Vegan Lemon Bars Recipe (Sugar-free & gluten-free)

These creamy lemon bars are a delightful balance of sweet and tart. They have half the calories, 5x the fiber, 2x the protein and each bar only contains 4g net carbs. If you love lemon, do yourself a favor and make these bars.

The crumbly, buttery, shortbread crust is the perfect bed for the light and creamy lemon filling. The tangy lemon filling falls somewhere between a custard and a curd. Since this isn’t a traditional lemon filling, we eliminate the laborious task of stirring on the stovetop and worrying about your eggs curdling. You’ll simply whisk the lemon filling ingredients together and bake. This egg-free, zero cholesterol, protein-packed vegan lemon bar recipe is fuss free and full of flavor. These gluten free lemon bars are quick and simple, but look elegant when sliced and plated. Even the lemon haters out there will be pleasantly surprised when they bite into these nutritious squares of lemony love.

A customer told me she made these on Easter and set them next to her regular homemade lemon bars. What happened? Her family devoured the detoxed version while leaving the sugar and egg loaded bars virtually untouched…even the kids preferred the detoxed version! Nothing gets me more excited than kids choosing a healthy option based on pure taste…score for DD*!

I love using fresh, organic lemons in my recipes because they are so high in vitamin C and fiber. Just 1 large lemon provides about 50% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Their high vitamin C and fiber content supports heart health, weight control, and digestive health. When mixed with the vast health benefits of the ‘Sweet Swaps’, you’ll easily turn your favorite lemony dessert into a SUPERFOOD. Just make sure you use the zest from organic lemons for best flavor and to avoid unwanted chemicals and food wax.

Not only does using the DD Flour Swap make it easy to make this lemon bar recipe gluten free, but it also can promote healthy digestion. The psyllium husk contained in the Flour Swap and inulin contained in the Egg and Sugar Swaps both feed and increase the number of healthy gut bacteria. Plenty of good flora in your intestines can promote a healthy immune system along with the added digestive benefits we all love with a healthy dose of fiber. Don’t forget that the whole psyllium husk binds waste and toxins in your intestines and helps clear them from the body. 

This recipe for gluten free and vegan lemon bars is not only free from all the unhealthy ingredients found in traditional dessert but they’re actually gently detoxifying to the body…double win!

The plant soluble fiber from the psyllium husk and the digestive resistant fiber in the inulin work together to slow down digestion of this nutrition packed lemon bar. This helps provide more blood sugar stability throughout your day which can keep you feeling full and satisfied. This also keeps energy levels constant without the normal sugar crashes one would experience with a traditional, carb-loaded lemon bar.

I’ve made this vegan lemon bar recipe with Whole-Grain and Grain-Free Flour Swap numerous times. They are equally delish and both allow you to make your lemon bar recipe gluten free and healthy! The Whole-Grain Swap bars have a few extra slowly digesting healthy carbs, but I love the hearty, earthy flavor they have. The Grain-Free Flour will provide a keto/paleo version. The Grain-Free bars bake amazingly well, with a perfect crumbly shortbread and mildly nutty flavor. I tested this recipe using both flours in equal parts (¾ cup Whole-Grain plus ¾ cup Grain-Free Flour to equal the full 1½ cups of Flour Swap the recipe calls for), which is my taste/texture preference. Plus, mixing the flours is a great way to create a lower carb version of a vegan lemon bar and still allows for a small dose of healthy grains.

For most of my patients, I’m a big advocate for balanced macronutrient meals breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here is an easy way to know what type of Flour Swap to choose to create a balanced macro meal. We’ll use dinner as an example. If your dinner consists of just protein and veggies, I recommend eating Whole-Grain Swap lemon bars for dessert to serve as your healthy carb for that meal. Conversely, if you already had a healthy carb with dinner (quinoa, sweet potato, beans, etc), I would recommend the Grain-Free Swap lemon bars for dessert so you don’t overeat carbs at that meal. Easy, right?! Balanced macro meals are the best thing you can do to keep your metabolism firing optimally, create blood sugar stability and keep you feeling full and satisfied throughout your day (or night). If you’re a diabetic or need to stay in ketosis, always bake using the Grain-Free Flour Swap.

4. Press the crumbly dough evenly into the parchment lined baking tray and place into the preheated oven.

5. Par-bake the crust for 8-10 minutes. Watch the crust closely and remove from the oven when it barely starts to turn golden.

6. Prepare the filling while the crust is cooling by whisking together all the ingredients of the lemon filling. Allow the filling to sit for about 5 minutes then whisk again for 1 more minute.

7. Pour the lemon filling on top of your parbaked crust and return to the oven. Bake for about 35 minutes. The filling will rise, get bubbly and the edges will look slightly golden. The filling will jiggle just a little, but should look done after the recommended bake time.

8. Remove from the oven and cool completely before transferring to the fridge to completely set overnight.

9. Sprinkle your chilled lemon bars with Powdered Sugar Swap if desired, then slice and serve.