Coconut Lemon Squares

When I was in high school, I worked at a local cafe in my hometown of Waterdown, ON. It was there that I was first introduced to the insanely delicious, lemon squares.

I ate my body weight in these sweet yellow bars of goodness on a weekly basis. They probably could have paid me in lemon squares and I would have been content as ever.

So whenever I bite into one, I’m reminded of my days at the Jitterbug Cafe — making lattes, cooking up breakfast sandwiches and doing a lot of dishes.

These lemon squares are an ode to my days in the kitchen — with a healthy spin, of course.

Sweet Treats When Eating Healthy

Healthy eating is not about deprivation. It’s about fuelling your body with an abundance of nutrient-dense foods. And that includes sweet treats.

It all comes down to the quality of the ingredients used.

Store-bought products and recipes made with refined sugar, flour, dairy and vegetable oils have a profound negative impact on your overall health – including your skin. Instead, opt for:

• Natural sweeteners like raw honey, pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, stevia or monk fruit that are lower on the glycemic index and still retain their beneficial nutrients.
• Gluten-free flours like coconut, almond, sorghum, garbanzo/chickpea bean, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, teff, brown rice or certified gluten-free oat.
• Non-dairy milk like coconut, cashew, almond, macadamia, or certified gluten-free oat.
• Healthy cooking oils like avocado, olive or coconut.

More Sweet Treats

Try some of my other healthy desserts and treats:

• Creamy Chocolate Avocado Pudding
• Sweet ‘n’ Salty Chocolate Bark
• 5-Ingredient Chocolate Truffles
• Super Chewy Lemon Cookies
• Gingerbread Cookies
• 4-Ingredient Candied Pecans
• Pecan Pie
• Easy Paleo Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Pie Parfait
• Cinnamon Baked Apples with Pecan Date Filling
• Cinnamon & Honey Seared Pineapple
• Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes
• The Best Grain-Free Carrot Cake
• Layered Raw Vegan Cheesecake

Benefits of Coconut Flour

Made from 100% pure coconut meat, coconut flour is a perfect gluten-free option. It’s also low-carb, grain-free and nut-free – making it ideal for anyone eating keto or paleo and those with allergies.

With our acne clients over in The Clear Skin Solution, we focus heavily on blood sugar balancing and gut healing. Coconut flour happens to be the perfect companion in these departments.

• Great source of protein, fibre and healthy fats (PFF).
• PFF help to maintain stable blood sugar levels + keeps you feeling full for longer.
• Helps to ease constipation with its fibre content by regulating bowel movements.
• Fibre in coconut flour also acts as a prebiotic to help probiotics in the digestive system thrive.

Coconut Lemon Squares (Paleo/Nut-Free)

A decadent and delicious lemon square on a coconut shortbread crust that perfectly satisfies your sweet cravings.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Author: Katie Stewart

Ingredients

For the shortbread crust:

• 2/3 cup coconut flour
• ¼ cup arrowroot starch
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup coconut oil melted
• 1 large egg
• ¼ tsp salt

For the lemon filling:

• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• Zest from two large lemons
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
• ½ tsp coconut flour

For topping (optional):

• Shredded coconut
• Freeze-dried raspberries crushed

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9x13 baking pan (8x8 works, too) with parchment paper to allow for easy removal after cooking/cooling.
• Add all the ingredients for the shortbread crust to a food processor*. Process until well combined. *You can also mix by hand.
• Press firmly into the lined pan and bake for 12-15 minutes until crust is just starting to golden.
• While the crust cooks, use an electric or stand mixer to combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Add the coconut flour and arrowroot starch.
• When the crust is done cooking, remove from the oven and pour the filling mixture over top. Do this immediately upon removing the crust – do not allow the crust to cool.
• Lower the oven to 325F and put the pan back in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until set.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before placing in the fridge.
• Cool in the fridge for 2 hours to allow the lemon squares to fully set.
• Remove from the pan and cut into squares. Sprinkle with raspberries or coconut, if desired. Serve.