Gluten-Free Lavender Lemon Crumble Bars

These Creamy Coconut Lavender Lemon Bars are basically spring sunshine in dessert form. They’re gluten-free with an easy vegan option and the perfect balance of sweet and tart, creamy and floral. And while they may not be the fastest dessert you can whip up, I think they’re worth the extra effort. 

The weather has finally been feeling a bit like spring around here and it’s got me craving warm-weather foods. Grilled meats. Fresh produce. And lemon bars, apparently. After making these Lemon Rose Shortbread Cookies I’ve been looking for other ways to incorporate herbs and edible flowers into desserts. I make a lot of desserts other than cookies, so this is a fun way for me to step a toe out of my cooking comfort zone. 

(Yes, this is going to be a classic food blogger preamble. So if you’d like to just skip to the recipe details, I get it. Click here.)

I don’t think I’ve had a lemon bar in four years. When my digestive issues hit their peak, I started an elimination diet in an attempt to both alleviate symptoms and heal my gut. And that meant cutting out gluten, dairy, and eggs. 

I assumed it would be a short-term change I’d have to endure for a few months, tops. So rather than finding modified recipes for the foods I couldn’t eat, I figured I’d just go without them until I could eat “normally” again. 

Sadly, those “few months” turned into a few years and counting. And while I’ve been able to reintroduce some dairy without issue, I still avoid gluten and eggs. Which are kind of major parts of most desserts. 

Now, I haven’t been not eating dessert for the last four years. That would be insane. But I was never much of a baker to begin with. So cookies are basically the only gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free desserts I’ve mastered because they’re pretty forgiving (at least in my experience), 

I’m a real baby when it comes to recipes failing. And with gluten-free, vegan baking, it’s never as simple as “find a recipe, make the recipe, enjoy the recipe.” The risk of disappointment is high. 

For example, my first attempt at these lemon bars turned out to be a gluey mess somewhere between too-soft jello and too-coagulated sauce. So gross.

Normally, a failure like that would have me giving up (not my proudest personality trait). But for some reason I really wanted these damn lemon bars. So I persevered, tried a completely different route, and SUCCESS! These lavender lemon bars turned out so good they completely made up for the previous fail. There’s a lesson on never giving up in there somewhere. 

Making Gluten-Free Egg-Free Lavender Lemon Bars 

While there are a lot of steps to this recipe, it is by no means complicated. The base is made of soaked cashews, coconut cream, and just a bit of cornstarch, which creates the perfect texture without the need for eggs. 

Blended up with lemon juice and zest, maple syrup, and dried lavender buds and you’ve got the perfect bright, lemony, slightly-floral filling. 

Rather than doing a plain crust, I wanted to riff off the Peach Crumble I made last summer. It’s a simple dough made of gluten-free flour, oat flour, sugar, and butter or coconut oil. 

The crumble topping is made from some reserved crust, quick-cooking oats, and a bit more lavender for good measure. I’m a sucker for a crumble topping and this turned out exactly how I was hoping. A bit messy, yes, but absolutely delicious. 

Creamy Coconut Lavender Lemon Bars

These Creamy Coconut Lavender Lemon Bars are gluten-free, egg-free, and easily made vegan. They’re lemony-sweet with just a hint of floral from the lavender.

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Course Dessert

Servings 16

Ingredients

  

For the filling

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup canned coconut cream the thick, white portion at the top the can only
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 lemons zested and juiced
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender buds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric for color (optional)
• A pinch of salt

For the crust

• 1 cup 1:1 gluten free flour blend (145 g)
• 1/2 cup oat flour (50 g)
• 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons cane sugar, divided (75 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons butter coconut oil, or vegan butter substitute, softened
• 1/2 cup quick cooking or rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon dried lavender buds

Instructions

 

• Add the raw cashews to a heat-proof bowl and cover with just-boiled water. Let soak, uncovered, for 1 hours. Drain thoroughly.
• While the cashews are soaking, prepare the crust. Preheat the oven to 350° F and line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment or using a handheld mixer, add the gluten-free flour, oat flour, ⅓ cup sugar, and the salt. Mix to combine.
• With the mixer on low, add the softened butter a tablespoon or so at a time. Once all the butter has been added, increase the speed to medium and mix for 2-3 minutes until the dough comes together. It should have the texture of thick cookie dough.
• Measure out ⅓ cup of the dough and set it aside. Then press the remaining dough into the prepared pan using your hands or a spatula. It might not seem like enough dough but keep pressing into an even layer.
• Bake the crust in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, until the edges are are beginning to turn golden brown.
• While the crust bakes, prepare the crumble topping by combining the reserved ⅓ cup dough, 2 tablespoons sugar, quick oats, and lavender in a small bowl. Mix with a fork or your fingers until evenly combined and crumbly. Set aside.
• Remove the crust from the oven and set aside while you prepare the filling.
• Add the soaked cashews, coconut cream, maple syrup, lemon juice and zest, cornstarch, lavender, and salt to a blender and blend on high speed for about 30 seconds. Let it rest, then blend it again for another 30 seconds to a minute until is it very smooth and creamy.
• Pour the lemon filling over the crust, spreading it into an even layer and tapping on the counter once or twice to remove any air bubbles.
• Sprinkle the the prepared crumble evenly over the top of the lemon filling.
• Bake for 25-28 minutes, until set and only slightly jiggly in the center. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 30-45 minutes before placing it into the refrigerator until completely cooled—at least 4 hours but overnight is even better.
• Once cooled, slice into 16 even squares and serve. Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Adapted from Minimalist Baker

Honestly, these gluten-free creamy lavender lemon bars are so good, even my husband liked them and traditional lemon bars are one of his favorite desserts. I’m already looking forward to making them again and might even try a grapefruit version at some point.