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As a lemon bar and margarita lover, these Salted Citrus Bars are the perfect, tangy treat. With lemon, orange, and lime juice and zest these gluten- and grain-free bars are packed with citrus flavor, sweetened with honey, and topped with flaky salt as a nod to a salted rim. If you want to keep these refined sugar free, you can skip out on the powdered sugar topping.
I like to think of this as my favorite drink in the form of a crowd-friendly dessert. It comes together in just 45 minutes, which is great when you’re pressed for time. The crust has a natural sweetness from the addition of coconut oil and almond flour, but there’s no added sugar. The filling consists of both the zest and juice of three different types of citrus fruits—lemons, limes, and oranges—plus eggs, which help to bind everything together. The topping is SO fun though. With a dusting of powdered sugar and a sprinkle of flaky salt, it looks and tastes like a classic margarita sans tequila.
Ingredients:
- Coconut Oil
- Honey
- Almond Flour
- Arrowroot Starch
- Baking Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Lemon Zest
- Lime Zest
- Orange Zest
- Lemon Juice
- Lime Juice
- Orange Juice
- Eggs
- Powdered Sugar
- Flaky Salt
Step-by-Step:
Step One: preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 pan with a parchment paper sling and set aside.
step two: Make the crust
In a medium bowl, add the melted coconut oil, honey, almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, and salt. Using a rubber spatula, mix until well-combined and a dough forms. Add the dough to the prepared pan. Using your hands or the back of a measuring cup, press the dough into an even layer. Transfer to the oven and bake on the middle rack for 10 minutes, until the crust is slightly golden. Do not let the crust cool before adding the filling or the filling will sink to the bottom of the pan while baking.
step three: make the filling
Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, add the lemon, lime, and orange zests and juices, eggs, honey, and salt. Whisk until well combined. Remove about ½ cup of the mixture and transfer to a small bowl. Add the arrowroot starch to the small bowl and whisk until combined. Pour back into the larger bowl and whisk one more time to combine.
As soon as the crust is done baking, pour in the citrus filling and carefully transfer back to the oven. Bake on the middle rack for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the center is no longer jiggly. Turn off the oven and crack the oven door open a few inches. Keep the pan in the oven for about 10 minutes before removing and allowing to cool on the counter. This will keep the bars from cracking as it helps them cool down slower.
step four: garnish and serve
Once the bars have totally cooled, sift the powdered sugar atop the surface of the bars. Sprinkle with the flaky salt and extra lime zest. Remove from the pan using the parchment sling. Using a sharp knife, cut into 16 squares.
Store the bars in the fridge in an airtight container separated by layers of parchment paper for up to 3 days.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! They taste best within 24 hours of baking but you can enjoy them for up to three days. Just be sure to store them properly by arranging the bars in an airtight container with a layer of parchment between each layer. Keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Yes! The flavor of these citrus bars shines when you use freshly squeezed lemon, lime, and orange juices. The bottled stuff just isn’t as fresh and flavorful, so the juice really is worth the squeeze!
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on these Salted Citrus Bars! Let me know after you try them.
Looking for more fun sweets? Try these!
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Grain-Free Strawberry Snacking Cake
Salted Citrus Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1/4 cup melted and cooled coconut oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1½ cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup arrowroot starch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling:
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lime zest, plus more for serving (from about 2 limes)
- 2 teaspoons orange zest zest of ½ an orange)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 4 limes)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 1 orange)
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
For Serving:
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)
- 1 teaspoon flaky salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line an 8×8 pan with a parchment paper sling and set aside.
For the Crust:
- In a medium bowl, add the melted coconut oil, honey, almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, and salt. Using a rubber spatula, mix until well-combined and a dough forms. Add the dough to the prepared pan. Using your hands or the back of a measuring cup, press the dough into an even layer. Transfer to the oven and bake on the middle rack for 10 minutes, until the crust is slightly golden. Do not let the crust cool before adding the filling or the filling will sink to the bottom of the pan while baking.
For the Filling:
- Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, add the lemon, lime, and orange zests and juices, eggs, honey, and salt. Whisk until well combined. Remove about ½ cup of the mixture and transfer to a small bowl. Add the arrowroot starch to the small bowl and whisk with a fork until combined. Pour back into the larger bowl and whisk one more time to combine.
- As soon as the crust is done baking, pour in the citrus filling and carefully transfer back to the oven. Bake on the middle rack for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the center is no longer jiggly. Turn off the oven and crack the oven door open a few inches. Keep the pan in the oven for about 10 minutes before removing and allowing to cool on the counter. This will keep the bars from cracking as it helps them cool down slower.
For Serving:
- Once the bars have totally cooled, sift the powdered sugar atop the surface of the bars. Sprinkle with the flaky salt and extra lime zest. Remove from the pan using the parchment sling. Using a sharp knife, cut into 16 squares.
- Store the bars in the fridge in an airtight container separated by layers of parchment paper for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
If I wanted to make these a few days in advance could I place them airtight in the freezer directly after they cooled completely?
And then take them out and let thaw before serving again?
Yes! These lemon citrus bars are great for making ahead. Once they’ve cooled completely, you can place them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to a few days (or even longer). For best results, chill them in the fridge first so they’re fully set, then freeze.
When you’re ready to serve, let them sit at room temperature for about 1 hour+ to thaw.
My crust too fell apart as soon as I poured in the citrus mixture. Directly out of the oven. I continued to bake for another 25 minutes, and it was not jiggly, but could tell it was not very solidified. I let it cool in the warm oven and on the counter. Very difficult to cut. I put the rest in the refrigerator to see if waiting to cut when cool will help.
Silly question, but do you measure coconut oil then melt it, or is it melted then measured? I have never used coconut oil
Not a silly question! You’ll want to melt and cool it first.