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These Healthy Lemon Bars are packed with bright citrus flavor and over 7 grams of protein. They are the perfect gluten-free, lower-calorie dessert to keep in the freezer for easy snacking.
Dessert has a place in a healthy lifestyle, and by making a few simple swaps to your favorite desserts, you can enjoy them without sacrificing your goals.
These low-calorie lemon bars are gluten-free and made without butter to keep the calories below 150 per serving. The filling is also made with stevia instead of sugar and Greek yogurt for a protein boost. I keep mine in the freezer, so I always have a healthier dessert option on hand when I want a sweet treat.
If you like healthy Greek yogurt dessert recipes, you will love my yogurt cake and protein cheesecake!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Gluten-Free Shortbread-Style Crust: The crust for this healthy lemon bar recipe is made with gluten-free flour, olive oil instead of butter, and coconut sugar, which has a lower glycemic index. It still has the texture of shortbread, without all of the extra fat and sugar.
- Bursting with Lemon Flavor: These lemon bars use a combination of lemon juice, lemon extract, and fresh lemon zest, so they are packed with the bright flavor of fresh lemons.
- Great for Freezing and Storing: You’ve got to love a dessert that’s easy to freeze and keep on hand for later. These dessert bars will keep for a month in the freezer.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Flour: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour or gluten-free oat flour to make the crust of the bars. Not gluten-free? Use regular oat flour instead!
- Olive Oil: Instead of butter, this recipe uses olive oil as the fat to bind the crust together. It’s lower in calories, but still tastes delicious.
- Lemon Juice: For optimal lemon flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice in the crust and filling.
- Greek Yogurt: Use a full-fat or fat-free plain Greek yogurt for the filling. The yogurt adds protein without unnecessary added fat and calories.
- Stevia: This naturally derived zero-calorie sugar substitute is great for sweetening desserts without adding extra calories.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- Make Them Dairy-Free: Since this recipe is butter-free, the only swap you need to make is to use a dairy-free Greek yogurt.
- Try With Other Citrus: You can make these bars with oranges or limes instead of lemon. My key lime pie bars are similar to this recipe, but they include avocado in the filling.
- Add Berries: Top your low-sugar lemon bars with fresh berries, or blend the berries into a puree and mix them into the filling.
How to Make Healthy Lemon Bars
These Greek yogurt lemon bars are the perfect light, citrusy dessert for spring or summer. You’ll need to preheat your oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper before you start making them.
- Step 1: Make the Crust. Use a hand mixer or standing mixer to combine the oil, coconut sugar, lemon juice, almond milk, and salt. Add the flour and mix it into the liquid. Mix until it turns into a crumbly dough.
- Step 2: Press Dough Into the Baking Dish. Transfer the dough to your prepared baking dish. Use your fingers to firmly press it into the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 350°F until it is golden brown. Then set it aside to cool for at least 20 minutes.
- Step 3: Prepare the Filling. Preheat your oven to 325°F while you make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, eggs, stevia, lemon juice, lemon extract, and tapioca flour. Test the filling to ensure it is sweetened to your liking.
- Step 4: Pour the Filling Over the Crust. Pour the prepared filling over the cooled crust, then bake the bars at 325°F for 35 minutes or until the filling is set. The edges will turn lightly golden when they are finished.
- Step 5: Let Them Cool. Remove the cooked bars from the oven and let them cool at room temperature for an hour. Then chill them in the pan in the refrigerator for 2 hours before removing the bars, slicing them, and topping them with fresh lemon zest.
Expert Tips
- Cool the Crust Before Adding Filling: The crust must be completely cool before you pour the filling over it, or it will crack. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes before adding the filling.
- Taste Test for Stevia Sweetness: The sweetness and flavor of stevia vary by brand. Be sure to taste test your filling to ensure it is sweetened to your liking before you bake the lemon bars. You won’t be able to adjust the sweetness once you bake them.
- Chill Before Slicing: If you don’t chill the bars for at least 2 hours, they will fall apart when you attempt to slice them.
- Properly Measure the Flour. When baking with gluten-free flour, it is important to measure the flour properly by spooning the flour into the measuring cup instead of scooping it with the cup. This helps you not use too much flour and makes your baked goods dry.
- Storing: Store leftover lemon bars in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can also freeze them for 30 days. Be sure to freeze the bars in a single layer before attempting to stack them or add them to a freezer bag. Thaw frozen lemon bars in the refrigerator for a few hours or at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Healthy lemon desserts are the perfect way to end a flavorful meal. The brightness of the citrus pairs well with seafood, chicken, and lemon dishes.
