These soft and creamy keto lemon bars will absolutely melt in your mouth! If you like lemon desserts, this is the recipe for you.
Easy keto lemon bar recipe
With just six ingredients and no sugar or flour required, you will fall completely in love with the smooth and melt-in-your-mouth texture of these low carb lemon squares.
The sweet lemon dessert reminds me of something between a lemon bar and a lemon cheesecake, which basically makes them impossible to resist.
I’ve already made the recipe at least a dozen times, and each batch almost instantly disappears as soon as I set it down on the table!
Also try the popular Keto Brownies
Sugar free lemon squares
The keto lemon squares are great for company or for an easy weeknight dessert. And they can easily be made without sugar.
Just blend everything together, layer the lemony mixture into a pan, and let the oven do all the hard work.
With no eggs or dairy, and flourless, sugar free, gluten free, low carb, paleo, and vegan options, these classic homemade keto lemon bars are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them.
Note: If you are not on a low carb or keto diet and want to use regular sugar for the lemon bars, there is a non keto version of the recipe as well.
Still craving lemon? Make Keto Lemon Bread or Lemon Sorbet
Keto lemon bar recipe video
Above, watch the step by step video.
How to make keto lemon bars
Start by reading through the recipe and gathering all ingredients.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are using a crust, combine all of the crust ingredients in a mixing bowl. Then smooth the dough evenly into a parchment lined or well greased eight inch baking pan.
Combine the cream cheese, yogurt, lemon juice and zest, powdered xylitol or powdered sugar, almond flour or cornstarch, and optional turmeric in a blender just until smooth.
(Beating too much can cause cracking due to beating in added air.)
Pour the smooth lemon filling into the prepared baking pan. Cook on the oven’s middle rack for twenty five minutes.
Once time is up, leave the oven door completely closed and turn off the heat. Let the pan sit in the closed oven for eight minutes, during which time it will slowly cool down.
Remove the still underdone lemon bars and set them on the counter to continue cooling gradually.
Once cool, refrigerate the entire pan for a few hours or overnight. During this time, they will firm up considerably.
Leftover lemon squares should stay good in the refrigerator for up to five days. Or slice and freeze them in an airtight covered container for up to about four months.
Make sure to thaw the frozen bars fully before serving them to guests.
Readers also like these Coconut Flour Cookies
Lemon square tips and tricks
In general, high heat, over beating, and sudden changes in temperature can all cause cracking in cheesecake square recipes.
Thankfully, I’ve picked up a few great baking tricks over the years to make cracked bars a thing of the past.
The best of these tricks is to fill a baking pan about two thirds of the way with water and place it on the lower oven rack. (You will bake the cheesecake bars on the middle rack.) The water adds moisture to the oven so that your low carb lemon bars will not dry out as they bake.
Bring the cream cheese to room temperature before starting. This step enables you to not need to beat it as long to get the batter smooth. And less beating means fewer air bubbles that can form and burst during the cooking process.
Finally, avoid rapid temperature changes by letting the bars cool. First cool them for a few minutes in a turned off oven for five to ten minutes. Then continue to cool on the counter before refrigerating until firm.
Keto lemon bar ingredients
You will need cream cheese, plain yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, powdered erythritol or xylitol or sugar, almond flour (or cornstarch for a non keto lemon bar), and an optional pinch of powdered turmeric or natural yellow food coloring for the smooth lemon filling.
Make the bars crustless, or use the simple keto crust below that calls for only almond meal and butter or coconut oil. It’s like a keto version of a graham cracker crust.
Even more than the lemon juice, it is the lemon zest that gives these fancy dessert bars their bold lemon flavor. So do be sure to include this ingredient.
To make your own lemon zest, simply wash a lemon and use a zester or grater to shred the peel. If you don’t have one of these gadgets, use a vegetable peeler. Then finely dice the skin with a sharp knife.
For keto vegan lemon bars, use vegan cream cheese and dairy free yogurt.
Or if you want to change up the flavor, try substituting vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, or even blueberry yogurt. Sugar free lemon blueberry bars? Yes, please!
Leftover lemon? Use it up in this Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
If desired, top the recipe with sliced lemons and Coconut Whipped Cream.
Optional Keto Crust
- 1 1/2 cup almond flour
- 4 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
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*The lemon zest is important, so be sure to include it. I like to use a water bath (see above for explanation) but it is not required. To make keto lemon bars, preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the crust ingredients, if using. Press into a parchment lined 8×8 pan. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. (Don’t over-beat, which could cause cracking.) Pour over the crust, and bake 25 minutes. Do not open the oven door, but turn off heat and let sit 8 minutes. Take out the still undercooked bars and let cool completely, then refrigerate a few hours until firm. Leftover bars can be refrigerated or frozen.View Nutrition Facts
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