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Protein Lemon Bars with Purist® Whey Protein
I didn't grow up with lemon bars. They weren't at parties, I didn't choose them when I'd pop into a bakery, I just didn't see the appeal. Lemons were sour. I wanted my sweets, sweet. And then, just earlier this year, I made an introduction to this creamy, indulgent treat, and I was hooked. The only problem? They didn't really fit my macros.
Cate Hocking, B2B Digital Marketing Manager at REP, made the fix, with her recipe for High-Protein Lemon Bar Lifts, which feature Purist® Whey Protein for elevated protein and a lower calorie dessert. Read on to see the ingredients you need to bring these buttery bars to life and a step-by-step guide on how to bake them.
3rd Place at the Great Purist® Bakeoff
12 competitors took the stage (fine, it was just the REP Fitness communal kitchen) to showcase what sweet treat they could whip up with an elevated protein profile thanks to Purist® Whey Protein powder. Each dish was then tested by REP employees, who cast their ballots for their favorite dessert, taking into the consideration taste, macros, and presentation.
Cate Hocking took home 3rd prize with her High-Protein Lemon Bar Lifts, thanks to its impressive 17 grams of protein per serving, and buttery, citrusy, mouth-puckering sweet taste.
When cut into around 9 servings, each bar comes out to:
Calories: 375
Protein: 17 grams
Carbohydrates: 49 grams
Fat: 19 grams
If you want to lower the calorie and carb count even further, Cate recommends swapping in a no or low calorie sweeter for part of the sugar found in the crust. She also notes that patience with this recipe is key. You may be tempted to dive in right out of the oven, but be sure to allow this dish to "cool completely before cutting to maintain structure of the squares."
High-Protein Lemon Bar Lifts
Crust
- 1¼ cups vanilla Purist® Whey Protein (about 5 scoops)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾–1 cup salted butter, sliced
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
Lemon Curd Filling
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Purist Vanilla protein powder (about 1 scoop)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup lemon juice (about 4–5 lemons)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8×8 or 9×9 pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine protein powder, flour, sugar, butter, and lemon zest. Mix until a crumbly dough forms.
- Press crust firmly into the pan.
- Bake for 13 minutes until just set.
- Whisk sugar and protein powder together, then add eggs and lemon juice. Mix until smooth.
- Pour filling over hot crust.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes until the center is set with a slight jiggle.
- Cool completely before cutting.
- Dust with powdered sugar if desired and slice into squares.
Takeaway
Pick up a bag of Purist® Whey Protein powder in the vanilla flavor to super charge your crust and filling with a powerful kick of protein. And if you're looking to lower the calorie count even further, swap in a no or low-calorie sugar of your choice and/or skip the powdered sugar topping. However you slice it — big slices, says I — this is sure to be a fan favorite.
Rosie Borchert is a NASM-CPT, former Nike Volleyball coach, and writer whose work has appeared on REP Fitness, BarBend, Tonal, ABC, Netflix, and Amazon Studios.
This article was reviewed by Ashley Boyer, ACE-CPT and Fitness Nutrition Specialist, for accuracy.