This is the best gluten free lemon squares recipe! They’re simple and easy to make and are tangy, citrusy, and gooey with an incredible shortbread crust!
Today I’ve partnered with Bob’s Red Mill to bring you this festive Spring dessert. It’s perfect for Easter, baby showers, bridal showers, or any Spring celebration.
If there’s one flavor that I truly associate with Spring, it would be lemon. So, what better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than with some gluten free lemon squares?! And that was a rhetorical question because there isn’t a better way, duh. Lemon bars have always been one of those understated desserts. Put them on an Easter dessert table covered with chocolate cupcakes, carrot cake, or even a coconut cake and the lemon bars probably wouldn’t be the first thing to go. It’s time to change that, it’s time the gluten free lemon squares had their time to shine. And this is the recipe to do that! 
If you’ve been searching for that perfect recipe and how to make the best lemon bars, this is the recipe for you! These lemon bars are a bit tangy, but not too tangy! Because lets be real, a true lemon bar wouldn’t really be a real lemon bar if it didn’t want to make you pucker just a little bit. That’s what makes lemon bars so good – that’s exactly why they’re special! These bars also have an amazing shortbread crust. I mean ah-mazing.
It’s buttery, crisp, and the perfect vehicle to transport that lemon custard. It’s thick enough so you can easily pick these up to eat them, no fork required! And lets just have a moment of silence before we talk about that lemon filling because all hail that creamy, gooey, luscious lemon filling….This lemon custard filling is lemony thanks to the lemon juice and lemon zest. It’s cool, refreshing, and makes you feel like you’re taking a bite out of Spring itself. It’s creamy, and thick but not too thick. I like my filling to be on the softer side because it just makes them SO good. 
While these squares are best stored in the fridge, I highly recommend letting them sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before serving. They’ll have the perfect gooey factor and you know, it’s all about that lemon custard! And don’t dust them with the powdered sugar until right before serving too. That way, the powdered sugar won’t dissolve into the bars and disappear!
I used my favorite ready-made gluten free flour blend in this lemon bar recipe: Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour. After sending out my annual Reader Survey in my email newsletter, I found out that MANY of you also use this blend! I love, love, big puffy heart love this flour and I’m so glad you do too! And FYI, Bob’s also has a new Paleo flour blend. My friend Kristen from A Mind “Full” Mom made some easy Paleo Lemon Chia Muffins with it and I can’t wait to try them!
That’s really going to be a fun flour to experiment with. But for now, I’m sticking to my beloved 1:1. I get such great results when baking with Bob’s gluten free flour blend and I even featured it as one of my gluten free pantry staples. It’s definitely a must-have flour blend if you do any gluten free baking. Even if you don’t do a ton of gluten free baking, it’s great to have on hand for those times you want to bake something special for your gluten free friends or family members.
It’s even got the xanthan gum already in it to make it even easier for you! These gluten free lemon squares will be sure to put a smile on any lemon-lovers heart. They’re the perfect recipe for ushering in Spring. Also, I have to tell you- if you’re looking for another delicious lemon inspired recipe, check out Sandi’s Gluten-Free Lemon Tart from Fearless Dining. There’s just so many things we can do with lemons! Enjoy! 
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Gluten Free Lemon Squares
This is the best gluten free lemon squares recipe! They’re simple and easy to make and are tangy, citrusy, and gooey with an incredible shortbread crust!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
- 1 cup salted butter, cubed and cold
For the Filling
- 6 large eggs
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- zest of 2 lemons
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
- 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Add the flour and and powdered sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to mix then add the butter and pulse until combined and the dough starts to form into a ball.
Remove the dough from the food processor and press into the bottom of the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly and to the edges. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
To make the filling, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour until completely combined. Pour over the baked crust and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are set and middle is still slightly jiggly.
Cool completely on a wire rack then refrigerate at least 2 hours or even overnight. Cut into 36 squares and serve at room temperature. Dust with additional powdered sugar before serving.
