Keto Lemon Bars

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These low carb keto lemon bars are a must-have spring dessert! With a creamy, sweet, and tart lemon filling and buttery shortbread crust, nobody will believe these are sugar-free lemon bars, either. Similar to magic cookie bars and peanut butter bars, the layers of flavor take every bite over the top!

Ingredients You’ll Need

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for sugar-free lemon bars, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

For The Shortbread Crust:

• Wholesome Yum Almond Flour – With a super fine grind, this makes a buttery crust indistinguishable from a white flour version. You may be able to substitute coconut flour, but I haven’t tested it and you would need to add additional oil or eggs, since coconut flour is more drying. If you want to do this, it might help to use my coconut flour pie crust recipe as a starting point.
• Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Other keto sweeteners should also work okay in the crust, but using this crystallized monk fruit sweetener keeps it from getting too dense or dry, since Besti locks in moisture. If you want to cut down on the number of different sweeteners you need, Besti Powdered should work fine in the crust as well.
• Sea Salt – Balances the sweetness.
• Coconut Oil – Measured solid, then gently melted. Melted butter will also work.
• Egg – Use a whole, large egg. A flax egg might work as a substitute, but I haven’t tried it.
• Vanilla Extract – Use the best quality extract you can (this one is awesome!).

For The Lemon Filling:

• Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – The sweetened used here is super important. Using anything granulated will yield a grainy result, anything liquid will prevent the filling from setting, and many brands of powdered sugar substitute will crystallize after cooling, resulting in a gritty texture as well. Powdered Besti is the only one I recommend here, though powdered allulose would also work — you’d need to use 33% more.
• Wholesome Yum Almond Flour – Helps thicken the filling.
• Eggs
• Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice makes a big difference here! Bottled juice will still work, but is less flavorful.
• Lemon Zest – Enhances the tart, lemony flavor. Don’t skip it!

How To Make Keto Lemon Bars

This section shows how to make lemon keto bars, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, see the recipe card below.

1. Make filling. In a large mixing bowl, stir together almond flour and Powdered Besti for filling. Whisk in eggs, lemon juice, and zest. Set aside.
2. Make crust. Combine almond flour, Besti, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in oil, egg, and vanilla.

3. Press. Press the shortbread dough into a square baking dish.
4. Bake. Place crust in the oven until firm and golden.
5. Add filling. After removing crust from the oven, immediately pour prepared filling over the top.

6. Bake again. Bake until filling appears set, but is still soft.
7. Chill. Cool the keto-friendly lemon bars completely on the counter, without moving or cutting. Then, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set completely before slicing.

Storage Instructions

Be sure to make this low carb lemon bars recipe ahead of time, as they need time to properly set up before you cut into them. I usually make them the day or night before I serve them, so they have time to set. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days (if they last that long!).

Can You Freeze Lemon Bars?

Yes, you can freeze lemon bars. Cut them into squares and place on a baking sheet. Freeze until solid, usually a few hours. Then, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag or container.

Thawing Instructions:

Thaw frozen lemon bars in the fridge overnight before serving.

More Keto Lemon Dessert Recipes

Love keto desserts with a lemony twist? Try these next: