mix. Once combined, slowly whisk in the lemon juice until everything is incorporated,
- Put the saucepan on the stove over a medium low heat, swapping the whisk for a silicone spatula and stirring constantly to keep it from sticking or burning. The spatula will help reduce the amount of air that goes into the mixture. You want as smooth of a filling as possible.
- Cook the mixture for 12 to 16 minutes, just until it reaches 160 degrees F.
- Once the lemon mixture has finished cooking, quickly remove from heat and strain with a fine mesh strainer into the chilled, cubed butter that had been set aside, gently mixing until everything is well combined and smooth. This will stop the cooking process. Be careful not to mix too hard, as you don’t want to add air bubbles into the mixture.
- Pour the lemon curd filling into the baked crust and tap the dish on the counter to remove any small air bubbles.
- Put the bars in the oven and cook for 11 to 13 minutes. You want the center to jiggle like stiff jello. If it's too watery, it needs more time, and if puffed, bubbly or cracked, it's overcooked.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for at least 45 minutes. The curd will continue to set as it cools. Once done, put in the fridge to finish the chilling process for at least 3 hours or better still overnight. This will be the hardest part but it's worth it!
- Remove the lemon bars from the dish by lifting the excess parchment paper and cut into squares using a knife warmed under hot water and wiped on a dish towel after each cut for smooth and even slices.
- Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top and serve the gluten free lemon bars.
Notes
Nutrition
You’re going to love these gluten free lemon bars. They’re so delicious, tangy and sweet, made with a gluten free flour and butter crust and a lemon curd filling on top. Every bite of these is a real pleasure. These gluten free lemon bars are sure to be popular with everyone. They’re sweet without being too sweet and offer the perfect amount of lemon flavor. Don’t be surprised if these gluten free lemon bars end up becoming a new family favorite!
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I’m a lover of all things lemon, but these are by far the best lemon bars I’ve ever had! The curd is so tangy and sweet and the crust is the perfect texture- you’d never know these were gluten-free! Absolutely making these again!
Yay, I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
I just tried this recipe. It was so tasty! Will make it again. Thanks!