Sunshine in a square! These better-for-you lemon bars deliver everything you love about the classic—an ooey-gooey, pucker-up citrus filling over a buttery, shortbread-style crust, but with far less calories, sugar and saturated fat. The crust is made from blanched almond flour and ground flaxseeds (hello omega 3s), and the luscious filling is sweetened with maple syrup in place of refined white sugar. No butter, no white flour… and absolutely no sacrifice on flavor. They’re gluten-free and dairy-free, too.

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Here’s the story behind this one: A few springs ago, I hosted a little backyard get-together, and a dear friend showed up with a bakery box of lemon bars that vanished before the iced tea was even poured. They were DIVINE… and also loaded with a full pound of butter and mountains of powdered sugar. My girlfriends challenged me to make a healthier version….Challenge accepted! I got to work the next day on a version that would give me that same bright, tangy-sweet bliss with ingredients I feel good about. After more test batches than I care to admit (my neighbors were very willing taste-testers, haha), this is the recipe that earned me a 5-star rating.

Two quick but important notes before you start:

  1. Give them time to chill. The bars are quick to mix together, but the filling needs a full chill in the fridge (at least 3 hours, or overnight) to set up for those picture-perfect, clean-cut squares. Plan ahead—they’re worth the wait, and they’re actually best served chilled.
  2. You’ll need 7 to 8 large lemons. Fresh-squeezed juice is the star of the show here, so skip the bottled stuff—it can taste flat and slightly bitter. And be sure to zest your lemons before you juice them (it’s nearly impossible to zest a squeezed lemon half!).

Try my Chocolate Mug Cake.

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Healthier Lemon Bars with Almond Flour Crust (Gluten-Free)

This health-ified rendition has an ooey-gooey citrus filling, and a shortbread-like crust that’s made from almond flour and ground flaxseeds.
Yield: 24 squares
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Chill Time (mostly hands-off): 3 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
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Ingredients
 

For the crust:

  • 4 ½ cups blanched almond flour
  • 3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 ½ tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 6 to 8 tablespoons almond milk, at room temperature*

For the filling:

  • 4 large eggs + 1 large egg white
  • ⅔ cup arrowroot flour, also labeled arrowroot starch or powder
  • 1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice, from 7 to 8 large lemons
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, zest the lemons before juicing
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • Confectioners' sugar, for dusting just before serving, optional garnish
Ingredient Details to Know
*Room-temperature almond milk matters here: if it’s fridge-cold, the melted coconut oil will seize into hard little clumps the moment they meet, and the dough won’t come together evenly. If you forget, just microwave the almond milk for about 15 seconds to take the chill off.
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly mist a 9×13-inch glass, ceramic, or nonstick baking pan with nonstick oil spray (with this much lemon juice, avoid uncoated aluminum pans, which can lend a metallic taste). Line the pan with a large piece of parchment paper that hangs over the two long (13-inch) sides—this “sling” is how you’ll lift the finished bars out of the pan. Mist the parchment and the two exposed short ends of the pan, too.
  • Make the crust: In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, flaxseeds, and salt with a fork. Pour in the melted coconut oil and maple syrup and stir until evenly combined. Add the almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition, just until the dough holds together when you squeeze a handful in your palm—you may not need all 8 tablespoons. (Too dry and it will crumble; too wet and it turns pasty, so go slowly toward the end.)
  • Transfer the dough to the lined pan and press it firmly into an even layer across the bottom—the flat bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass makes quick, even work of this. Then press the dough about ½ inch up all four sides of the pan to create a low “wall.” Don’t skip this! That little rim is what keeps the liquidy filling contained on top of the crust instead of seeping underneath it.
  • Poke the dough all over with a fork (this lets steam escape so the crust bakes flat) and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the surface looks dry.
  • While the crust bakes, make the filling: In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg white until smooth; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the arrowroot flour with a few tablespoons of the lemon juice to make a smooth paste, then gradually whisk in the rest of the juice until completely smooth and lump-free. Whisk in the maple syrup, lemon zest, and salt, then the eggs, whisking gently until everything is fully combined—no need to beat air into it (fewer bubbles = a smoother, glassier top). If a foamy layer forms, skim it off with a spoon.
  • Give the filling one last stir right before pouring (arrowroot settles fast). For the steadiest pour, pull the oven rack partway out with the hot crust still on it, then slowly pour the filling into the center of the crust and carefully slide the rack back in. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight Jell-O-like jiggle when you gently nudge the pan. This is the key moment: the filling will continue to firm up as it cools, so don’t wait for the center to look fully set in the oven—over-baking is what causes cracks and a weepy texture.
  • Cool the pan on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature, about 1 hour, then refrigerate (loosely covered once cool) for at least 3 hours, or overnight, until fully chilled and set.
  • When you’re ready to serve, run a thin knife along the two unlined short ends of the pan, then lift the bars out using the parchment sling and set them on a cutting board. Slice into 24 squares (6 rows by 4 rows), wiping the knife clean with a damp paper towel between cuts for the prettiest edges. Dust with an optional sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Notes

• The jiggle test, explained. Perfectly baked bars are set about 1 inch in from the edges with a small circle in the center that wobbles like Jell-O—not sloshy, not stiff. If the whole pan waves like liquid, give it 3 to 4 more minutes and check again. Trust the jiggle: carryover heat and the fridge will finish the job.
• All about arrowroot. Arrowroot is a neutral-tasting starch that thickens the filling while keeping it gluten-free and grain-free—look for it labeled arrowroot flour, starch, or powder (all the same thing). Two tips for success: whisk it into the lemon juice until completely smooth before anything else goes in, and don’t over-bake, as arrowroot can break down and turn weepy with too much heat. In a pinch, an equal amount of cornstarch works—the filling will be slightly more opaque but just as delicious.
• Getting the most from your lemons. Roll each lemon firmly on the counter under your palm before cutting (or microwave for 10 seconds)—you’ll get noticeably more juice. And remember: zest first, juice second.
• Clean, bakery-style squares. Fully chilled bars slice beautifully; room-temperature bars smear. Chill completely, use a sharp knife, and wipe the blade between every cut. For extra-crisp edges, trim a sliver off the outer rim first.
• A note on the sugar dusting. Confectioners’ sugar dissolves into the filling in the fridge, so always dust right before the bars hit the table—never before storing. • Simple swaps. Not dairy-free? Melted butter works in place of the coconut oil in the crust. Honey can stand in for the maple syrup in the filling, though its flavor is more forward. And if you can get your hands on Meyer lemons, they make a slightly sweeter, more floral version that’s pure heaven.
• Storage. These bars are best enjoyed within a day or two of baking, when the crust is at its best. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, and hold the sugar dusting until serving time.
Author: Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN

Nutrition Information per serving

Serving Size: 1 squareCalories: 220Carbohydrates: 19gProtein: 6gTotal Fat: 13g— Unsaturated Fat: 10.5g— Saturated Fat: 2.5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 30mgFiber: 3gTotal Sugar: 11g— Natural Sugar: 2g— Added Sugar: 9gIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.
I’m hoping you loved this recipe! If you made it and want to share feedback, I’d be so grateful to hear from you. Please leave a review below or tag @joybauer on Instagram!