Keto lemon bars with shortbread crust

Keto lemon bars with shortbread crust

With a buttery almond crust and a rich, zesty lemon filling, these keto lemon bars are a taste sensation. All our testers agreed: these lemony keto treats are great. What's more, they're childishly easy to make. So what are you waiting for? Let's get baking!
October 14 2020 by , photo by , nutritional review by in Recipes, Dessert

Keto lemon bars with shortbread crust

With a buttery almond crust and a rich, zesty lemon filling, these keto lemon bars are a taste sensation. All our testers agreed: these lemony keto treats are great. What's more, they're childishly easy to make. So what are you waiting for? Let's get baking!
USMetric
12 servingservings

Ingredients

Crust
  • 2 cups (8 oz.) 475 ml (230 g) almond flour
  • ½ cup (32⁄3 oz.) 120 ml (110 g) erythritol
  • ¼ tsp ¼ tsp salt
  • 4 oz. 110 g butter, melted
Lemon filling
  • 4 4 large egglarge eggs
  • ½ cup (32⁄3 oz.) 120 ml (110 g) erythritol
  • 2 oz. 55 g butter, melted
  • 2 2 lemon, juice and zestlemons, juice and zest
  • 1 tsp 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch 1 pinch salt
  • ¾ cup (3 oz.) 180 ml (85 g) almond flour
Topping
  • 2 tbsp 2 tbsp powdered erythritol (optional)
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Instructions

Instructions are for 12 servings. Please modify as needed.

Crust

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Set aside an 8 x 8" (20 x 20 cm) baking dish lined with parchment paper, or a non-stick baking dish.
  2. Add the almond flour, erythritol, and salt to a food processor bowl, or a medium-sized bowl, and mix together. Pour in the melted butter, and mix until crumbly and combined.
  3. Press evenly into the bottom of the baking dish using your fingers or the backside of a measuring cup.
  4. Bake on the middle oven rack for about 15 minutes or until the edges are golden. As the crust bakes, prepare the lemon filling.

    5. Lemon filling

  5. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs and erythritol. Add the melted butter, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, salt, and almond flour. Mix until smooth and combined.
  6. Pour the filling over the pre-baked crust and smooth the surface with a spatula if needed. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the filling has set, but is still soft. Set aside to cool.
  7. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. For serving, sift the powdered erythritol over the lemon filling, and slice into squares.

Storing

Leftovers keep fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for at least one week and in the freezer for a couple of months. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge before serving.

Recommended special equipment

Baking dish 8 x 8" (20 x 20 cm)

Switch it up

You could replace the almond flour with hazelnut or any other nut flour in the crust and swap the lemon in the filling for lime.

Garnish with whipping cream and fresh berries.

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What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

44 comments

  1. 1
    Christine
    October 18 2020
    I used 3 lemons to make it extra tart
    Reply: #2
  2. 2
    Reply to comment #1 by Christine
    Jill Wallentin Team Diet Doctor
    October 18 2020
    Hi Christine!
    Nice. Did you like them? 😜🍋

    Best,
    Jill

  3. 3
    Henriette
    October 19 2020
    I followed this recipie to the dot, and it turned out amazing! It was sour and rich, and I cant wait to have another serving tonight!
    Perfect keto dessert
    Reply: #4
  4. 4
    Reply to comment #3 by Henriette
    Jill Wallentin Team Diet Doctor
    October 23 2020
    Yay! 💃🏼 So happy you liked them too! Thank you for sharing 🤗

    Best,
    Jill

  5. 5
    sdudley649
    October 30 2020
    I made this exactly as the recipe indicated and although it was delicious, with my newly adjusted tastebuds, I did find it a little too sweet with the erythritol sifted on top. Next time I’ll leave that off or sprinkle some unsweetened shredded coconut.

    Does anyone know if the almond flour can be substituted for coconut? If so, would would be the ratio? Thanks

    Reply: #6
  6. 6
    Reply to comment #5 by sdudley649
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    October 31 2020

    I made this exactly as the recipe indicated and although it was delicious, with my newly adjusted tastebuds, I did find it a little too sweet with the erythritol sifted on top. Next time I’ll leave that off or sprinkle some unsweetened shredded coconut.
    Does anyone know if the almond flour can be substituted for coconut? If so, would would be the ratio? Thanks

    Many people find they need to reduce the amount of sweetener in recipes. It is personal preference, though!
    There is info here regarding the ratios for substituting coconut and almond flours. Hope this helps! https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/recipes/baking

  7. 7
    sdudley649
    November 1 2020
    Thank you Kerry. I found what I was looking for through the link you’d posted. I knew I’d seen it somewhere!

