Spring is finally here! Woohoo! I’m going to ignore the fact that there was potential snow in the forecast yesterday (Seriously, Chicago?) and proclaim that alas SPRING IS HERE! I want to shout it to the streets! Yell it from the mountain tops! Call my mom! and say.. spring. is. here. Can you tell I’m excited?
When I think of Spring, the first thing that comes to my mind is lemon. Ice cold lemonade, lemon curd, lemon cakes. Just lemon. So it should come as no surprise then that at the first hint of warm weather I immediately started working on a lemon square recipe. They are not to be confused with lemon bars because honestly they are not even remotely the same. These lemon squares are coconut lemon squares and guess what? They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and sugar-free. Needless to say, it took me quite a few attempts to come up with this recipe and satisfy my dietary needs. But with one bite, I was hooked!
These coconut lemon squares have a lemony flavor that is bright and fresh with just a touch of sweetness. They’re also no-bake so they come together in a snap. I guess I should say almost no-bake as you do need to melt the coconut oil and coconut butter to make the filling. But other than that, you just pop them in the refrigerator or freezer and an hour later, they’re ready to serve! Next time you have a party or get together, try these no-bake coconut lemon bars!
Tell me, what’s your favorite Spring time dish?
More Lemon Desserts
- Lemon Sorbet
- Lemon Almond Cookies
- Passion Iced Tea Lemonade
- Gluten Free Lemon Brownies
- Passion Tea Lemonade Gelatin Dessert
- Lemon Sour Cream Bundt Cake
- Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
No-Bake Coconut Lemon Squares
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup almonds
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup coconut butter
- 5 drops liquid stevia or honey to taste
- 1/4 tsp lemon zest
Filling
- 1 cup coconut butter
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest plus additional for topping
- 20 drops stevia or honey to taste
Instructions
- To make the crust, combine almonds, unsweetened coconut flakes, stevia, lemon zest in a food processor. Pulse until the the almonds are ground but not too fine.
- Place crust contents into a bowl and mix in 1/4 cup softened coconut butter. The crust should be slightly moist.
- Pour crust into an 8x8 inch baking pan lined in parchment paper.
- To make the filling, add coconut oil and coconut butter to a small saucepan and melt over medium low heat for a few minutes until they are melted. Whisk in the stevia (or honey) and lemon zest.
- Then, take the filling off the heat and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Add the lemon juice to the coconut mixture and stir together. You do not want to add the lemon juice to liquid when it is hot because it will seize up a lot.
- Pour the lemon coconut filling over the crust. Top with additional lemon zest if desired.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour or until ready to serve. To speed up the process, place in the freezer.
Notes
This recipe was shared on Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Allergy Free Wednesday and Gluten Free Fridays
Mom says
April 4, 2015 at 5:49 pmyum. these sound really good… and easy to make. hope you’re bringing them tomorrow…
Megan says
April 9, 2015 at 7:03 pmThanks mom! Sorry I forgot to bring these home for Easter. I will make some more soon!
Sharon @ Savormania says
April 5, 2015 at 2:51 pmSo good! I love that you make the crust with coconut flakes.
Megan says
April 8, 2015 at 6:26 pmThanks so much Sharon! I love putting coconut in anything that I can!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
April 5, 2015 at 5:15 pmI love that these little lemon squares are so healthy! They are the perfect thing for me to snack on when I feel like a guilt free sweet treat.
Megan says
April 8, 2015 at 6:26 pmThanks Thalia! I love having them around to snack on. I leave mine in the freezer for when I have a dessert craving 🙂
Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking says
April 5, 2015 at 9:52 pmThese look so delicious! We love lemon in almost anything.
Megan says
April 8, 2015 at 6:27 pmI agree Alicia! I love anything that is lemon flavored 🙂
Linda says
April 10, 2015 at 3:25 pmMegan, these look delicious. We love lemon desserts around here, and I’m thrilled that these are no bake and grain free! Thanks for sharing at Gluten-Free Wednesdays.
Megan says
April 10, 2015 at 4:14 pmThank you so much Linda! I love lemon so these are great to keep in the freezer when I have a craving for something sweet!
Tessa@TessaDomesticDiva says
April 12, 2015 at 10:02 pmI can’t WAIT to try these, look so flippin delicious! Featuring your recipe this week on AFW, thanks for sharing!
Megan says
April 12, 2015 at 10:25 pmThanks so much Tessa! They are great to have on hand when I’m in need of a dessert that meets all of my dietary requirements 🙂 I hope you enjoy them!
Jackie says
April 15, 2015 at 10:30 amWhat could I subsitute for coconut butter? Regular butter? Thanks!
Megan says
April 15, 2015 at 6:45 pmHi Jackie! I haven’t tried it with regular butter and am not sure how that would turn out. You can try using more coconut oil instead of the coconut butter but it won’t be as rich as it would be with the coconut butter. Instead of regular butter, I think for a milder flavor using cashew butter, macadamia nut butter, avocado or even a banana would work. I wouldn’t melt these, I would just mix with the coconut oil and then spread over the crust. If you don’t want to use coconut butter because of availability in your grocery store, you can make your own by putting unsweetened shredded coconut in a high powdered blender (this is how I make mine). I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
Luella Loutzenheiser says
April 15, 2015 at 3:56 pmMy question is the same as Jackie’s. Could I substitute regular butter or Earth Balance spread for the coconut butter? I am looking forward to trying this recipe! it looks yummy.
Megan says
April 15, 2015 at 6:47 pmHi Luella! I answered your question in reply to Jackie’s comment. I haven’t tried any of these recommendations so please do let me know if you try them out! 🙂
Barbara Bianchi says
April 19, 2015 at 8:51 pmYay, Spring is here! My husband loves coconut bars and lemon is so refreshing. Can’t wait to surprise him with these. Thanks.
Megan says
April 20, 2015 at 8:27 amThanks Barbara! I think they’re the perfect spring dessert! I hope you and your husband enjoy them 🙂
Amanda Stanton says
June 11, 2015 at 3:25 pmHi Megan. These look so good! Where do you buy your coconut butter? And is it in a jar or stick form in refrigerated section? Thanks 🙂
Megan says
June 13, 2015 at 8:00 pmHi Amanda! I normally make my coconut butter (recipe on my blog) but if I do but it I get it in jar form that is u refrigerated. Hope this helps!