Lemon Squares

MAKES 9 SQUARES Ingredients Crust • ¾ cup coconut flour • ⅓ cup palm sugar • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) tapioca flour • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) grated lemon zest • ½ teaspoon baking powder • ¼ teaspoon salt • 4 tablespoons (60 ml) coconut oil • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) coconut milk Filling • 1½ cups palm sugar • 2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg whites • 4 tablespoons (60 ml) coconut flour • ⅔ teaspoon salt • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) grated lemon zest • 12 tablespoons (180 ml) lemon juice (4 lemons) • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) palm sugar • Coconut oil for greasing foil Preparation 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Make a foil sling for an eight-inch square baking pan by folding two long sheets of aluminum foil so each is eight inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease with coconut oil. 2. Process flour, palm sugar, tapioca flour, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined (about 10 seconds). Add coconut oil and coconut milk and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal (about 10 pulses). Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press firmly into an even layer using a wide metal spatula. Bake until edges are lightly browned (16 to 20 minutes), rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes. 3. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (165°C). Whisk palm sugar, eggs, egg whites, flour, and salt together in bowl until smooth. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Pour filling over baked crust. Bake until filling is set (15 to 20 minutes). Let bars cool completely in pan on wire rack for about one hour. 4. Remove from pan using foil sling, cut into nine squares, and sprinkle with palm sugar. Serve.

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These paleo lemon squares prove you don't need flour or butter to nail the classic: a pressed coconut-flour shortbread crust under a wobbly, custardy filling made bright with four whole lemons' worth of juice and zest. Palm sugar does the sweetening in both layers, and a foil sling makes lifting the nine squares out of the pan effortless. Cut them small — they're rich, tangy, and dangerously easy to eat straight from the pan.

Pro Tips

• Zest your lemons before juicing them, and grate only the yellow peel — the white pith underneath is what makes the filling taste bitter instead of bright.
• Whisk the filling (palm sugar, eggs, egg whites, coconut flour, and salt) until it is completely smooth before stirring in the zest and juice; lumps of coconut flour never cook out.
• Rotate the crust pan halfway through its 16–20 minute bake so the edges brown evenly instead of only darkening at the back of the oven.
• Give the bars a full hour on the wire rack after baking — the custard keeps setting as it cools, and cutting warm squares gives you ragged edges instead of nine clean ones.
• Sprinkle the extra palm sugar over the top just before serving so it stays visible and doesn't melt into the filling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make paleo lemon squares ahead of time?

Yes — bake them a day early and keep them in the pan (or an airtight container) in the fridge. The crust firms up overnight and the lemon flavor actually gets punchier.

What can I use instead of palm sugar?

Coconut sugar works one-for-one in both the crust and the filling. Both are unrefined and dissolve into the custard the same way.

Why did my coconut flour crust fall apart when I cut the squares?

The crust needs to be pressed into a truly firm, even layer with a wide spatula before baking, and the bars must be fully cooled before lifting them out with the foil sling. Cut with a firm single motion rather than sawing.

Are these lemon squares dairy-free as well as grain-free?

Yes — the crust uses coconut oil and a spoonful of coconut milk where a traditional recipe would use butter, so the whole pan is both paleo and dairy-free.

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