    I’ve copied/pasted it here so I can find it quickly when making this recipe again.

    “Substituting flours
    A common question is whether you can substitute almond flour for coconut flour and the other way around. Yes, often you can but not in equal amounts. 1 cup of almond flour can be substituted for 1/3 cup of coconut flour. 1/3 cup of coconut flour can be substituted for 2/3 cup almond flour + 1.5 tablespoons of ground psyllium husk powder. The amounts may need to be adjusted depending on what brands you’re using.”

    Thanks again for an amazing website. I just love it 😊

    Reply: #8
  8. 8
    Reply to comment #7 by sdudley649
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    November 1 2020

    Thank you Kerry. I found what I was looking for through the link you’d posted. I knew I’d seen it somewhere!
    I’ve copied/pasted it here so I can find it quickly when making this recipe again.
    “Substituting flours
    A common question is whether you can substitute almond flour for coconut flour and the other way around. Yes, often you can but not in equal amounts. 1 cup of almond flour can be substituted for 1/3 cup of coconut flour. 1/3 cup of coconut flour can be substituted for 2/3 cup almond flour + 1.5 tablespoons of ground psyllium husk powder. The amounts may need to be adjusted depending on what brands you’re using.”
    Thanks again for an amazing website. I just love it 😊

    Great! Glad to hear you're loving the website!

  9. 9
    Birgit
    December 17 2020
    this needs some binding agent in both layers.
    Lemon topping and crust fall appart too easily.
    Comparing to high carb versions it would have been obvious before even trying that this woud be the result.
  10. 10
    biggus
    December 24 2020
    Luckily, I overlooked the obvious and make them all the time, successfully.
    Just try and eat one. Can't be done :) Delish!
  11. 11
    Andy Bramham
    January 12 2021
    I followed the recipe as close as I could.. But could not get almond flour, googled it and saw u can use ground almond instead of almond flour.. I must say.. These taste amazing... Great recipe..
    Just to let u know ground almonds work just as well as almond flour if your supermarket does not have it..
    Reply: #12
  12. 12
    Reply to comment #11 by Andy Bramham
    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
    January 12 2021

    I followed the recipe as close as I could.. But could not get almond flour, googled it and saw u can use ground almond instead of almond flour.. I must say.. These taste amazing... Great recipe..
    Just to let u know ground almonds work just as well as almond flour if your supermarket does not have it..

    Thank you for letting us know, I am glad the recipe turned out well.

  13. 13
    Margaret
    January 17 2021
    These were incredible! I’m always looking for keto treats that I can share with my 11 year old daughter and this one was a big hit for us both!
    Reply: #14
  14. 14
    Reply to comment #13 by Margaret
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    January 17 2021

    These were incredible! I’m always looking for keto treats that I can share with my 11 year old daughter and this one was a big hit for us both!

    Great! So glad to hear that you both loved them!

  15. 15
    Vanda
    January 17 2021
    If I use Truvia instead how much would I need please
    Reply: #17
  16. 16
    sjofisa
    January 18 2021
    I used coconut flour, as almond flour is hard to get in our supermarket. Sadly it didn't work well and the lemon filling didnt bond to the base.
    Also waaaay too sweet
  17. 17
    Reply to comment #15 by Vanda
    Crystal Pullen Team Diet Doctor
    January 18 2021

    If I use Truvia instead how much would I need please

    Erythritol is about 70% as sweet as sugar and Truvia is a 1:1 sugar replacement. So, use only 70% in Truvia. Be sure to read the ingredient label on the Truvia and choose the one with only stevia and erythritol as ingredients. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto

  18. 18
    Madeleine
    February 20 2021
    My first Keto dessert I have ever made :) they are so incredible tasty! Used a bit less sweetener and lime instead of lemon. Did not had any almond flour, but a coffe blender and some whole almonds made a perfect substitute. Thank you so much for this lovely recipe!
    Reply: #19
  19. 19
    Reply to comment #18 by Madeleine
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    February 20 2021

    My first Keto dessert I have ever made :) they are so incredible tasty! Used a bit less sweetener and lime instead of lemon. Did not had any almond flour, but a coffe blender and some whole almonds made a perfect substitute. Thank you so much for this lovely recipe!

