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Keto Lemon Bars
Lemon bars are a classic for a reason.
They just looks so cheery and fancy, while taking very little work at all to make!
Growing up, I would make money bars for my mom because she loved lemon, and then my whole family would devour them – sometimes before she even got a chance to eat them!
As with most recipes, it takes a few tries to “ketofy” a traditional recipe into something that's both super low carb, filled with healthful ingredients, and that actually tastes good.
This one did take me a couple of tries, especially to find the right amounts of thickener (can't use cornstarch), so I'm pretty excited to finally have the recipe ready for you today!
This recipe is sugar-free, low carb, ketogenic, gluten free, and a THM:S.
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The crust is a buttery shortbread that I feels goes so well with the tart and sweet lemon. You'll need:
- 0.75 cups Almond Flour
- 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/4 cup Lakanto Classic
- 2 T Butter, softened
- 1/4 tsp Vanilla
- 2 Egg Whites
Then you'll top that cooled crust with a lemon custard using:
- 1 cup Lemon Juice (no sugar added)
- 3/4 cupLakanto Confectioner's Sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Liquid Stevia
- 1 T Xanthan Gum
- 5 Eggs
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Directions:
To make the crust:
Mix all ingredients with a mixer until well combined. Everything should hold together.
Place aluminum foil in the bottom of a square 9×9 pan then coat the foil with sprayable coconut oil.
Spread the dough in the pan, then bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
To make the lemon filling:
Increase oven temp to 350.
Mix the Swerve, Xanthan Gum, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add in eggs and yolks and mix well. Stir in lemon juice and mix until sweetener is completely dissolved.
Pour the mixture over the crust and bake for 30 minutes, until bars are just cooked through. Let cool then cut into 9 pieces.
Nutrition Information:
9 Servings/recipe
144 Calories
11g Fat
3g Net Carbs (4 total – 1 Fiber)
9g Protein
Affiliate Links: There are a few special ingredients in this recipe. The links below are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something by clicking and buying through my link I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you:
Almond Flour
Lakanto Sweetner
Xanthan Gum
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- For the Crust:
- 0.75 cups Almond Flour
- ⅛ tsp Sea Salt
- ¼ cup Lakanto
- 2 T Butter, softened
- ¼ tsp Vanilla
- 2 Egg Whites
- For the bars:
- 1 cup Lemon Juice (no sugar added)
- ¾ cup Lakanto Confectioner's Sugar
- ½ tsp. Liquid Stevia
- 1 T Xanthan Gum
- 5 Eggs
- 2 Egg Yolks
- ¼ tsp Salt
- To make the crust:
- Mix all ingredients with a mixer until well combined. Everything should hold together.
- Place aluminum foil in the bottom of a square 9x9 pan then coat the foil with sprayable coconut oil.
- Spread the dough in the pan, then bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- To make the lemon filling:
- Increase oven temp to 350.
- Mix the Lakanto, Xanthan Gum, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add in eggs and yolks and mix well. Stir in lemon juice and mix until sweetener is completely dissolved.
- Pour the mixture over the crust and bake for 30 minutes, until bars are just cooked through. Let cool then cut into 9 pieces.
xoxo,
Gretchen
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Sandi says
February 4, 2018 at 12:08 pmThey look really yummy!!! What did you sprinkle on top?
Gretchen says
February 4, 2018 at 3:31 pmI believe I used Confectioner’s Swerve, but Lakanto Confectioner’s Sweetener would work as well 🙂
Linda Parsons says
February 14, 2018 at 3:18 amCan you please give me the sweeteners measurements in sugar measurements since I use different sweeteners. I also noticed in your instructions you mentioned Swerve but didn’t list it in your ingredients. I assume you used the monk fruit sweetener instead? In other words how much do your sweeteners equal in sugar so I will know how to measure mine. Thank you so much.
Stacey says
March 15, 2018 at 12:01 pmI can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed this recipe. It’s so quick and easy, and SO delicious.
I cut down on the sweetener and omitted the vanilla, but otherwise this is by far the best keto dessert recipe I’ve had – and I’ve been keto on and off for four years.
Tart, sweet, delicious and simple. I’ve made these three times in the last two months!
Bell says
April 8, 2018 at 11:03 pmWould you please send me the nutritional information on lemon bars? I posted a pic on a group after making them and even shared the recipe so others could go to this page and see it but now many are asking for calories and carbs 😬 I have no idea they just looked so yummy and are Keto and made with healthy ingredients. Lol 😂 anyhow I’d love any info you have regarding this to share with others. Thanks a bunch! This recipe was absolutely delicious 👍🏼👍🏼
Gretchen Lindow says
April 9, 2018 at 9:27 amHi Bell! I just added the nutrition information! It’s 9 Servings/recipe
144 Calories
11g Fat
3g Net Carbs (4 total – 1 Fiber)
9g Protein
Kara says
May 20, 2018 at 4:10 pmCan I ask how you calculated your nutritional information? When I imported this recipe in to my carb manager app it’s calculting the net carbs and calories much higher. Net carbs at 22g and calories at 201g. Just trying to figure out which is accurate 😬
Gretchen Lindow says
May 21, 2018 at 2:05 pm22 net carbs or total carbs? There is probably an issue with the import. I figure my macros by manually inputting each ingredient I used into MyFitnessPal, then setting the # of servings, and it gives me the macros. I’m not super familiar with carb manager, but it sounds like an ingredient/import issue.
