Gluten Free & Dairy Free Lemon Bars
For the crust:
1/4 cup melted and cooled coconut oil
¼ cup erythritol or coconut sugar (or sub 2-3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup)
1 egg, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup packed fine almond flour (do not use almond meal)
3 tablespoons coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
Zest from 1 lemon
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2-4 lemons)
½ cup honey
4 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon coconut flour, sifted (or sub tapioca flour or arrowroot flour)
To garnish:
Powdered sugar (sifted) ( I used powdered Erythritol, the “swerve” brand)
Lemon zest
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper. (Do not use a glass pan as it will likely cause the bottom of the crust to burn.)
First make the crust: In a medium bowl, add in the coconut oil, coconut sugar/sweatener, egg and almond extract. Mix together until smooth. Add in almond flour, coconut flour and salt. Mix again until a dough forms. Press dough evenly into prepared pan with your hands. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool for two minutes.
While your crust bakes, you can make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, eggs, egg yolk and coconut flour. Pour over warm crust. Bake for 18-25 minutes or until filling is set and no longer jiggles. Cool completely on a wire rack then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to firm up bars. Once ready to serve, use a sharp knife to cut into 12 bars. I recommend garnishing them with powdered sugar and a little lemon zest before serving. Enjoy!