    Sounds great! So glad you enjoyed them!

  20. 20
    Christina
    March 11 2021
    These look fantastic, as all the desserts do, but it would be wonderful if we could get some sweet recipes using Sucralose or other sweeteners that don't end in 'ol' like erythritol & Maltitol, as people following a FODMAP diet because of IBS cannot have these at all. Simply substituting them won't work because they are going to 'caramelise' differently. Please consider adding some alternatives to Keto desserts for FODMAP followers. Thanks!! :)
    Replies: #21, #22
  21. 21
    Reply to comment #20 by Christina
    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
    March 12 2021

    These look fantastic, as all the desserts do, but it would be wonderful if we could get some sweet recipes using Sucralose or other sweeteners that don't end in 'ol' like erythritol & Maltitol, as people following a FODMAP diet because of IBS cannot have these at all. Simply substituting them won't work because they are going to 'caramelise' differently. Please consider adding some alternatives to Keto desserts for FODMAP followers. Thanks!! :)

    Thank you for your request. As sucralose is an artificial sweetener, it is unlikely that it will be included in future recipes.

  22. 22
    Reply to comment #20 by Christina
    Marsha Cooper
    March 12 2021
    Sucralose is toxic to the gut biome, that should be avoided. I don’t have any erythritol so will investigate using up my coconut sugar or maple syrup (in very small doses) when I try this recipe.
  23. 23
    Diane
    April 9 2021
    Delicious and easy to make. Served with whipped cream and blueberries. Good enough for guests.
    Next time I will use less sweetener in both crust and filling. We rarely eat sweets and also am not crazy about the cooling sensation left in the mouth from erythritol.
  24. 24
    Christine
    April 23 2021
    Delicious. I make the 12 pieces. But I don’t understand the comment about smoothing the filling flat - my filling is super liquidy. I also have to cook it twice as long. After 20 mins I lower the heat, cover with foil, and cook for another 20 mins.
    Am I doing something wrong ?
  25. 25
    isydora
    April 24 2021
    Delicious, so rich, I made 20+ bars out of 6 servings (yes, they are tiny bars, but taste is so rich)! Turned out exactly like the picture, followed the recipe, didn't change anything, not too sweet, no cooling effect, so easy to make! I baked it 25 minutes the second time (covered it with foil after 15 min. then baked another 10 min.), as it took the filling to set a bit longer, but I have a new oven and I'm not used to it yet. And honestly, 25 minutes is not that long, it really depends on the oven. I left it in the fridge over night, so it was easy to cut in small bars, and the filling did not separate like someone experienced (above). Thank you for the video - please keep adding them, since they are quite helpful.
  26. 26
    Vee
    May 16 2021
    These are sooo good! After not having sweet foods since starting keto in January and knowing theyd be too sweet for me i dropped the base sugar by 40g but did add 2 tbsp of coconut. I didnt do sugar on top either. Will def make again, i think id even be happy with half qty of the full crust.
    Reply: #28
  27. 27
    Lesley
    May 16 2021
    Hi, I'm new to Keto and made this recipe yesterday ... its beautiful. Do count this as 2g of carbs or 7g please?
    Reply: #29
  28. 28
    Reply to comment #26 by Vee
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    May 16 2021

    These are sooo good! After not having sweet foods since starting keto in January and knowing theyd be too sweet for me i dropped the base sugar by 40g but did add 2 tbsp of coconut. I didnt do sugar on top either. Will def make again, i think id even be happy with half qty of the full crust.

    Great! So glad you enjoyed them!

  29. 29
    Reply to comment #27 by Lesley
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    May 16 2021

    Hi, I'm new to Keto and made this recipe yesterday ... its beautiful. Do count this as 2g of carbs or 7g please?

    Hi, Lesley! Each serving is 2g carbs.

  30. 30
    Glyn
    May 23 2021
    These are ridiculously good! The texture is perfect and the tartness of the lemon is delicious. I used just over half the amount of sweetener, which worked well. I'll be making these again and again!
    Reply: #31
  31. 31
    Reply to comment #30 by Glyn
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    May 23 2021

    These are ridiculously good! The texture is perfect and the tartness of the lemon is delicious. I used just over half the amount of sweetener, which worked well. I'll be making these again and again!

    Great! So glad you enjoy them!

