This Coconut Lemon Slice is a healthier version (much like my lightened up Anzac Slice) of the traditional one you may be familiar with, however still just as tasty and delicious with lots of texture on the base and creamy lemon filling on top.
I've revamped the classic Lemon and Coconut Bars so that:
- There are no packet biscuits used in the making of the base
- No high sugar condensed milk used in the filling
- No powdered sugar or icing sugar used on top
- No processed white or brown sugars are used
This recipe makes 12 generous sized bars of coconut lemon goodness.
Tin Size
I used a rectangle metal loaf tin 30 cm x 15 cm (12 inch x 6 inch). Alternatively you could use a square one of similar size, foil muffin cases with liners, or use a 12 hole silicone or metal muffin tray (however this may make more than 12 depending on how big the muffin tray is)
Note: If using a metal muffin tray, before to use muffin liners so you can get them out easily.
Base Ingredients
Medjool Dates, Walnuts, Desicated Coconut, Coconut Oil, and Sea Salt
How To Make The Base
- Dry roast the walnuts in oven for 7 minutes
- Add base ingredients into a food processor and blitz until a fine crumb has formed
- Prepare dish for the slice to go into. Line base and sides with foil so its easy to get out. (I used a rectangle metal loaf tin 30 cm x 15 cm (12 inch x 6 inch).
- Pour and press in base ingredients into the dish
- Pop it into the fridge whilst you prepare the filling
Filling Ingredients
Cream Cheese, Granulated Sweetener that measures like sugar (eg: stevia or monkfruit sweetener), Lemon Juice, Lemon Zest, Natural Peanut Butter, Desicated Coconut
Related: Lemon Cheesecake Bliss Balls
How To Make the Filling
- Blitz cream cheese in food processor so its soft and gooey. Add remaining ingredients for the filling and blitz for another minute.
- Spoon out the coconut lemon filling on top of base, smoothing with the back of a spoon.
- Add some loose coconut sprinkling on top, with lemon zest.
- Cover and let it set in the fridge for 6 hours.
Recipe Tips
- Lemons: Wash your lemons before zesting to make sure they are nice and clean. Also I love to firmly roll the lemons on the counter before cutting them to help them soften up and release some of the juices.
- Cream Cheese: I used “light” cream cheese in this recipe. It was still very rich and creamy, but if you prefer, by all means use full fat. (Calories were calculated using light/reduced fat cream cheese)
- Coconut: I used unsweetened desiccated coconut which is the finer type coconut, however you could equally use shredded coconut which is slightly coarser.
- Dates: Medjool dates are best as they are sweeter, softer and have an almost caramel like taste.
- Setting: 6 hours is the minimum setting time. Overnight is better.
More Treats:
How To Store
Keep your Coconut Lemon Bars stored in an air tight container in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for upto 7 days, just like these delicious Chocolate Coconut Date Balls.
Recipe Variations
- Limes Instead of Lemons: For a different twist, swap the lemon with lime. Make the recipe the same, swapping out in the same quantity lemon for lime.
- Pecans instead of Walnuts: Regardless of which of these nuts you use, you’ll get a similar effect as they are similar in texture.
- Cashew Nut Butter instead of Cream Cheese: For a dairy free version, use cashew nut butter. Make sure to read the label to check the ingredients list and that it doesn’t include a list of other random things as well as cashews. Avoid those ones. A good Cashew Butter will include just cashews as the ingredient.
- Cups instead of bars: Instead of using a square or rectangle tin, you could use a silicone muffin tray, or a regular muffing tray with paper liners to create Coconut Lemon Cups.
- Add fruit: For extra tropical tang, add ½ cup of well drained canned pineapple pieces chopped up – make sure to pat dry to remove excess moisture so it doesn’t sink through.
These Lemon Coconut Bars are easy to make. They’ll keep in the fridge for a week. They’re creamy, tropical, fresh and full of summer vibes. If you have a food processor, then making raw desserts is easier than you think, especially Bliss Balls and Brownies.
More Healthy Sweet Recipes:
- Silky No Bake Chocolate Slice
- Gooey No Bake Caramel Slice
- Lemon & Blueberry Cheesecake Dessert Cups
- Sugar Free Lemon Bars
Lemon Coconut Slice
Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- ½ cup pitted Medjool dates - approx. 9 at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ Desicated Coconut
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil melted
- pinch of salt
Coconut Lemon Filling
- 2 x 250 gram blocks of Light/Low Fat Cream Cheese - roughly ½ pound or 2 cups
- ½ cup Granulated sweetener that measures like sugar
- ¼ cup Lemon juice
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 2 tablespoons Natural Peanut Butter
- ¼ cup Desicated coconut
Optional
- 2 tablespoons Desicated coconut
- Additional lemon zest
Instructions
Base:
- Dry roast the walnuts on a baking tray in the oven for 7 minutes at 180 degrees c, or 350 degrees F
- Add all the base ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and blitz for a couple of minutes until a fine crumb has formed
- Line a dish with foil (over the base and up the sides) so it is easy to remove slice (I used a rectangle metal loaf tin 30 cm x 15 cm (12 inch x 6 inch).
- Remove blade if using a food processor, and press crumbs firmly into the base of a square or rectangle dish or tin. Use the heel of the palm to press firmly into all corners of the dish.
- Put base in fridge for 30 minutes to let it firm up. Meanwhile, clean the food processor, ready for the filling.
Coconut Lemon Filling:
- Add the cream cheese to food processor and blitz for a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients for the filling and blitz for another minute to combine.
- Spoon out the coconut lemon filling on top of base, smoothing with the back of a spoon. Add the additional 2 tablespoons of coconut by sprinkling gently on top, along with some more lemon zest.
- Cover with foil or plastic wrap and set in the fridge for 6 hours minimum.
- Slice into 12 pieces with a clean sharp knife. Store in the fridge in an air tight container for 5 days.
Notes
- Lemons: Wash your lemons before zesting to make sure they are nice and clean. Also I love to firmly roll the lemons on the counter before cutting them to help them soften up and release some of the juices.
- Cream Cheese: I used “light” cream cheese in this recipe. It was still very rich and creamy, but if you prefer, by all means use full fat. (Calories were calculated using light/reduced fat cream cheese)
- Coconut: I used unsweetened desiccated coconut which is the finer type coconut, however you could equally use shredded coconut which is slightly coarser.
- Dates: Medjool dates are best as they are sweeter, softer and have an almost caramel like taste.
- Tin Size: I used a rectangle metal loaf tin 30 cm x 15 cm (12 inch x 6 inch). Alternatively you could use a square one of similar size, foil muffin cases with liners, or use a 12 hole silicone or metal muffin tray (however this may make more than 12 depending on how big the muffin tray is)
- Limes Instead of Lemons: For a different twist, swap the lemon with lime. Make the recipe the same, swapping out in the same quantity lemon for lime.
Nutrition
Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners.
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