These gluten free lemon bars will impress even the most skeptical folks in your crowd. Seriously delicious! And they’ll be seriously gone, so you’d better double the recipe!
I don’t know what it is about this easy little treat — maybe the mystery is in its simplicity — but they are universally loved and bring a smile to anyone’s face as they savor the subtle tart/sweetness that is so perfectly blended in a gluten free lemon bar. There’s just no reason not to be able to still enjoy that simple pleasure, gluten free.
Like anything else, the key is in the ingredients. If you use gritty rice flour or funky bean flours, for example, these creamy lemon bars will never bring the delight they ought to.
Use high quality, smooth and light gluten free flours, as in my gfJules™ flour blend. You’ll never look back once your recipes are this delicious!
Gluten Free Lime Bars
Oh, and how pretty are these GREEN lime bars?? Think St. Patrick’s Day or Earth Day or any day you want to add a pop of yummy green to your menu. Equally delicious either way.
Use lemons or limes, and even add a drop of food coloring to make these the perfect treat for St. Patrick’s Day!
Gluten Free Cherry Bars
Or here’s another fun twist: gluten free CHERRY bars! For Valentine’s Day, these are a great way to celebrate!
In place of the lemon juice, add tart cherry juice or cherry liqueur. In place of the lemon or lime zest, add a few diced, frozen cherries.
Reduce the cherry juice by 1 tablespoon if adding the diced cherries since they add their own liquid. You’ll probably also want to add a splash of food coloring to give the red some oomph!
Baking Tips for Gluten Free Lemon, Lime or Cherry Bars
A couple tips on making these treats. They’re super easy, but the first time you make the crust, you may think you’ve done something wrong because it’s very crumby.
Don’t worry! Once you press it into the bottom of the pan and then it bakes, you’ll be good to go! (line the pan with parchment paper for even easier removal and clean-up!)
To recap:
This is how the crust should look when you’re done mixing it. Do not over-mix it!
Then press it into the bottom of an un-oiled or parchment-lined pan (photo below is of a doubled recipe):
The crust is akin to a shortbread cookie, so it should be on the buttery-dry side before baking.
After it bakes, the top will be a golden brown. That’s the way it’s supposed to be!
Once you sprinkle powdered sugar on top, they’ll look and taste like the gluten free lemon bars you were looking for!
Enjoy these springy treats anytime you need a little sunshine in your life!
Gluten Free Lemon Bars Recipe
Gluten Free Lemon Bars Recipe
These gluten free lemon bars will impress even the most skeptical folks in your crowd. Seriously delicious! And they'll be seriously gone, so you'd better double the recipe!
Ingredients
crust ingredients:
- 1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tbs.) butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance Buttery Sticks®)
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated cane sugar
- 1 cup (135 grams) gfJules™ All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
filling ingredients
- 2 eggs (or egg substitute of choice, such as 1/2 cup extra firm tofu blended with 1 tsp. baking powder)
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated cane sugar
- 2 Tbs. (17 grams) gfJules™ All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 2 tsp. finely shredded lemon or lime zest (don't skip this ingredient if making lemon or lime bars!) OR 3 diced frozen cherries
- 3 Tbs. lemon juice or lime juice or cherry juice / liqueuer
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- food coloring, if desired (yellow or green)
- Powdered sugar (optional)
Instructions
Crust Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º F.
In a medium bowl, beat butter with a mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1/4 cup of sugar; beat until combined.
Beat in the 1 cup of gfJules™ flour until crumbly, being careful not to over-mix. Press mixture into the bottom of an un-oiled or parchment-lined 8x8x2 baking pan.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
Filling Directions:
Combine eggs, sugar, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and baking powder; beat 2 minutes or until thoroughly combined.
Pour filling over baked crust. Bake 20 minutes more or until set and lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars only when completely cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, before serving.
Notes
This recipe doubles nicely when baked in a 9×13 pan.
*Note: if making cherry bars and using diced frozen cherries as well, reduce cherry juice to 2 Tbs.
Nutrition Information
Yield 20 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 70Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 19mgSodium 14mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 0gSugar 16gProtein 1g
Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe.
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I made your lemon bars and everyone really loved them. They taste great, the only issue I had was especially the edges I had a hard time getting them out of the pan and the crust ended up in crumbles. I saw your suggestion of parchment paper so I will try that on my next batch which will be very soon as the bars are already gone. The zested would make the making of the next batch a lot faster! Thankyou I’m able to finally eat lemon bars again!
So happy lemon bars are back in your life, Patricianne! This is such a yummy recipe and yes! the parchment not only makes it easy to get the bars out, but clean-up is a breeze!
~jules
Hi Jules,
Thk you for this recipe :)The apple pie crust is different
from the lemon bar one, right? I clicked on the video to watch how to make these, but thinking this isn’t the same crust? Thks 🙂
Hi Carole, yes, the crusts are quite different. The gluten free lemon bars recipe has more of a shortbread crust. It’s very simple and quick to make and hopefully it’s clear from the recipe without a video, but maybe I’ll get around to making a video for this recipe one day soon, too! Enjoy the recipe!
