Creamy Lemon Squares (Paleo & Gluten Free)

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

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!

For more tasty recipes and to see what I’ve been getting up to you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter.

Have a lovely week!

Hope

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Lemon Squares

Yield: 12 squares

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Inactive Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 38 minutes

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.

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Ingredients

Crust

• 1.5 cups almond meal
• ¼ cup tapioca starch
• 2 Tbspn coconut flour
• ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temperature
• zest of 1 lemon

Filling

• 1 cup coconut milk
• ½ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ 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

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F
2. Line a 8 x 8 baking tray with parchment/baking paper. I greased mine with coconut oil so the slice was easy to remove.
3. 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.
4. Put the dough in the lined baking tray and press it down with your fingers until you have a firm, even base.
5. Cook for 12 minutes, the edges should be a light golden brown.
6. Remove and leave to cool while you prepare the filling.
7. 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.
8. In a bowl whisk the gelatin and water together then whisk this through the lemon coconut milk mixture in the saucepan ensuring no lumps.
9. Remove from the heat and pour the liquid evenly over the crust.
10. Place in the fridge to set for 3-4 hours. Should be firm to touch.
11. Remove from the fridge and top with desiccated coconut and lemon zest.
12. Cut into sqaures to serve.
13. 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 1
Amount 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.