These gluten free gooey lemon bars are one of my favorite desserts to make when I want something sweet and refreshing. They have a buttery shortbread crust on the bottom and a soft, tangy lemon filling on top.

The best part is that they are completely gluten free, and nobody can tell the difference. If you or someone you know avoids gluten, you can enjoy these without missing out on anything.

You only need a handful of basic ingredients to make them. Butter, sugar, eggs, fresh lemon juice, and gluten free flour do most of the work here.

The filling is bright, citrusy, and perfectly gooey. Not too sweet, not too sour, just the right balance.

Once you dust them with a little powdered sugar, they look as good as they taste. Great for sharing, or honestly just keeping them all to yourself.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfectly Gooey Texture – These lemon bars have that soft, gooey center that makes every bite feel like a treat. The filling sets up just enough to hold together while still being rich and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Bright and Zesty Flavor – With half a cup of fresh lemon juice and a tablespoon of lemon zest, these bars pack a serious citrus punch. They hit that perfect sweet-tart balance that makes you want to grab another one right away.

Simple Buttery Crust – The crust is made with melted butter, so there is no need to cut cold butter into flour or deal with any fussy pastry techniques. You just stir everything together and press it into the pan.

No One Will Know They Are Gluten Free – These lemon bars taste just as good as the classic version. The filling is naturally almost flour free anyway, and the small amount of gluten free flour in the crust works perfectly without any weird texture.

Ingredients

For the Crust

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter Melted
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Salt

For the Filling

1 cup Granulated Sugar
3 large Eggs
1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Lemon Zest
2 tbsp Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour
2 tbsp Powdered Sugar

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.

Step 2

Mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, gluten free flour, and salt in a bowl until it forms a soft dough. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Step 3

Bake the crust for 15-18 minutes until lightly golden around the edges. Keep the oven on.

Step 4

While the crust bakes, whisk together the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and gluten free flour until completely smooth.

Step 5

Pour the filling over the warm baked crust and bake for another 20-22 minutes until the center is set. Let cool completely at room temperature, then chill in the fridge for 2 hours. Dust with powdered sugar before cutting into squares.

Helpful Tips

Use a Gluten Free Flour Blend With Xanthan Gum

Not all gluten free flours work the same way. For this recipe, you want an all-purpose gluten free flour blend that already has xanthan gum in it, like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 or King Arthur Measure for Measure.

Xanthan gum acts as a binder and helps hold the crust together so it doesn’t crumble apart when you cut the bars. If your flour blend doesn’t include it, add about 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the crust dough.

Without it, the crust can turn sandy and fall apart under the filling, and nobody wants that.

Press the Crust Down Really Firmly

When you press the dough into the pan, don’t just pat it down gently. You want to push it down hard and pack it tight using the bottom of a flat measuring cup or a glass wrapped in plastic wrap.

Make sure the layer is even all the way across, especially in the corners. If some spots are thinner than others, those areas will overbake and get too hard while the thicker parts stay underdone.

A firm, even crust is what gives these bars that perfect base that holds everything together when you pick up a square.

Always Use Fresh Lemon Juice

Bottled lemon juice from the store will technically work, but the flavor difference is huge. Fresh lemons give the filling that bright, punchy lemon taste that makes these bars taste the way they should.

You’ll need about 3 to 4 medium lemons to get the 1/2 cup of juice plus the tablespoon of zest. Zest the lemons first before you cut and juice them, because zesting a cut lemon is a real pain.

Roll each lemon on the counter with your palm before juicing. This breaks up the inside and you’ll get way more juice out of each one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?

Fresh lemon juice is strongly recommended here because it gives these bars that bright, punchy lemon flavor that bottled juice just can’t match. Bottled lemon juice tends to taste a bit flat and slightly bitter, which can affect the overall taste of your filling.

If fresh lemons aren’t available, bottled will technically work, but the bars won’t taste nearly as vibrant. You’ll need about 3-4 medium lemons to get the 1/2 cup of juice this recipe calls for.