These are also the perfect dessert to bring to parties, barbecues, or showers. Everyone will love the flavor, and they won’t believe they’re less than 150 calories.
- I love a lemon dessert after a creamy Italian dish like this chicken Alfredo casserole.
- When life hands you lemons, make these protein lemon bars and healthy lemon chicken with them for a flavor-packed meal.
- If you’re enjoying your lemon bars as an afternoon snack, try pairing them with my creamy fruit salad with Greek yogurt for a serving of fruit and even more protein.
Healthy Lemon Bars Recipe FAQs
Unfortunately, no. This recipe will not work with a different gluten-free flour. Both almond flour and coconut flour absorb liquid differently, and the crust won’t work with either. Stick to a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour or oat flour.
If your crust is falling apart, you probably didn’t pack it into the bottom of the baking pan well enough. You need to firmly press it into the pan to create a uniform crust that will hold together. You can use just your hands to press it firmly, or use the bottom of a flat measuring cup for a smoother finish.
There are two reasons why the center of the bars didn’t set. First, they may be undercooked. Be sure the center of the bars is set and not jiggly, and the edges are a light golden brown before removing them from the oven. Second, they may not have chilled long enough. They need to sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm up.
More Low-Calorie Dessert Bar Recipes
If you tried this Healthy Lemon Bars recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour, or Regular Oat Flour
- 2 tablespoons Coconut Sugar, or sugar of choice
- ⅓ cup Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Unsweetened Almond Milk, or milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
For the top layer:
- 3 cups Greek Yogurt
- 2 Eggs, room temperature
- ⅛ cup Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Extract, or vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Tapioca Flour, or cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons Powdered Stevia, or sweetener of choice
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Zest for Topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or grease liberally.
- In a standing mixer or using a hand mixer, blend together the oil, sugar, milk, lemon juice and salt. Add the flour (measured properly) and mix together with the liquid. The dough will be slightly crumbly at this point.
- Transfer the dough to the baking pan. Using your fingers, press it into the bottom of the pan firmly into an even layer.
- Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool 20 minutes.
- While the crust cools, prepare the filling by mixing the ingredients for the filling except the lemon zest together until well combined. See notes on sugar content. Test the batter as necessary, add and combine as needed.
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Make sure it is cool before pouring so it does not crack the crust.
- Bake at 325 F for 35 minutes or until the filling has set. Once the edges turn slightly brown you will know it has set.
- Remove from the oven and cool the bars at room temperature 60 minutes then chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours before slicing into 12 bars and sprinkling with lemon zest.
Video
Notes
- Let the crust cool completely before adding the filling to avoid cracking it.
- Different brands of stevia have different levels of sweetness. Taste test your filling before adding it to the crust to ensure it is sweet enough.
- Let the bars fully chill for at least 2 hours before cutting them to ensure they set and won’t fall apart.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hard to resist; very delicious!
Delicious dessert for a summer picnic! Was enjoyed by all. I used monk fruit sweetener and some vanilla extract because I used fage— a tangier yogurt.
Tried the almond flour in this and it absolutely does not work. It all separated after cooling and I was left with a giant soupy mess. What an (expensive) waste. And so insanely sour, I had to basically quadruple the Stevia, otherwise it tasted like lemon sour cream.
Almond flour will absolutely not work in the recipe. You made your own recipe and did not follow the instructions. You cannot complain about something that you did not follow appropriately. Thanks!
I think you could have made a more professional, less punitive response to Shaila considering that the recipe calls for gluten-free flour. I do believe almond flour falls under that category.
While almond flour is gluten-free, it is not able to be subbed 1:1 in recipes. Subbing almond flour or coconut flour always requires a different combination of ingredients to make a recipe work due to the fat content in those flours.
Can you use maple syrup or honey to replace the stevia?
I have not tested it. I’m not sure how it would impact the results so I couldn’t say.
Hi Megan!
So excited to try a ton of your recipes!! 🙂
Just a question is it possible for me to use vanilla fat free Greek yogurt or does it have to be plain?
It’s all I have on hand, if this kind won’t turn out for me could you please recommend a Greek yogurt substitute?
I appreciate your time thank you! 🙂
It should work fine, but the vanilla flavor may alter the lemon taste.