These paleo lemon bars have a nutty almond coconut crust, and the lemon filling is lemony and custard-like. They are grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, and they come together in about 40 minutes. I make these whenever I need a potluck dessert that holds up well and disappears fast. I include a nut-free crust option.
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
The Quick Bite: These paleo lemon bars have a sweet, nutty crust and a creamy lemon filling. They are made with simple ingredients, including lemon, eggs, coconut, almond flour, coconut sugar, and oil. They are perfect for snacking or any time you need a tried-and-true dessert.
Most paleo lemon bars I have tried have a crust that crumbles the second you pick them up. This version holds together thanks to the combination of almond flour, coconut, chia seeds, and an egg in the crust, which is why I keep coming back to this recipe for potlucks and picnics.
I have tested this grain-free lemon bar recipe several times since I first created it back in 2018. I wanted to make sure the lemon flavor shines through, and I added a Cassava flour and a nut-free swap for those who need to avoid those ingredients. They have a delicious lemony custard-like filling, hold up well without falling apart, and the almond and coconut crust brings a little bit of tropical flavor.
I have several popular gluten free lemon recipes on the blog. This Gluten Free Lemon Bundt Cake, Gluten Free Lemon Oat Bars, or my Gluten Free Dairy Free Lemon Donuts are some of my reader favorites.
I love this recipe! It’s gluten free, it’s refined sugar free, it’s easy to make, and best of all it is delicious. Thank you, Sandi, best lemon bar ever award goes to you!!”
nan, blog comment
Ingredient Notes and Swaps:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Cassava Flour – This is a grain-free flour I like to use in this paleo lemon bars recipe. It holds up well and helps hold the crust together. Lately, there has been talk that cassava contains lead, so I want you to know that I tested tapioca starch, and it will also work.
- Almond Flour – I highly suggest using almond flour and not an almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your lemon bars grainy. See below for a nut-free crust option.
- Chia Seeds – I include these in the crust for more protein. Chia seeds add a little more binding in the crust. They can be omitted if you prefer.
- Coconut Sugar – I used a more golden shade of coconut sugar, which is why these bars have a slight golden hue. If you use brown coconut sugar, note your bars will be more brownish-yellow.
- Shredded Coconut– I recommend using unsweetened so the crust doesn’t get too sweet.
- Coconut Oil – You can use other types of oil if you prefer, but coconut oil is best because it becomes solid at room temperature.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Lemons – Fresh is best for the juice and zest, but bottled lemon juice is good if you don’t have fresh lemons.
If you prefer a nut-free crust, use the gluten free shortbread crust recipe from my gluten free cranberry bars post.
If you are not strictly paleo:
- You can swap unsalted butter or margarine for the coconut oil.
- You can use regular sugar, giving these bars a more vibrant yellow color. (Coconut sugar is brown, so it changes the color of these bars.)
How to Make These Paleo Lemon Bars:
Preheat the oven to 350º F and place the rack in the middle of the oven. I like this position for the oven rack because it prevents the bottom of the crust from burning.
Step 1: First, let’s mix up the almond flour crust. Add the almond flour, coconut, and coconut sugar to a large
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Step 2: Use gluten free cooking spray to prepare your baking dish. If you prefer, to make removing the bars easy, you can line the 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Pour the crust mixture into an 8×8 baking pan and flatten with a large spoon or the bottom of a glass.
Step 3: In a smaller
Step 4: Pour the lemon mixture onto the crust and bake. The lemon mixture should be pourable and thin enough to spread on its own without you having to spread it.
Step 5: Bake the lemon bars at 350º F for 30 minutes until the lemon mixture has set. You should not see any lemon filling jiggle when the bars are fully baked. Remove them from the oven and allow the bars to cool for 30 minutes.
🔑 Sandi says: Once the bars cool to room temperature, I recommend chilling them in the refrigerator. It will make them a lot easier to slice cleanly.
Store any leftover bars in an airtight container in your refrigerator. These lemon bars need to be refrigerated because moist gluten free baked goods tend to spoil quickly. You can freeze these bars. Ensure the bars are chilled from the refrigerator. Place them carefully in a single layer in a freezer-safe zip bag.
More Delicious Paleo Recipes:
If you enjoy grain-free baking, these paleo recipes are worth trying, too.
- Paleo Pear Muffins – You can also substitute other types of fruit.
- Paleo Banana Flour Waffles – A fun way to use this specialty flour.
- Paleo Delicata Squash Brownies – Full of yummy hidden veggies.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Creamy Paleo Lemon Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- ¼ cup blond coconut sugar or cane sugar * see note
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup almond flour * see note
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional)
- 1 large egg
Lemon Filling:
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cups coconut sugar or cane sugar
- ½ cup cassava flour * See notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a bowl, add 1 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup blond coconut sugar or cane sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, 1/3 cup melted coconut oil, 2 tablespoons chia seeds, and 1 large egg. Mix well.
- Pour the crust ingredients into a greased 8×8 baking pan. You can also line the pan with parchment paper if you prefer.
- Press down to flatten the crust out so it covers the whole pan. Press it down with a large spoon.
- In another bowl, add 1/2 cup lemon juice, 4 large eggs, 3/4 cups coconut sugar or cane sugar, and 1/2 cup cassava flour. Whisk to blend.
- Pour the lemon mixture over the crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until done.
- Remove the bars from the oven and allow the bars to cool fully to room temperature. Refrigerate the bars for 2 hours to chill before slicing.
Video
Notes
- You can make this recipe nut-free by substituting crushed gluten free graham crackers for the almond flour. This will make the dish gluten free.
- Feel free to swap the cassava flour for any gluten free flour blend.
- I used a more golden shade of coconut sugar, which is why these bars have a slight golden hue. If you use brown coconut sugar, note your bars will be more brownish-yellow. If the color is important to you and you are okay with sugar, I would use white regular sugar.
- I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your lemon bars grainy.
- These bars will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
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SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
This post was updated from an old April 2018 post with a lot more recipe details.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
I love this recipe! It’s gluten free, it’s refined sugar free, it’s easy to make, and best of all it is delicious. Thank you, Sandi, best lemon bar ever award goes to you!!
These lemon bars are such a good option for those trying to be a little better about the sugar and grains! I am so glad you enjoyed them!!
Hello, I believe this is a typo that could be quite dangerous if fed to a person with celiac disease! “ You can make this recipe nut-free by substituting crushed graham crackers for the almond flour. This will make the dish gluten free.” Regular Graham crackers are loaded with gluten!
Thank you for your note Sheila; I added the words gluten free.
Can I use Stevia to reduce the carbs for a LCHF diet?
I don’t bake with Stevia so I have no way to know if this can work in my recipe. If you do try it, please let me know how it turns out.
We don’t have casava flour in Australia, what could I use in place of it? I really want to try this recipe as it sound yummy!
Hi Jenny, do you have tapioca starch? It is similar.
I’m having trouble with kidney stones and need to eat a low oxalate diet (including no nuts). Could I substitute the almond flour for gluten free, rather than adding it to the mixture?
Hi Nicole, I would recommend making a crust with crushed gluten free graham crackers and butter instead of using the almond flour.