These creamy keto lemon bars with cream cheese taste so decadent but are actually very light. These are made with an almond flour crust and topped with a sweet, tangy filling made of cream cheese, greek yogurt and, of course, lemons!
I always know when a recipe is a hit around here when one of my sons requests a lemon bar OVER chocolate. Keto lemon bars have made it to the big time when they beat out CHOCOLATE!
These are very similar to my delightful lemon bars which were a big hit last spring. The only difference is the crust, which is made with almond flour. This makes them keto-friendly.
dessert for breakfast?
I’m in my final week of doing a Whole30 reset which means I haven’t had any type of dessert for a couple of weeks.
The reason for the reset is because I was experimenting with desserts so much over the holidays, they started to become my norm.
Even though my dessert recipes are on the healthier side my brain doesn’t know that. It just thinks, “SWEETS…Wooohooo!!!!”
You know your brain is getting to used to sweets when you expect dessert for breakfast!
Desserts are a very slipper slope for me and when I feel like I want them too much, I need to go on dessert sabbatical. It’s so important to be aware of foods you eat and how they effect you. It’s helpful to catch yourself early if you’re starting to slip into old, destructive patterns with eating.
how to make keto lemon bars
The crust is made with almond flour which is a high-protein, low carb, nutrient dense alternative to processed white flour. My favorite brands are Bob’s Red Mill and Anthony’s.
To sweeten the bars, I use erythritol. Erythritol is a mild sugar alcohol with a glycemic index of 0. It tastes and bakes like confectioner’s sugar, and really cuts down on the cooling effect that erythritol typically carries. My favorite brands are Swerve confectioners and Lakanto powdered.
When you bake these lemon bars, put a pan with water in the rack below the baking dish. The steam from the water helps the filling not crack.
Once these have cooked, let them cool on your counter. Once cooled, place them in the fridge to set further (couple of hours or overnight).
When you’re ready to cut them, it’s helpful to wipe off your knife with a paper towel in between cuts to keep the slices clean. Also, I love to sift more powdered erythritol (Swerve, Lakanto or whatever low-carb powdered sweetener you have).
are lemons keto?
Some fruit doesn’t fall within Keto guidelines because of net carbs however lemons are only about 3.4g net carbs. Plus, you’re not using very much of it so the carbs stay low!
other fruit/veggie desserts
- delightful lemon bars
- healthy key lime bars
- light carrot cake cupcakes
- low carb apple cake
- decadent apple crisp
other keto desserts
- gooey chocolate coconut caramel bars
- chocolate chip peanut butter bars
- homemade peanut butter cups (keto)
- best keto chocolate chip cookies
- the most amazing caramel cups (keto)
Prep Time:
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These are made with a buttery, almond flour crust and topped with a sweet, tangy filling made of cream cheese, greek yogurt and, of course, lemons!
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 cup (96 g) almond flour
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, unsalted, melted (can substitute coconut oil)*
For the filling:
- 6 oz. light cream cheese
- 5.3 oz. plain greek yogurt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/3 cup confectioners sweetener of choice (I use Swerve confectioners)
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (approx. 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (approx. 1 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×8 pan with parchment.
- Mix together the almond flour, cinnamon, salt and butter. Sprinkle into prepared pan. Using your fingers or a spatula to press dough into an even layer, covering the bottom.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Put aside cool.
- To make the filling, beat the cream cheese with a hand held or stand mixer until smooth (about 1 minute). Beat in yogurt until combined. Then add eggs and egg yolk until combined. Lastly beat in swerve, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix until no lumps appear.
- Pour filling into the crust.
- Fill a large pan halfway with water and put it on the oven’s lower rack. Place the lemon bars in the oven in the rack above the water* and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the center of the bars no longer jiggle.
- Allow bars to cool at room temp on wire rack and then transfer to refrigerator to chill for 3-4 hours or overnight.
- Once chilled, lift the foil out of pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into squares, wiping the knife blade with a paper towel after each cut.
- Store in refrigerator.
Notes
- *Adding a pan of water directly below the bars while cooking creates steam so that the bars have a nice smooth top and don’t split.
- Grass-fed butter gives you more omega-3s, essential to your diet, so I recommend that if it’s available.
Keywords: keto lemon bars, lemon bars, low-carb lemon bars, keto dessert