~jules
Jules, thank you for your recipe for GF Lemon Bars. My Mother, sister and I are all dairy free and my sister is GF too. My whole family loved the bars and my nephew loves lemon bars and loved the recipe too. I only had enough lemon zest for I Tablespoon, which was perfect.
Thank you for the recipe. I will be following your website a bit more.
Thanks, Amy
Hi Amy, thank you so much for taking the time to leave me a note about how much your family enjoyed this recipe for gluten free lemon bars. I’m thrilled to know you all loved it so much, and I do hope you explore more of my recipes! Happy baking!!!
~jules
Your recipe is delicious. My mother, sister and I are all dairy free and my sister is also gf. My nephew has no allergies and loved them as we all did. I’m guessing I’ll be making them tomorrow for Mother’s
Day too! Thank you so much for a fabulous recipe! I will be following your recipes for a good while.
Can you use Xylitol instead of sugar?
Hi Cyndi, yes, just follow the directions for the brand you’re using in terms of how much to use as a replacement. I personally like Swerve, but that is erythritol — not sure if you can use that one or not.
~jules
Is there any substitute for white sugar?
Hi Carol, can you use Swerve or Just Like Sugar? Those sugar subs work well in baking. Hope that helps!
~jules
I have to tell you that I made these for my son’s going away party yesterday. As far as I know, I was the only one that was Gluten Free, but I haven’t had Lemon Bars in a long time, so I made them. Oh. My. Goodness. There was not a crumb left. Almost everyone at the party came up and told me they were the best Lemon Bars they have ever had!! I am not exaggerating. They were absolutely incredible! I have made them before I was GF and had a pretty good recipe, but they were nothing like this one. I can’t thank you enough for this recipe. I doubled it and they went so fast. I should have at least tripled the recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that you went for it and were rewarded sweetly! I hope it inspires you to try making some other old favorite recipes again, gluten free. When you have the right gluten free flour, anything is deliciously possible!!!
~jules
How far in advance can i make these? Do they freeze well?
Hi Shelley, I honestly haven’t ever frozen these, but I can tell you that they stay yummy for a number of days. In the summer months, I’d cover well and refrigerate to keep them fresh.
~jules
This were so refreshing and lemony! Great for summer, can’t wait to make these again!
YES! They’re a spring and summer favorite in our house, as well! So glad you loved them!
~jules
Omg I’m so excited to have found this recipe!! I love lemon bars but didn’t know I could make them allergy-friendly 🙂 Thank you so much!! I can’t wait to try those lime bars too
Aren’t the lime bars a fun twist?? Enjoy the recipe, Jenna!
~jules
These are the perfect dessert for spring and summer! They’re always a favorite!
The lime bars are such a fun spin on the traditional lemon squares. I love how vibrant they are, plus so simple to make!
This was great, the filling tasted wonderful and great consistency. My crust was falling apart and too crumbly. I think next time I will bake the crust longer. Thankyou, Jules
Hi Sherri, next time don’t overwork the crust dough – it should be crumbly until you press it into the bottom of the pan and bake it. If you bake it too long, it will dry out even more, so I wouldn’t recommend that. Try baking in parchment next time to make it easier to remove the bars. Enjoy!
~jules
Just in time;I needed something tasty for a buffet we are having tomorrow, I have the limes and all the other necessary ingredients; thanks
Fantastic, John! I’m glad you made it with lime, too! So pretty and I love the taste!
~jules
Do you sell your flour in the UK?
Hi Olivia, we don’t sell IN the UK, but we ship TO the UK from the US. It’s pretty expensive, of course, but select International Shipping from the checkout and you can find out how much it would be. I know that the more you order, the lower the per-pound shipping rate is. I hope that helps! Otherwise, check out this article on making your own homemade blend that will do nicely in my recipes.
~jules
Thank for a great recipe
You bet, Kathy! So glad you liked it and thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know!
~jules
The crust dough is very dry… almost as if there’s no butter in it at all. I can press it into the pan but I’m wondering if it will crumble apart when cool. Does this consistency sound correct to you?
You know, make some Lemon and make some Lime then serve them during Soccer For Brazil!
I really like the way you think, Francine!!!
~jules
Is it possible to use Almond Flour instead of gluten free flour?
Hi Marisa, unfortunately almond flour is not a simple 1:1 replacement for regular wheat flour or for my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Blend, but in this particular recipe, you could probably use some almond flour in place of the blend because the base for the bars would still be yummy if it was denser from the almond flour. Here’s an article on gluten free flours and how to use them – it should help give you an idea of how much to use in proportion for this recipe: https://gfjules.com/gluten-free-flour-comparison/
~jules
Thanks Jules! Giving it a try with the almond flour for the crust, looks good, we’ll see how it holds up with the lemon on top!
Sounds good – let me know!
~jules
Just wanted to update you! The lemon bars were great with the almond flour replacement for the crust! But, I wouldn’t recommend using the parchment paper as suggested in one of the other comments, they were too moist. 2nd batch without the parchment was great!
Thanks so much for updating us, Marisa!!! Glad it turned out well!
~jules