Shayna says
July 11, 2018 at 2:08 pmHow did you figure the net carbs so low? I just made them (and SUPER yummy btw) but when I entered the recipe into My Fitness Pal, the net was much higher … I’m guessing from the fresh lemon juice -since nothing else has much carbs…? But maybe I’m not figuring correctly.
Gretchen Lindow says
July 13, 2018 at 10:39 amMost likely you’re seeing the sugar alcohols from the Sweetener in the recipe. MyFitnessPal doesn’t automatically subtract sugar alcohols – or even show them in the nutrition facts – and that throws things off. All of my recipes already have all sugar alcohols subtracted already 🙂
Bell says
April 10, 2018 at 1:18 pmThanks so much! The recipe is perfecto 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
Katie Pryor says
April 25, 2018 at 3:21 pmDoes the Lakanto sweetener in the crust hae to be the “golden” or can it just be the granular? I have the granular here, but not the golden…
Gretchen Lindow says
April 26, 2018 at 9:02 amYou should definitely be able to use the regular granular lakanto. I like the classic because of the flavor, but the granular will work exactly the same 🙂
Chris says
April 29, 2018 at 5:37 pmCan I use any other sweetener? I don’t have the one listed.
Gretchen says
May 1, 2018 at 2:17 pmAnother sweetener such as Swerve or THM Gentle Sweet should work well too!
Lily says
May 23, 2018 at 10:50 amI have made other bars like these but I used the granual Lakanto in the curd and it crystalized. Does the powdered Lakanto not crystalize after they are chilled? I would hate to waste all those ingredients again. I had to throw away a 13×9 pan of them.
Gretchen Lindow says
May 24, 2018 at 1:55 pmYes, you’ll definitely want to use the confectioner’s sweetener. It can crystallize, but it’s MUCH harder for that to happen. Also, it is possible to use granulated sweetener if that’s all you have, but it requires such delicate handling to no crystallize I usually use confectioner’s.
Lily says
May 31, 2018 at 10:35 amI used the lakanto powdered this time and it still crystallized. I did substitute arrowroot powder for the xanthum gum, could that be why?
Sara says
July 8, 2018 at 7:28 pmDo you let the crust cook until golden? I took mine out at 13 minutes. It was warm but definitely not cooked. I decided to just put the lemon on top. The crust started floating! I’m still cooking it so we will see how it turns out.
Shana says
July 13, 2018 at 8:26 pmI see in the recipe for the lemon part where you add the Confectioners sweetener, however I see .5 tsp of liquid stevia on the list of items, but nowhere in the directions is it actually added. Can it be left out? Does it go in with the powdered sweetner? Thanks! I can’t wait to try them!!
Caitlin says
July 27, 2018 at 12:13 amIt turned out very eggy ( reminded me of some of the spongy egg keto breads). It did have a good lemon flavor though. I just couldn’t do all the egg.
Cassie says
July 29, 2018 at 12:15 pmIs that a Tablespoon if xanthum gum I’m your recipe. I just made these and they look like scrambled eggs on top.
louwilgirl says
February 23, 2019 at 10:37 pmSame!!! I used the exact ingredients and followed the directions and the second I added the lemon to the “sugar” & egg mixture, it turned into soft scrambled eggs. Experienced lemon bar maker here but first time making a keto version. I also question the 1 T of xantham as it usually only takes 1/2 tsp for a whole recipe. hate I don’t know what I did wrong, keto ingredients aren’t cheap. so bummed.
Cassie says
July 30, 2018 at 9:30 amSo I made these yesterday. Your recipe says 1 Tablespoon of xanthum gum. Is that a typo? They turned out awful. that would be my only guess as to why. Im gonna try them again with a teaspoon and see if that was the problem. I’m a very experienced baker and they were an epic fail for me.
Paulette says
January 8, 2019 at 10:17 pmI made these and my first attempt was a failure. The crust was too watery and never really set up well. I also used a mixer and I think I over processed the Xanthan Gum. The second time was perfect. I modified the crust (1c almond flour, 3 T butter and 1 tsp Lakanto classic cooked at 300 degrees for 15 mins.) and I mixed the lemon curd by hand instead of using a mixer. It’s was delicious and the texture was perfect.