Healthy Honey Lemon Bars

Name: Healthy Honey Lemon Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons butter or coconut oil; 2 Tablespoons maple syrup; 1/8 teaspoon sea salt; 1 cup grated coconut; 1/3 cup whole wheat or oat flour; 1 large egg white ((save yolk for filling)); 3 large eggs (room temperature); 2 large egg yolks (room temperature; include the one from the crust); 1/4 cup whole wheat or oat flour; dash sea salt; 6 Tablespoons honey; 1/3 cup lemon juice; 1-2 Tablespoons lemon zest (I use two lemons worth; my husband loves them lemon-y.)

Published: Apr 15, 2024 · Modified: May 16, 2024 by Lauren Goslin · This post may contain affiliate links · 76 Comments

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These delicious bars feature a coconut oat crust topped with a creamy, honey-sweetened filling! If you're a lemon lover, but don't love all the sugar, than these healthier lemon bars are for you!

So, if these lemon bars look familiar, it's because they are!

I've had this recipe on the blog for some number of years, but I wanted to perfect it a bit and give step-by-step photos to help you all make it.

The initial inspiration for creating a lemon bar was my mom (who loves lemon bars) and Ina Garten, who has a very popular lemon bar recipe. I love watching Ina's show, however, her desserts tend to be heavy in sugar.

My recreation is made with just half a cup of sweetener...TOTAL. For nine bars, that's less than one tablespoon per bar!

This is truly my best effort to give the you the best HEALTHY lemon bars possible.

Ingredients and substitutions

Crust

Oat flour - Whole wheat can also be used.
Grated unsweetened coconut
Sea salt
Butter - Coconut oil can substitute, but I prefer butter.
Maple syrup - Though the filling contains honey, I prefer maple in the crust.
Egg white

Filling

Whole eggs and egg yolks
Lemon juice and zest
Honey - Choose a runnier variety for easier mixing.
Sea salt
Oat flour - Or whole wheat flour

Recipe steps

Step 1

Flour, coconut, butter, and egg laid out on a table.

Eggs, honey, lemons, and flour laid out on a table.

Gather your ingredients.

Step 2

Stirring coconut and flour with butter in a pot.

Unbaked crust pressed into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish.

Make the crust. Melt the butter or coconut oil in a medium saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the maple syrup, salt, coconut, and flour. Stir in the egg white last; this is all done in the warm pan. Press the crust into a well-oiled 8 x 8-inch baking pan. Bake the crust for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.

Step 3

Whisking filling for lemon bars in a bowl.

Make the filling. Whisk together the eggs and yolks; continue to whisk in the flour (sift it ensure there are no lumps, but it typically blends well upon whisking) and salt. Next, whisk in the honey, and finally, the lemon juice and zest. Whisk everything until smooth.

Step 4

Once the crust cools to the point of you being able to comfortably touch the pan, pour the filling atop. Bake the bars 20-25 minutes at a lowered temperature of 325 degrees Farhenheit.

Step 5

Cool completely, cut, and enjoy!

Lemon bars laid out on a board surrounded by lemon slices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my filling runny?

The bars need to be baked longer. Jiggle the pan a bit while they are still inside the oven, and be sure that the middle is set and doesn't appear liquid-y. If the top begins to crack, they are over baked.

Why is my crust soggy?

The crust didn't bake long enough. A fully baked crust should be golden around the perimeter and feel firm to the touch.

Why is there a skin on top of my bars?

This is not awesome, and I spent many a batch trying to figure this one out. What's happening here is the filling is being poured onto the crust when the crust is too hot. The hot crust, in essence, is semi-cooking the eggs in the filling, creating the unpleasant skin. To remedy this, wait to pour the filling until the crust has cooled, but is still warm. Basically, my little trick is that I'm able to touch the pan comfortably before I add the filling.

Hand holding a lemon bar with a bite taken out.

Recipe notes

I have tried this recipe with four eggs in the filling instead of what is written, but I prefer the posted recipe. My husband didn't notice a big difference, so if you want to use whole eggs, this is an option. If you make it as written, you can use the extra egg white as a face mask!

If you're a lemon lover, use the upper amount of zest in the recipe. One lemon equals about one tablespoon of zest, for reference.

For those of you allergic to eggs, my Raw Lemon Bars may be more your speed.

If you have a chance to try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below letting me know how you liked it!

Shared with: Full Plate Thursday

Comments

4.32 from 44 votes (37 ratings without comment)