You will love these luscious lemon squares! Full of zesty lemon flavour this easy dessert has a smooth and creamy lemon topping that is naturally sweetened with honey.
These creamy lemon squares will melt in your mouth with the perfect sweet-tart balance.
(This lemon squares recipe was first published on Love Food Nourish in August 2018)
These easy lemon squares make a great crowd pleaser – they are refreshing and light to eat – giving the taste buds a fresh burst of tangy lemon which goes perfectly with the creamy coconut milk and honey.
Gluten-free, dairy-free, egg free, refined sugar-free, paleo-friendly with a Vegan option (phew!)
These lemon squares are a dessert that you can comfortably take to pretty much any occasion with the knowledge that they not only taste good but are suitable for most to enjoy, including those with various intolerances and allergies.
Now….if you are like me and always looking for easy desserts then I promise you that these lemon squares definitely fall into the easy dessert category.
The almond meal crust takes only 12 minutes to bake, once you have heated up the liquid ingredients you simply pour the liquid over the crust and leave to set – you can’t get much easier than that!
Additional Recipe Notes
- If you wish to make these lemon squares vegan you can replace the honey with maple syrup, however, the honey does give these squares a delicate hint of floral flavour that matches so well with the sharpness from the lemon. I used a good quality raw and unpasteurized wildflower honey from J.Friend and Co, New Zealand Artisan Honey which really gave these lemon squares a lovely flavour.
- In addition, if you wish to make this vegan you can replace the gelatin with agar-agar. The results can vary depending on the brand you use or whether you use powder or flakes.
- I am a big fan of all things lemon, so when a recipe calls for lemons I like it to be bursting with zesty lemon flavour. I have used half a cup of lemon juice in these lemon squares which really does give them a strong lemon kick. If you prefer your desserts to have a mild lemon flavour then start off with 1/4 cup of lemon juice, taste the liquid once you have added the lemon juice to the coconut milk mixture and add more lemon juice if desired.
If you are looking for other easy and healthy paleo desserts you may like to try:
Mini Strawberry Tarts – Paleo & Vegan
Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
No Bake Pina Colada Slice
Raw Raspberry Tartlets
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for creamy lemon squares. Please let me know how you got on in the comments below or leave a star rating, I love hearing from you!
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Have a lovely week!
Hope
Lemon Squares
Creamy lemon squares, this easy dessert or slice has a creamy lemon topping that is naturally sweetened with honey. Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo Friendly.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1.5 cups almond meal
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
- 2 Tbspn coconut flour
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temperature
- zest of 1 lemon
Filling
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup water, room temperature
- 1 Tbspn gelatin
- couple pinches of ground turmeric (optional, gives a yellow colour but not enough to taste)
- top with lemon zest and desiccated coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F
- Line a 8 x 8 baking tray with parchment/baking paper. I greased mine with coconut oil so the slice was easy to remove.
- In a large bowl mix the dry ingrediants for the crust and then add the coconut oil, maple syrup or honey and lemon zest until you have a crumbly dough.
- Put the dough in the lined baking tray and press it down with your fingers until you have a firm, even base.
- Cook for 12 minutes, the edges should be a light golden brown.
- Remove and leave to cool while you prepare the filling.
- Place a saucepan on a medium heat and gently heat coconut milk, lemon and honey with a couple of pinches of turmeric. Don't boil.
- In a bowl whisk the gelatin and water together then whisk this through the lemon coconut milk mixture in the saucepan ensuring no lumps.
- Remove from the heat and pour the liquid evenly over the crust.
- Place in the fridge to set for 3-4 hours. Should be firm to touch.
- Remove from the fridge and top with desiccated coconut and lemon zest.
- Cut into sqaures to serve.
- Should keep up to 5 days in a airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
- I am a big fan of all things lemon, so when a recipe calls for lemons I like it to be bursting with zesty lemon flavour. I have used half a cup of lemon juice in these lemon squares which really does give them a strong lemon kick. If you prefer your desserts to have a mild lemon flavour then start off with ¼ cup of lemon juice, taste the liquid once you have added the lemon juice to the coconut milk mixture and add more lemon juice if desired.
- See additional notes in blog post.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 260Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 0mgSodium 28mgCarbohydrates 24gNet Carbohydrates 2gFiber 3gSugar 16gProtein 5g
This nutritional information is an estimate only and is provided as a courtesy to readers. It was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed in the recipe card. Please feel free to use your preferred nutrition calculator. Please consult your doctor about any specific dietary requirements.
I love lemon bars! These look so delicious and I love that they’re gluten free. YUM!
Thanks Natalie! 🙂
Loved lemon bars growing up. Excited about these healthier ones!
Thanks Matt, yes its nice to have a healthy twist on old favourites 🙂
I love all things lemon and these are no exception! Delish!
Thank you Jillian!
Oh, my! Lemon is one of my all-time favorite flavors! These look absolutely perfect too. I love that they are vegan and GF. 🙂
Thanks so much Catherine, yes lemon is a favourite of mine too! 🙂
Lemon desserts are the best! These lemon squares look delicious and I love that these are so easy to put together too.
Thanks Marie, yes they are super easy which is great!
I love lemon bars! My favorite dessert EVER!!
Beautiful and totally bright and delicious! A little TOO tasty!! Thanks!
Thanks so much Tessa!
These are gorgeous! Love that they’re a healthy treat too!
Thanks Cynthia!
My mouth is watering! I’m mad for lemony treats. These are delish!
Thank you Stacey!
Hi! What can I substitute for almond meal in this recipe? I have flaxseed meal and gluten free oat flour.. would either of those work? If so, what ratio?
These look delicious!
Hi Alains, thank you! Sorry I have only made this recipe with almond meal so I can’t say for sure how it would taste with anything else. No I don’t think flaxseed and oat flour would work as well as they are quite absorbent and would change the overall taste, texture and ratios – they don’t have the fat content that almond meal does. You may be able to sub almond meal with another nut flour such as cashew flour. If you decide to have a play around with different flours would love to hear how you get on! Thanks Hope
Do you have a substitute for gelatin please?
Hi Caroline, you could try using agar-agar.
Hi Hope, I made this recipe this morning and am after your help! My first base absorbed the liquid filling like a sponge, so I am now on to my second attempt. I have allowed the base to cool completely and have not poured the filling yet. Should the filling be a liquid consistency? Or should the heating process have thickened it to a creamy consistency? I’m just not sure how the liquid would not be absorbed by the biscuit layer again? Even with both items cooled. Just wondering what I am missing here, as I have followed the recipe to a the letter. Appreciate your help on this one. Thank you.
Hi Kate, I’m sorry you are experiencing a few troubles. I have never experienced the base completely absorbing the liquid, I’m not sure what has happened there. A little bit of absorption is normal but it shouldn’t affect the end result. Ensure you have tightly packed the biscuit base down and use the back of a spoon or glass if necessary. Yes the filling should be like a liquid (e.g like making jelly). The tray should be left on an even surface in the fridge and don’t remove until it until the top layer is firm and set. The setting time may slightly differ between fridges. I hope that helps! 🙂
Thanks for your reply. All worked wonderfully… and tastes great. I think I was too eager on the first pour and needed everything to cool down. Lesson learnt! Thanks for your guidance.
Glad it worked out! Thanks for your feedback 🙂