Recipe Notes
If you use a flour blend that doesn't contain xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon when making the crust and 1/4 teaspoon when making the filling.
You can mix up the filling while the crust is baking. You do not need to cool the crust before you add the filling as you will be baking it again immediately after.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
These are so beautiful! I LOVE lemon squares, they remind me of my mom and were a favorite of hers. So perfect this time of the year!
Lemon bars are one of my favorite spring/summer desserts!
Such lovely photos! I love lemon anything and have a special place in my heart for bob’s 1-to-1 too!
I love lemon desserts. It screams spring. These would be a perfect Easter treat!
What a perfect spring dessert!
My goodness. This lemony dessert makes me SO HAPPY. And clearly, it’s time for me to bake ’em up because lemon is all over the place these days!
Lemon is such a refreshing flavor! Love that this tasty treat is GF!
Those remind me of squares my mom made so many years as a kid. They were one of her ‘signature’ recipes. I thought about veganizing them years ago, and seeing these pics I really want to recreate them!
Without a doubt, lemon bars are my favorite springtime dessert. I’ll bet these beauties taste as good as they look!
Lemon squares are my weakness and these look fabulous!
Lemon bars are one of my all time favorites! These look and sound amazing!
SO GOOD!!!! Crust tastes like shortbread and lemon filling is yummy! Best I’ve ever made!
Thanks Susan! So glad you loved them as much as I do!
I would go as far as to say that I am a “lemon bar fanatic.” It looks like you’ve got the perfect filling to crust ratio, with the perfect sweet and sour balance. I can’t wait to try them!
Love these for a Spring dessert! Yummy!
I use that Bob’s blend a lot too!
And lemon bars make me think of spring so this is perfection.
These bars look wonderful, what a great treat!!
These are so gorgeous! I love the color!
The lemon layer looks perfectly thick and chewy. Love it! I have a lemon pie bar coming up soon too! Great minds think a like 🙂
These look amazing! Do you think that coconut oil could be used as a substitute for the butter in the crust?
Hi Carolyn, since I haven’t tried it I can’t tell you for sure, but I think it could work. I would melt it first and then start with 1/2 cup and add it slowly add in more until the dough forms, you probably won’t need a cup since it’s melted. And add 1/4 tsp fine sea salt to the dry ingredients for the crust.
Thank you so much for your response. I’ll let you know how it works out!
Bob’s Red Mill fours are AH-MAZING!!! These lemon bars are going on my must bake. And you will LOVE the lemon chia muffins.
SO my crust bubbled up in the oven. I’m wondering if my butter was not cold enough. It currently looks like it will harden. Not sure if I should just add the lemon filling and keep baking with fingers crossed or start over?? I’ve only been gluten-free for about 6 months and this weekend I’m experimenting for Thanksgiving.
Hi Dawn, I haven’t had that issue with the crust bubbling up. If the crust is hardened, can you press it back down into the pan? If it’s full of cracks I would maybe start over unless you don’t mind the filling seeping down into the crust. If you do start over, definitely make sure your butter is very cold.
Hi,
I am making these delicious looking lemon squares and wondering if xthanan gum is necessary when using gluten free flour, our compliments? I ha e only been celiac diagnosed about seven months so just getting use to baking gluten free.
Thank you
Grace
Hi Grace! The xanthan gum helps bind the flours together and keeps it from crumbling apart like sand. If your flour blend already contains xanthan gum, you can omit what a recipe calls for. In this case, the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Flour already contains xanthan gum so I didn’t call for it in the recipe.
I love this recipe.. I have been looking for a good gluten free recipe to bring to my church’s coffee hour on Sundays and this one is perfect. Some gluten free recipes just don’t taste as good as the ones with gluten. This recipe is exceptional and I actually prefer it to my old standby lemon square recipe.. I will be trying some of your other recipes. I thank you for this website.. and my church friends do, too!
Thanks Doreen, so glad to hear how much you and your friends love them!