Fudgey and moist, these Low Carb Keto Lemon Blondies are packed with tangy lemon flavor. This lemon dessert has a soft and chewy brownie, and is covered in a fresh lemon glaze for the perfect gluten-free treat for any season.
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Best Lemon Blondies Recipe - Keto, Low Carb, LCHF, Grain-free, Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Vegetarian
During the spring and summer months, I am a slave to lemon desserts. Tart and tangy, lemon is just so satisfying when it gets warm outside. Though, you could arguably sell me a low carb lemon dessert at just about any point in the year.
I know that lemon bars are still a hot dessert item, but have you ever had a lemon brownie instead? These low carb lemon blondies are the perfect blend of lemon bar and lemon cake rolled into one. While I do love a good lemon bar, this version really is the best of both worlds.
This keto lemon dessert is perfect because you get the tart, punchy lemon flavor without the overwhelming sweetness that often comes from lemon bars. Plus, there’s no need to worry about your sweetener crystalizing since these blondies have a brownie-like texture instead of baked lemon curd. Plus, no need to refrigerate these lemon blondies after baking, so this is one keto bar recipe you can just grab right off the counter.
Lemon really is a wonderful dessert flavor. After you’ve tried these bars, don’t miss my Dairy-free Lemon Poppyseed Bread or Lemon Ricotta Cookies for even more wonderful low carb lemon desserts.
How to Make Keto Lemon Brownies
Ingredient Notes
Almond Flour. This recipe is best with a super finely ground blanched almond flour. Using almond meal will result in a very dense, crumbly, and dry bread. I personally use Kirkland brand (Costco), but Bob’s Red Mill is also fantastic!
Sweetener. Much like almond flour, sugar-free sweeteners are not created equal. Some people cannot stand the cooling sensation that comes with erythritol. I find that that varies even amongst different brands. Swerve is great and readily available, but for me, it probably has a medium level when it comes to the cooling effect. Sukrin, while harder to find, has the least. But it’s all down to personal taste here. You can easily use monkfruit too, or a stevia baking blend. Just keep in mind that some of these are sweeter than others, so you may have to adjust the amount used to suit your tastes.
Lemon. Because lemon is the star of this low carb dessert, make sure to use fresh squeezed lemon juice. Since you also need lemon zest for this recipe, you are using most of the lemon so it’s worth purchasing.
Directions
To make this low carb keto lemon brownie recipe,
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and line an 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper, extending the sides over the edges of the pan for easy lift-out. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sweetener until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually mix in eggs until incorporated. Stir in lemon juice, zest, salt, flours, and salt until combined.
Spread batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the middle is set and top is lightly golden brown. Remove and cool completely before glazing.
To make glaze, mix ingredients together in a small bowl. If the glaze is too thick, add 1 tsp more lemon juice until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Pour over top of the bars and smooth out with an offset spatula or butter knife. Let glaze set before slicing and serving.
Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
Use a metal baking pan. Glass or ceramic pans take longer to heat up than metal, so you will need more baking time in the oven to get the center of this lemon blondie to set.
Worried about the bars sticking to your pan? Try lining it with parchment. If you are using a metal baking pan, you may encounter more difficulty with removing the low carb lemon blondies. Spray or grease your loaf pan with a neutral tasting oil (avocado is a great healthy choice) and line with two sheets of parchment, cut to fit the pan with excess hanging over the sides. You’ll be able to easily lift the bread out of the pan after baking.
Give the bars time to cool before slicing. I highly recommend letting this keto lemon bar dessert cool completely before slicing and serving. Out of the oven, the bars will be crumbly and soft. As it cools, the texture firms up to be more akin to a brownie.
How to Serve and Store Low Carb Lemon Blondies
After removing the keto lemon blondies from the oven, allow at least 20 minutes for the bars to cool before covering with the lemon glaze. Mix glaze ingredients in a small bowl, cover completely and let the glaze set. Run a knife around the edges and carefully slice into 16-20 bars before removing with a spatula. If you lined the baking pan with parchment, removing the blondies is a simple lift out. The lemon brownies should be cooled completely before slicing and serving.
Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This keto-friendly lemon dessert can be frozen after baking and stored for up to 1 month in the freezer. Thaw to room temperature, glaze, and serve.
Healthy Variations for Any Body
Dairy-free: Substitute softened (not melted!) coconut oil in place of the butter.
Paleo: Substitute softened (not melted!) coconut oil in place of the butter. Swap sugar-free sweetener for coconut sugar. For the glaze, mix 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp almond milk, 1 tbsp cocoa butter (melted, but not hot), 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil (melted, but not hot), zest of one lemon. Glaze will need to sit to firm up to a glaze consistency before spreading on the bars.
Pin it for Later
Other Low Carb Keto Bar Dessert Recipes you’ll love
- Coconut Lime Bars
- Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
- Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars
- Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Low Carb Lemon Blondies
Ingredients
Bars
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/3 cup sweetener
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sweetener
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and line an 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper, extending the sides over the edges of the pan for easy lift-out. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sweetener until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually mix in eggs until incorporated. Stir in lemon juice, zest, salt, flours, and salt until combined.
Spread batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the middle is set and top is lightly golden brown. Remove and cool completely before glazing.
To make glaze: mix ingredients together in a small bowl. If the glaze is too thick, add 1 tsp more lemon juice until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Pour over top of the bars and smooth out with an offset spatula or butter knife. Let glaze set before slicing and serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 80Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 130mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and calculated to the best of my ability using online databases. It is suggested that you perform your own check to ensure that a recipe fits within the scope of your dietary needs.
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