Healthy Lemon Bars Recipe With Rolled Oats Recipe
If you're looking for a delicious dessert recipe but are tired of the same old cookies and ice cream, then we have a tasty option for you. These lemon bars are healthy and contain rolled oats, which have plenty of health benefits. According to Healthline, oats are some of the most nutritious grains that you can eat ... and that's saying something! They're also full of vitamins and minerals, and they do a great job of lowering your blood sugar levels and promoting weight loss. Need we say more?
Recipe developer Miriam Hahn is the mastermind behind this incredible recipe. She says that she loves the flavor of these bars. "I love the way these taste and also love that they can be made ahead," Hahn shares. "They are perfect for entertaining." Another bonus is that the recipe is simple enough for a beginner to make. "It is a pretty simple recipe, but there are several steps, so it's not super speedy," she shares. Hahn also suggests serving these at brunch, a summer barbeque, book club event, or even afternoon tea. Really, the possibilities are endless.
Keep scrolling to find out how to make these yummy bars.
Gather the ingredients
This recipe requires a handful of ingredients, but nothing too difficult to find. If you bake a lot, you may be lucky enough to have a few of the required items at home already. First, you need both raw cashews and rolled oats. You will also need almond flour as opposed to regular flour. Additionally, the recipe calls for just a dash of salt and well as honey and coconut oil for a little bit of sweetness. To go with the coconut theme, grab coconut cream in a can.
Don't worry, you need to get only a few more things, including lemons, lemon juice, maple syrup, and powdered sugar for topping. Once you have everything together, you can get started.
Preheat and prep the cashews
The first thing you will want to do is set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are doing a convection bake, set it to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Preheating is key because it will save you a lot of time in the long run.
Once your oven is preheating, take out the cashews and put them in a bowl. Boil some water and pour it over them to help to soften them up. Set your timer for 45 minutes because that is how long the cashews need to sit in the water. In the meantime, you can move onto the next steps.
Ground the oats and mix ingredients
Now, it's time to take out your handy food processor to make the crust for the bars. Dump in the oats, and then blend until they are finely ground. Then, take out a medium bowl that is suitable for mixing so you can add a few more items. In addition to the oats, go ahead and add in the almond flour, salt, honey, and coconut oil. Now, mix everything well to combine. Once you finish mixing, the texture should be crumbly, but it will still stick together. Congratulations, you have yourself a crust!
Line a baking dish and bake
Take out a 9x9-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper. This is key because you don't want anything to stick to the dish. Then, dump in the crust mixture and press down the sides. You can do this by using either a spatula or your hands. Now, it's ready to go into your preheated oven.
Set the timer for 10 to 12 minutes and cook until it's golden brown. When the edges start to pull away from the sides, that's a good indicator that it's done. Now, you can take it out of the oven and set it to the side.
Drain the cashews and blend
It's time to go back to your cashews once your timer dings. Get out a strainer and drain the excess water from the bowl. Then, put the cashews in a blender and add the coconut cream, arrowroot powder, lemon zest, salt, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Turn the speed to high, and blend everything for about two minutes. When the mix is done, it should be super creamy. This is the filling for your bars, so if you want to sneak a little taste right now, you can totally do so — we won't blame you!
Combine the crust and mix
Now that you have finished the crust and mix, you can combine them together. Pour the mixture on top of the crust and spread it out evenly. Then, pop it back in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or 15 to 20 minutes if you're using convection. It should look firm when it's done, but there should be no dryness or cracking. Once you take it out of the oven, let it cool off for at least 30 minutes. Then, stick it in the fridge either overnight or at the very minimum, four hours.
Slice and serve
Once the bars have sat in the fridge to chill, you can slice them and serve them. If you'd like, you can top with powdered sugar, lemon zest, and sliced lemons. "I think they look so pretty with a slice of lemon on top. As an alternative, you can dust them with powdered sugar," Hahn notes.
Leftovers will keep for "several days in the fridge," Hahn shares. "Also, I keep them in the fridge and serve them cold." The bars are filling enough to eat on their own, but they'd also go well with some coffee or tea.
- 1 cup raw cashews (unsalted)
- ¾ cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar)
- 3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup coconut cream (canned)
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
- Zest of 3 lemons + more zest for garnish
- Juice of 3 lemons (½ cup) + more lemon slices for garnish
- ¼ cup maple syrup (or agave nectar)
- Powdered sugar for topping
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (325 degrees for convection).
- Pour boiling water over the cashews and let sit for 45 minutes.
- Add the oats to a food processor and blend until they are ground fine. Add to a medium bowl along with the almond flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, honey, and coconut oil. Mix to combine. Mixture will be crumbly but will stick together.
- Line a 9x9-inch baking dish with parchment paper and fill with crust mixture. Press down very firmly with a spatula or your hands.
- Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until it is golden brown and the edges start to pull away from the sides. Set aside.
- Drain the cashews and add to a blender with the coconut cream, arrowroot powder, lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Blend for at least 2 minutes on high speed until the mixture is very creamy.
- Pour this mixture on top of the crust and spread to even out. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (15 to 20 minutes convection). It should look firm but not dry or cracking. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes, then put in the fridge overnight or at least 4 hours to set.
- Slice and serve. Top with powdered sugar, lemon zest, and sliced lemons if desired. Store in the fridge.
| Calories per Serving | 357 |
| Total Fat | 26.8 g |
| Saturated Fat | 14.6 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 27.8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.5 g |
| Total Sugars | 12.4 g |
| Sodium | 134.3 mg |
| Protein | 7.1 g |
