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    Home / Recipes / Cakes, Pies & Cupcakes

    Easy Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

    Mar 20, 2018 · Updated: Mar 15, 2024 by Dee Dine · Affliate links disclosure.

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    lemon bars with shortbread on a table.

    Fresh easy lemon bars are creamy and tangy on a crunchy shortbread crust. The perfect balance of tangy and sweet and made with wholesome ingredients that are dairy free and gluten free.

    lemon bars on shortbread overhead view.

    These fresh lemon bars with a shortbread crust are easy to make in a loaf pan, and store refrigerated for a few days. The bars work for breakfast, brunch and dessert. The crust tastes like a cookie, and the filling tastes like a creamy lemon cheesecake.

    I like to bake them so the crust becomes crunchy, but this recipe can easily be frozen and served as a no bake lemon cheesecake slice instead.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients 
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • How to Store
    • Other Creamy Cheesecake Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients 

    Crust

    almond flour. Adds a cookie flavor to the crust.
    rolled oats. Quick oats or oat flour also work.
    coconut oil. Melt it before measuring by setting the jar in a pot of boiled water.
    brown sugar. Or use coconut sugar to keep the bars refined sugar free.
    vanilla extract.
    salt.

    Filling

    lemon juice. Use bottled or juice 2 lemons.
    cashews. Use unsalted and unroasted if possible.
    coconut cream. From a can of whole fat coconut milk.
    arrowroot or cornstarch.
    lemon zest.
    sugar. I used cane sugar but other sweeteners can work.
    salt.
    ground turmeric. Optional, but adding the smallest pinch can increase the yellow color.

    See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    👉Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox.

    Step by Step Instructions

    For more detail, visit the complete and printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.

    Step 1: Preparations. Set jar of coconut oil in a pot of hot water to melt it. Boil water and add cashews to soak 15 minutes, then rinse. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper so end hang over sides. Preheat oven 350 F

    Step 2: Make Crust. Blend or use a food processor to combine crust ingredients. Press mixture into the lined pan and flatten with a spatula or bottom of a glass. Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are brown

    Step 3: Make Filling. In a blender or food processor, add filling ingredients. Process until smooth. Pour filling onto crust. Tap on the counter to level the surface.

    Step 4: Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.
    Let the pan cool for 10 minutes and then refrigerate the cake uncovered for at least 4 hours to solidify before slicing. Dust with confection sugar, garnish with lemon slices and lemon zest. Cut into 8 slices.

    How to Store

    Store these bars lightly covered in the refrigerator for 3 days. They don’t freeze well, they dry out.

    Other Creamy Cheesecake Recipes

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    • Lavender Lemon Cashew Cream Slices {vegan}
      Lemon Vegan Cheesecake

    If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

    📖 Recipe

    lemon bars on shortbread overhead view.

    Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

    Created by Dee Dine
    Fresh easy lemon bars are creamy and tangy on a crunchy shortbread crust. The perfect balance of tangy and sweet and made with wholesome ingredients that are dairy free and gluten free.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved! Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 3 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 3 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 280 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mixing bowls
    • blender
    • Loaf Pan

    Ingredients
     
     

    Crust

    • 1 cup almond flour
    • ½ cup rolled oats
    • ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
    • 2 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 pinch salt

    Lemon filling

    • ⅓ cup lemon juice
    • ½ cup cashews, unsalted (soaked 15 minutes in just boiled water)
    • ½ cup coconut cream Refrigerate a can of full fat coconut milk and scoop of the solid cream
    • 1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch
    • 2 tablespoon lemon zest
    • 2 tablespoon sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • pinch ground turmeric for color
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    👉Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox.

    Instructions
     

    Prep

    • Set jar of coconut oil in a pot of hot water to melt it.
    • Boil water and add cashews to soak 15 minutes, then rinse.
    • Line a loaf pan with parchment paper so end hang over sides.
    • Preheat oven 350 F

    Make Crust

    • Blend or use a food processor to combine crust ingredients.
      1 cup almond flour, ½ cup rolled oats, ¼ cup coconut oil, 2 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
    • Press mixture into the lined pan and flatten with a spatula or bottom of a glass.
    • Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are brown.

    Make Filling

    • In a blender or food processor, add filling ingredients. Process until smooth.
      ⅓ cup lemon juice, ½ cup coconut cream, 1 tablespoon arrowroot, 2 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, pinch ground turmeric
    • Pour filling onto crust. Tap on the counter to level the surface.
    • Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.
    • Let the pan cool for 10 minutes and then refrigerate the cake uncovered for at least 4 hours to solidify before slicing.
    • Dust with confection sugar, garnish with lemon slices and lemon zest. Cut into 8 slices.

    Storage

    • Store refrigerated in a sealed container. They will last 3 days and then begin to dry out. They do not freeze well.

    Notes

    To extract the cream from a can of whole fat coconut milk, refrigerate the can overnight and spoon out the solid cream. Refrigerate the leftover milk for 2 days and use in smoothies.
    If you are juicing lemons, microwave them first for 20 seconds, then roll them on the counter to burst interior cells and make them juicer.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 6gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 81mgPotassium: 138mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Comments

    1. Ela says

      April 15, 2019 at 10:28 am

      5 stars
      Wow, these are beautiful, Dee!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 15, 2019 at 10:41 am

        Thank you for pinning them, Ela! So glad you like them! Dee xx

        Reply
    2. Bianca says

      February 28, 2019 at 12:46 pm

      5 stars
      These look so beautiful Dee!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 28, 2019 at 4:18 pm

        Bianca, thank you! So happy you like my lemon squares! Dee xx

        Reply
    3. Jess says

      February 25, 2019 at 2:02 pm

      5 stars
      So creative. Beautiful recipe Dee!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 27, 2019 at 12:02 pm

        Thank you so much Jess, that's really kind of you.. take care, Dee xx

        Reply
    5 from 7 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




    lemon bars with shortbread on a table.
    dee dine

    My name is Dee Dine and I’m a two-time cookbook author and certified nutritionist. Here you’ll find easy, healthy recipes made with few ingredients and always egg free, dairy free, & gluten free. About Dee →

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