Almond flour lemon bars, October 2012
With their delicate, tangy flavor and shortbread crust, almond bars are a favorite crowd-pleasing dessert. They’re also high in sugar. When I can I try to reduce the amount of sugar in the food I make, but some recipes, like this one, are sheer indulgence for special occasions.
The bars are gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free, but people who don’t need to avoid these foods will enjoy them too. The almond extract in the crust gives a bright note to the almond flour. The coconut flour adds a little fiber and just a hint of coconut flavor.
These lemon bars can be made with either Honeyville blanched almond flour or Bob’s Red Mill almond meal/flour. For best results weigh your almond flour rather than using a measuring cup, since the types can differ in moisture content and thus vary in volume.
The recipe amounts can be doubled and the bars baked in a 9-inch by 13-inch pan.
| Almond Flour Lemon Bars | | Print |
- CRUST
- 1 1/4 cup (140 grams) almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- Pinch of salt
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons light-flavored oil (sunflower or other)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons water
- TOPPING
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 to 3 lemons (1/2 cup juice and about 1 tablespoon zest)
- 3 tablespoons starch (corn starch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot powder)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8-inch by 8-inch pan.
- Make the crust: Sift the almond flour, coconut flour, powdered sugar, and salt through a sieve into a medium bowl. Add the oil, almond extract, and water and mix with a fork or hands until all ingredients are moist and dough holds together. Press into pan, forming an even layer. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, make the topping: Zest and juice the lemons and strain out any seeds. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and starch until well blended. Pour topping onto hot crust. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, just until topping is set and no longer jiggles when the pan is lightly shaken.
- Cool. Cover and store in refrigerator up to 1 week. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar and cut into 9 squares.
Shared at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and The Gluten-Free Homemaker Gluten-Free Wednesday.
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Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve visited this blog before but after looking at a few of
the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m certainly happy
I found it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking
back frequently!
Thanks so much! I love to hear it!
Can I use Vanilla in the crust instead of Almond extract?
Hi Erin, You can certainly use vanilla, although with almond flour, to me the flavor seems brighter and more alive than with vanilla. Thanks for asking!
[…] Shortbread: 1 1/4 cup almond flour 1/4 cup coconut flour Pinch of salt 2/3 cup powdered sugar (you can use granulated but it will be a little gritty) 2 tablespoons melted butter (oil’s okay too) 2 tablespoons water Lemon Topping: 3 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon lemon zest 3 tablespoons corn starch Powdered sugar, for dusting Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch by 8-inch pan. Make the crust: Mix the almond flour, coconut flour, powdered sugar, and in a medium bowl. Add the butter and water and mix with hands until all ingredients are moist and dough holds together. Press into pan, forming an even layer. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. While the crust is baking, make the topping: Zest and juice the lemons and strain out any seeds. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and starch until well blended. Pour topping onto hot crust. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, just until topping is set and no longer jiggles when the pan is lightly shaken. Cool. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar and cut into 9 squares. Recipe Adapted From: Everyone Eats Right […]
Loved this recipe–thank you! I also switched the water for lemon juice and used coconut oil, plus, I used xylitol in place of the sugar for an extra low carb holiday treat–everyone loved them 🙂
Out of control!! This is so delish! I added lemon zest and lemon juice instead of water to the crust because I am a lemon addict. I also used virgin coconut oil in place of non flavored oil. The next time I will replace the sugar with coconut (palm) sugar. It will make the whole thing brown, but will lower the glycemic index.
Thanks for posting this! Loved it!
Thank you for sharing this gluten-dairy free lemon bars recipe. I want to make them, but I don’t have any starch to add to toping, what do you recommend instead of listed starches?!
Can I don’t add it to lemon muxture?
Thank you
Eli bor, I’m not sure what starch would work other than the ones listed. If you used flour, I’m not sure what the results would be. It is a challenge when you want to make something but don’t have on hand what you need–I’ve been in that situation often! Good luck with the bars if you make them.
–Eileen
I love how easy your recipes are! 🙂
Truly, everybody can eat right. Thanks for sharing.
Aw, shucks, that’s kind of you to say. Thanks! I could say the same for your recipes. Plus you use so many beautiful, fresh ingredients.