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–+ servings
Three paleo lemon bars stacked on top of each other. A bite is missing from the corner of the lemon bar on top. Other lemon bars surround the stack, just out of focus.

Paleo Lemon Bars

A spring or summer classic dessert, turned paleo! With a light and refreshing lemon curd on top of a tender shortbread crust, this is a perfect conclusion to any meal.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Chill 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 50 minutes
Yield:9 squares

Equipment

  • lemon zester
  • 8x8 baking dish
  • parchment paper
  • 3 medium mixing bowls or 2 mixing bowls and 1 large measuring cup with pour spout
  • 3 whisks
  • small mixing bowl
  • medium saucepan
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
  • Fine mesh sieve or strainer
  • wire cooling rack
  • Flour sifter or sugar duster, optional
  • long, sharp knife

Ingredients

For the Lemon Bar Crust

For the Lemon Curd Filling

  • 7 large egg yolks at room temperature
  • 1 large whole egg at room temperature
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup whisked full-fat coconut cream unsweetened; see Notes
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon zest zest from approximately 2 large lemons
  • ⅔ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice strained, approximately 4 large lemons
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons ghee at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup tapioca starch or organic powdered sugar; optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Arrange oven racks so baking pan will sit in center of oven. Line baking pan with parchment paper, leaving parchment paper hanging out slightly on two sides for easy removal.
  • Add almond flour, tapioca starch, maple syrup, ghee, and sea salt to medium mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients together vigorously until fully incorporated, forming thick dough.
  • Transfer crust dough to prepared baking pan. Gently press dough into one even layer, covering entire bottom of baking pan and into all four corners.
  • Place baking pan in preheated oven. Bake crust 10 to 15 minutes or until center of crust develops light golden-brown color.
  • While crust is baking, add egg yolks and whole egg to second mixing bowl. Whisk eggs together until fully combined and pale in color, with no streaks remaining.
  • Add maple syrup, coconut cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sea salt to egg mixture. Resume whisking until ingredients are fully incorporated and mixture is smooth.
  • Transfer egg mixture to cool saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and add 4 tablespoons ghee. Stir constantly with wooden spoon or silicone spatula until ghee is fully melted and incorporated and lemon curd thickens slightly, approximately 5 to 8 minutes. Note: lemon curd is at ideal consistency when mixture is thin and sauce-like, coating back of spoon without running or drizzling off.
  • Once crust is set, remove baking pan from oven and set aside. When lemon curd reaches desired consistency, immediately pour lemon curd through fine mesh sieve or strainer and into clean mixing bowl or large measuring cup with pour spout. over a clean glass or stainless steel bowl. Pour the strained curd onto the warm shortbread crust immediately.
  • Immediately pour strained lemon curd directly into baking pan, covering prepared crust completely. Smooth lemon curd out into single even layer, making sure to reach all 4 corners of baking pan.
  • Return baking pan to oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until lemon curd filling is shiny and opaque. Fully set lemon filling will jiggle slightly when baking pan is gently shaken.
  • Carefully remove baking pan from oven. Place baking pan on wire cooling rack and allow lemon bars to cool, undisturbed, 45 minutes or until room temperature. Once lemon bars and baking pan are completely cooled, transfer pan to refrigerator and chill lemon bars at least 1 hour.
  • When ready to serve, lightly sift tapioca starch or organic powdered sugar over tops of lemon bars if desired. Use long, sharp knife to carefully slice lemon bars into 9 equal squares. For best results, hold knife under warm running water and wipe off knife after each cut. Serve chilled.

Notes

  • Don't forget to vigorously whisk the coconut cream before measuring it! You want that rich coconut cream to be smooth and easy to incorporate into your custard.
  • Coconut Cream: To make coconut cream, place a can of unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Remove the can from the fridge with shaking or stirring the contents. Scoop the thick, solidified layer off the top - that's your coconut cream. The remaining liquid can be discarded or used for other purposes. Coconut creamer and coco lopez are not the same as coconut cream and won't work for this recipe.
  • Make it Dairy Free: Ghee, while paleo, is not actually dairy free. For dairy-free lemon bars, use a paleo & dairy-free butter alternative.
  • Leftovers: Any leftover lemon bars should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 3 days of preparation.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1square | Calories: 324cal | Protein: 5g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 193mg | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 209mg | Total Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Net Carbs: 20g | Vitamin A: 223IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg
Recipe By:Cheryl Malik