  32. 32
    suzieinthesun1025
    June 10 2021
    The video shows 6 eggs in the lemon filling but the recipe calls for 4 eggs. I used 4 eggs per the recipe, but overall it was a bit dry. I used monk fruit instead of erythritol in both the crust and filling. I did bake the crust 5 minutes longer, could that be the reason why it was dry, or should the recipe have been made with 6 eggs instead of 4?
    Reply: #33
  33. 33
    Reply to comment #32 by suzieinthesun1025
    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
    June 10 2021

    The video shows 6 eggs in the lemon filling but the recipe calls for 4 eggs. I used 4 eggs per the recipe, but overall it was a bit dry. I used monk fruit instead of erythritol in both the crust and filling. I did bake the crust 5 minutes longer, could that be the reason why it was dry, or should the recipe have been made with 6 eggs instead of 4?

    For the video, he made a scaled up version of the recipe. The videos don't give quantities of any of the ingredients in case the recipes need to be tweaked or adjusted; it just so happens that eggs are easy to count and measure because of the yolks. If you follow the recipe as written that will be the most up to date version of a recipe. Yes, over baking is a main reason why baked goods dry out.

  34. 34
    Bea
    July 26 2021
    When I plug this recipe into the Carb manager app, it reports that the total carb is 22g per a serving due to the large amounts of erythritol and almond flour. How do you calculate 2g per serving?
    Reply: #35
  35. 35
    Reply to comment #34 by Bea
    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
    July 26 2021

    When I plug this recipe into the Carb manager app, it reports that the total carb is 22g per a serving due to the large amounts of erythritol and almond flour. How do you calculate 2g per serving?

    We do not include the erythritol carbs as erythritol is not metabolized by the body and is highly unlikely to affect blood sugar. Almond flour can vary a lot in carb count by brand.

  36. 1 comment removed
  37. 37
    Simon
    August 13 2021
    Quite nice also straight out of the oven with cream as a hot dessert if you can't wait the extra 2.5 hrs+.
  38. 38
    dorothy
    October 7 2021
    since lemons vary so much in size, it really bugs me when recipes do not let you know the amount of lemon juice you need in the recipe ie. 1/3 cup; half a cup etc. Why is that so difficult for you guys and your recipe folks to do? I buy a lot of lemons all at one time and extract all of the juice, measure it out and freeze it for future baking. I freeze it in different amounts (key to recipes I bake frequently) and always can bake without making a run to the store just to buy lemons. Also make lemon cubes with 1 tbl. pr. cube so have it already on hand. So reading that you need "2 lemons" etc. is useless for me.
  39. 39
    Fiona
    November 23 2021
    So delicious! We love these and we have made them several times and they always turn out great!
    Thank you for such a yummy recipe!
    Reply: #40
  40. 40
    Reply to comment #39 by Fiona
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    November 23 2021

    So delicious! We love these and we have made them several times and they always turn out great!
    Thank you for such a yummy recipe!

    Awesome! So glad you love them!

  41. 41
    Sandy B.
    April 3 2022
    I love lemon squares and am thankful to find a recipe that I can make for my brother and sis-in-law who follow Keto guidelines. As I was putting it together, I realized that the lemons I had were quite large - the two gave me 3/4 C of juice and about 2/3 C of zest. I continued to follow the recipe faithfully - the crust set up and browned nicely, but, sure enough, I had more filling than I had room to add. Pouring in enough filling to the edges (raised about 1/4”) I had quite a bit left over. Everything baked up beautifully and we really enjoyed them! Next time I might be more aware of the size of the lemons - medium ones would be fine!
  42. 42
    Dawn
    April 21 2022
    Thanks for the great recipe! I made this to bring to Easter dinner and everybody liked it. Will make again soon. Seems like the lemon gets a little stronger the next day and it's just perfect.
    Reply: #43
  43. 43
    Reply to comment #42 by Dawn
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    April 21 2022

    Thanks for the great recipe! I made this to bring to Easter dinner and everybody liked it. Will make again soon. Seems like the lemon gets a little stronger the next day and it's just perfect.

    Wonderful! So glad it was a hit!

  44. 44
    Ann-Maree Bortoli
    January 19 2023
    5/5. Delicious slice! Made it exactly as the recipe said. A big hit!!!
    Reply: #45
  45. 45
    Reply to comment #44 by Ann-Maree Bortoli
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    January 19 2023

    5/5. Delicious slice! Made it exactly as the recipe said. A big hit!!!

    Awesome!

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