Keto Lemon Bars
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Sweet & Tangy Lemon Bars
I’ve always been a lemon lover. There’s something about the refreshing tart sweet bite of a lemon bar that I’d pick over chocolate anything.
Of course when I went low carb and keto I had to figure out a way to still have this delightful dessert without all the sugar.
Keto Lemon Curd
I must have a label across my forehead that says “BRING LEMONS HERE”. Regularly I have bags of lemons dropped at my front door. An excellent situation to be in when I need to make Keto Lemon Curd and my Keto Lemon Bars.
Of course I use lemons for other recipes, but this curd recipe is great on it’s own or used in my…
Juicy Lemons
When in season Meyer Lemons are a delicacy. These expensive, but juicy babies can give me up to half a cup of juice per lemon. They are also thin skinned and therefore less pithy and bitter.
Store bought lemons are perfect to use in this Keto Lemon Curd, but note that you will need 3-4 regular lemons to produce the 1/2 cup used in this recipe.
Don’t forget to zest the lemons BEFORE you squeeze them. You will need 1-2 tbsp for this recipe.
Pro Tip…Lemons are easier to handle for zesting when they’re full (pre squeeze).
The whole egg
The curd for my Keto Lemon Bars calls for using the whole egg. Most recipes will use only the yolk…which I loath. What the heck am I to do with leftover egg white in the moment? Omlette? Sure, but I’m making dessert right now so I can’t be bothered.
The whisking of the whole egg with the lemon and POWDERED sweetener gives the lemon curd a creamy thick and velvety texture.
POWDERED Sweetener
Most of your low carb sweeteners (Erythritol, PureCane, Allulose) will come granular. You know…granular like real sugar texture. However, low carb sweetener will crystalize when cooled. So…it’s necessary to pulverize the granular into powdered to help with this issue.
When a recipe asks for POWDERED low carb sweetener my coffee grinder comes out. Not for coffee, you silly head!
I use my coffee bean grinder exclusively for powdering my low carb sweeteners. Just a quick pulse of the blades and my low carb sweetener is now a powder for the Keto Lemon Curd.
Don’t Freak Out
Double boiler time. Yes, curd calls for a double boiler. Don’t panic. This is just a medium sauce pan (like the one you would have used to cook a can of soup, even though you don’t eat canned soup anymore).
Fill that saucepan with 2 inches of water and place it on the stove top over medium heat. The using a large heat proof bowl (can be glass or metal) that will sit in the saucepan opening.
That’s it.
There is nothing fancy about a double boiler…it’s just a simple way to get indirect heat to those eggs and lemon juice. No one wants scrambled lemon eggs…yuck!
Whisk and Simmer
To start my Keto Lemon Bars you must make the curd. I like to add all the eggs, lemon juice, etc. to the cold bowl on the counter first. Once the water is at a rapid simmer in the sauce pan I place the bowl (with all the ingredients) on top of the heat.
Start gently and continuously whisking your ingredients over the heat. Turn up the heat to medium/high heat and keep whisking.
Gently whisk and keep whisking for 10 solid minutes. I find it helpful to set my timer for 10 minutes to keep track as you will be wonder how much darn longer you need to be whisking this thing.
At about 10 minutes the Keto Lemon curd will thicken. Keep gently whisking and watch for this last 1-3 minutes to reach desired thickness.
Butter & Xanthan Gum
Carefully remove the bowl of your lemon deliciousness from the sauce pan and stove top. Set on the counter and whisk in the butter and xanthan gum.
Continue stirring the Curd until the butter is fully melted.
However you can cover tightly and store your Keto Lemon Curd in the fridge for up to a week. Please note that as the curd fully chills the low carb sweetener will slightly crystalize. It will still taste the same, but have a slightly crunchy texture.
The gritty texture of chilled low carb sweetener is totally normal and does not affect the taste.
Keto Lemon Bars Secret Ingredient
Once you have the curd made you simply whisk in the UNFLAVORED gelatin. I use this brand, but Knox is readily available in most stores.
Here is a “BASICS” of how to use gelatin I found on the Knox website.
The “Cookie” crust
The crust for the Keto Lemon Bars is a simple mix of almond flour, melted butter and low carb sweetener. This time the sweetener can be granular, as you are looking for a cookie crunch.
Storage
These Keto Lemon Bars can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge. Please note that as the bars chill the powdered sweetener will crystalize.
This crystallization does not affect the flavor. You simply will have a texture issue.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup low carb sweetener
- 6 tbsp butter melted
- ¼ tsp salt
Lemon Layer
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup low carb sweetener POWDERED
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1-2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 4 tbsp butter cut up in small pieces
- 2 tsp gelatin unflavored
- 1 tbsp low carb sweetener POWDERED
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 8”x8” square baking pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl mix together almond and coconut flour along with the low carb sweetener, salt and melted butter. Stir all ingredients together with a fork and combine until crumbly.
- Press crust mixture into the bottom of your 8×8” pan and place in 350* oven. Bake the crust for 10 minutes and then remove to cool on the counter.
Lemon Layer
- Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water and place over medium heat. Water should be at a rapid simmer.
- Choose a large heat safe bowl that will fit on top of the saucepan to create a double boiler.
- First place eggs, low carb sweetener, lemon juice in the bowl before you put on the double boiler. Then place the bowl on top of the saucepan over the rapidly simmering water.
- Using a wire whisk continuously whisk the eggs, sweetener and lemon juice together. Turn the heat to high and continuous whisk for 10 full minutes. Whisking should be continuous, but not rigorous.
- At 10 full minutes of whisking your curd should be thickening up. At this point, continue to whisk and test the thickness of the curd by coating the back of a spoon. Every stove top is a little different, so you may or may not need 1-3 more minutes.
- When the curd has thickened, remove from the bowl from heat and carefully set on the countertop. Still using the wire whisk, stir in the xanthan gum. Add the butter pieces and stir in until melted.
- Sprinkle in the unflavored gelatin while continuously stirring the lemon curd until fully combined. Pour lemon mixture on top of the cooled crust and smooth with the back of a spoon to evenly distribute the lemon over the crust.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350*. Remove pan from the oven and let cool on the counter at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Sprinkle the top of your lemon bars with POWDERED low carb sweetener. Slice into 16 bars. Serve at room temperature.
- Store Lemon Bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
Nutrition
My secret to lasting weight loss
Maintaining my weight loss, and quite frankly staying healthy, has always been the main driver for this website. Making meals like these Keto Lemon Bars is really my trick.
Sorry, it’s that simple for me…I meal prep and almost always cook at home.
I wrote a few articles about this and will write more. Everyone needs to know that cooking at home is one of my major keys to success.
Every meal does not have to be epic.
When I am prepared I have a much better chance at success and maintaining my best health.
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