Keto Lemon Bars

Low-carb coconut lemon bars

Thanks to a chewy crust made of ground sunflower seed meal and shredded unsweetened coconut, these creamy keto lemon bars are made without almond flour and are low-carb, gluten-free, and ideal for a variety of diets. You can even make one straightforward ingredient susbtititon to yield a dairy-free recipe!

With bright flavors and color, lemon bars are the perfect choice when you are looking for a dessert that is simple to prepare and is the perfect blend of sweet and tart.

Nut-free keto lemon bars FAQs

Here are answers to the most commonly asked question about these keto lemon bars:

Are there any ingredient substitution options?

• Ground Sunflower Seed Meal: Make ground sunflower seed meal by pulsing raw sunflower seeds in a blender or food processor until they turn into flour (be careful to not over-blend, as doing this will lead to making sunflower seed butter, which has a consistency similar to that of peanut butter or almond butter). If you can eat nuts, you should be able to substitute in almond flour at a 1:1 ratio substitution.
• Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: Unsweetened coconut flakes can be used in place of shredded coconut in this recipe, but you will need to pulse them in a food processor in order to get the right consistency for the crust.
• Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener in Crust: Classic Monk Fruit Sweetener, Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener, Swerve, or erythritol can be used here at a 1:1 substitution ratio by cups, not by weight (meaning, for example, use 1/4 cup (48g) of Classic Monk Fruit Sweetener, rather than the 30g of Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener that is listed in the Ingredients list). I would not use powdered stevia or liquid stevia.
• Butter: Coconut oil can be subbed in for melted butter at a 1:1 ratio, which would make these lemon bars dairy-free. If you use oil in place of butter, the crust may be denser than the original recipe intended.
• Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener in Lemon Filling: Powder ½ cup of Classic Monk Fruit Sweetener, Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener, or erythritol in a food processor to yield a substitution for powdered sweetener.
• Lemon Juice: Lime juice can be substituted for lemon juice at a 1:1 ratio. If you opt for this trade, however, you will end up with keto lime bars.
• Lemon Zest: Lime zest could be substituted for lemon here as well, but would change the flavor profile.

Where can I purchase monk fruit sweetener?

I purchase mine from Lakanto and have it delivered. If you want to do this, you can use discount code REALBALANCED at checkout for 20% OFF your Lakanto order.

If you’d rather purchase monk fruit sweetener in a store, many grocery stores, especially specialty stores and Costco, carry Lakanto’s monk fruit sweetener.

Why does this recipe contain coconut if it’s nut-free?

Coconuts are not a nut. They are a fruit (a drupe). Real Balanced recipes are nut-free and sometimes contain coconut products as I follow the recommendations of the Doctors at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.

This is what they say about this topic:

Although the Food and Drug Administration labels coconut as a tree nut, the vast majority of tree nut-allergic individuals also tolerate coconut without difficulty, since coconut is not truly a nut, but rather a fruit.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology

If you are allergic to tree nuts but are unsure if you are also allergic to coconut, talk to your doctor as I am not a medical professional. I just follow the recommendations of my allergist and what the AAAAI says.

If you are looking for coconut-free recipes, you can find all of my low-carb and coconut-free recipes here.

How can you keep your lemon bars from cracking?

Much like when making my keto cheesecake, allowing for a slow cooling process will help avoid cracking the tops of these lemon bars.

After baking, allow the pan to sit in the oven with the oven door cracked for 1 hour. By doing this, the dish is able to slowly cool, which keeps the top layer of the lemon bars from cracking.

Do I really need to prepare a water bath to bake the bars in?

Yes, water baths are a great way to ensure that your dish will evenly cook. Simply place your baking pan into a baking sheet deep enough to allow for 1″ of water, and place it in the oven. The water adds moisture to the air, allowing the dish to cook more successfully than if you skipped the bath altogether.

How many net carbs per serving?

Per serving, these nut-free lemon bars contain 4 grams of net carbs. Net carbs are calculated by taking total carbs, subtracting fiber, and subtracting sugar alcohols. A serving size is 1 bar and the recipe, as written, yields 16 bars.

The full nutrition information for this recipe, including the calorie content, total carbs, protein, and fat per serving, can be found in the nutrition label below the recipe instructions.

What diets is this recipe compliant with?

• Keto and Low-Carb: Each serving of this recipe contains only 4 grams of net carbs, which makes it a perfect keto dessert option.
• Nut-Free: There are no nuts or nut products in these keto lemon bars, making it perfect for those with nut allergies and intolerances.
• Gluten-Free and Grain-Free: This recipe is both gluten-free and grain-free.
• Primal: This recipe is compliant with a primal diet.
• Vegetarian: This recipe is compliant with a vegetarian diet.
• Refined Sugar-Free: This recipe does not include any refined sugar, and instead uses monk fruit sweetener.
• Dairy-Free: The original recipe is not dairy-free, but by substituting the butter these lemon bars can easily be made dairy-free.

How should this recipe be stored after preparing?

• Refrigerator Storage: Store bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Before putting on the lid, set a paper towel gently on top. This will lessen any condensation build-up in the container, and help prevent the lemon bars from getting soggy.
• Freezer Storage: After being cooked, cooled, and sliced, the lemon bars can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Place individual cakes into an airtight container or storage bag, then take out, and thaw in the refrigerator.

How to make these keto lemon bars

Crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line 9×9″ pan with parchment paper, allowing paper to overhang all edges of baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together sunflower seed meal, shredded coconut, monk fruit sweetener, and salt. Add melted butter, egg, vanilla extract and whisk again until fully combined.

Transfer mixture to prepared pan and, using fingers, press into even layer. Transfer pan to oven and bake until edges of crust are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Lemon Filling: To a mixing bowl, add powdered monk fruit sweetener, sunflower seed meal, eggs, lemon, juice, and lemon zest and, using an electric mixer starting on lowest speed and increasing to higher speeds, mix together until well-combined. Allow the bowl to sit for a minute to see if any egg floats to the top and appears to be un-mixed. If so, mix again until eggs are fully mixed and incorporated.

Remove pan with crust from oven and place pan in center of large baking sheet. Pour lemon filling atop crust, then pour enough water into baking sheet to fill it up ~1/2 inch. Place baking sheet with pan in oven and bake until filling has set, about 35 minutes.

Final Steps: Turn oven off and, using a wooden spoon, crack oven door open just slightly. Allow pan to sit in cooling oven for 1 hour.

Remove baking sheet with water bath and pan from oven. Remove pan from water bath.

Transfer pan to refrigerator to chill uncovered for 2 hours before slicing into 16 bars and serving.

Craving some more low-carb fruit desserts?

If you enjoyed this lemon bar recipe, you will love these other keto fruit desserts:

• Chocolate Strawberry Panna Cotta
• Low-Carb Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
• Keto Raspberry Cake Bars
• Keto Banana Pudding
• Low-Carb Glazed Orange Scones