Lemon Bars With Graham Cracker Crust
Bright citrus desserts always catch my eye, and these gluten-free lemon bars with graham cracker crust are one of my favorites. I use fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and a buttery graham cracker base to create a creamy and sunny bite. The sweet and tart flavors are perfectly balanced while the crispy crust adds a nuanced texture.
Servings: 16 squares
Calories: 197kcal
Ingredients
For The Graham Cracker Crust
For The Lemon Filling
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- 1 tbsp gluten-free flour
- 6 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup lemon juice
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional Topping
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 180 C. Line an 8”x8” square cake tin with baking paper, set aside.
- Add enough graham crackers to make 1 cup of finely ground crumbs to a high speed food processor and blend until finely ground.
- Add the graham cracker crumbs, butter and light brown sugar to a mixing bowl, mix until well combined.
- Firmly press into the prepared cake tin and bake for 10 minutes.
- While the crust is cooking, whisk the lemon filling ingredients (white sugar, tapioca flour, gf flour, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla) together until smooth and no lumps.
- When the crust has finished cooking and is lightly golden brown, remove from the oven and gently pour the filling over the base.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 320 degrees F / 160 C.
- Return the lemon bars to the oven and cook for another 20 minutes.
- Remove and cool slightly at room temperature before transferring to the fridge to cool completely.
- Chill for at least 5 hours or overnight before slicing into 16 squares.
- Optional topping: Lightly dust the tops of the chilled lemon bars with a sprinkling of powdered sugar before slicing (if using).
- Store lemon bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for these lemon bars with graham cracker crust recipe is to fully chill before slicing. Warm bars are soft and messy, but chilled bars are nicely set and cut into neat squares.
- Fine crumbs: I pulse the graham crackers until they resemble fine sand so the crust presses together properly and does not fall apart after baking.
- Double sift powdered sugar: I like sifting my powdered sugar twice onto the bars. This sugar clumps quickly, and the moist surface may cause lumps to dissolve into a sticky glaze. So I do the first dusting just after it has cooled to create a barrier layer, then a fresh dusting just before serving.
- Clean knife: For tidy bakery-style slices, I wipe my knife after each cut to avoid transferring crumbs.
- Tap out air bubbles: Before sliding the pan into the oven, I gently tap the pan on the counter a few times while it's filled with liquid. This breaks up the tiny air bubbles that rise to the surface during baking, and gives me a smooth finish instead of a foamy or pitted appearance.
- Freeze for a perfect cut: Sometimes the custard remains sticky even after chilling. To help with cutting, I place the pan in the freezer for 20 minutes and then slice it into neat squares.
Nutrition
Serving: 1lemon bar | Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g