Perfect Gluten Free Lemon Bars

These perfect gluten free lemon bars will knock your socks off!  Shortbread crust with tart and somewhat sweet custard will have you wanting another after another.

I’ve revamped my old lemon bars to make these perfect gluten free lemon bars that are truly the unsung hero of the bar world. My first recipe was one that my mom got from her neighbor and friend, who would make these for neighborhood get togethers. But when I made them, I found that the crust would crumble a little more than I wanted, so I set out to change that. I’m so glad I worked on these because they are incredible!

Ingredients for Perfect Gluten Free Lemon Bars

These perfect gluten free lemon bars use a minimal amount of ingredients, most that you probably have on hand already:

The Shortbread Crust

• Melted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Salt
• Kim’s all purpose gluten free flour blend–you could use a store bought blend if you’d prefer, although I have not tested the recipe using any other blend but my own.

In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until well combined. Add the flour and stir until a soft dough forms. Press into 9 by 13-inch pan lined with parchment paper (for easy removal). Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove from the oven and gently use a fork to poke holes in the top of the crust (don’t go all the way through to the bottom). This ensures that the filling will stick to the crust.

The Lemony Filling

• Granulated sugar
• Kim’s all purpose gluten free flour blend–you could again use a store bought blend, but this recipe has not been tested with any other blend.
• Eggs
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Powdered sugar–for sprinkling on top

You can use the same bowl you used for the crust to mix together the filling ingredients (less dishes!). Combine the sugar and flour and stir with a whisk until well combined. Add the eggs, followed by the lemon juice, and continue whisking until fully combined. Pour this mixture over the warm shortbread. Bake for another 26-28 minutes, or until the filling is set (when you move the pan, it should no longer jiggle).

Do Lemon Bars Need to be Refrigerated?

If you’re serving the lemon bars within a few hours, it’s fine to leave them at room temperature. But for longer storage, they need to be refrigerated. I personally like them best cold right from the fridge, but they can be served at room temperature, though they will get a little gooey.

Topping the Lemon Bars

A lemon bar just isn’t a lemon bar unless it’s topped with a sprinkling of powdered sugar! Take a few spoonfuls of powdered sugar in a small sieve and dust it liberally over the top of the lemon bars. After refrigeration, some of the powdered sugar soaks in and you can always dust them again right before serving, or you can leave them plain, cut them, refrigerate them, and then dust them right before serving.

Pucker up, buttercup! These perfect gluten free lemon bars are a quick and delicious way to get that lemony flavor we associate most with spring 🍋🍋🍋

Slightly adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction