Strawberry Lemon Almond Bars

These Strawberry Lemon Almond Bars are incredibly delicious and irresistible. Best of all, these bars are made without eggs, butter, or dairy. The combination of refreshing strawberries, lemons, and some nutty flavor in every bite will definitely brighten up your day!

Strawberry lemon almond bars are perfect to enjoy as a snack or dessert to satisfy your sweet cravings. These bars have the most irresistible filling. The strawberry and lemon filling has a perfectly sweet and tangy flavor without being too sweet. 

These bars have a beautiful texture, subtle hints of lemon, and a nutty crust which makes them perfect to enjoy on busy days! 

The strawberry lemon almond bars recipe consists of 4 layers, a crust layer, fruit layer, crumbly layer, and nuts. The crust and the crumbly layer are made with the same dough. The dough is made by using a combination of almond flour and all purpose flour for a soft yet crispy and nutty crust. 

To get a perfectly moist and soft crust, I have added some canola oil and almond milk in the recipe. Believe me it tastes so good that your family will ask you to make these delicious strawberry lemon almond bars again and again! 

Ingredients

For The Filling:

• Strawberries
• Lemon juice
• Sugar
• Cornstarch 
• Chia seeds

For The Crust:

• All purpose flour
• Almond flour
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Oil
• Lemon zest
• Almond milk

Toppings:

• Sliced almonds

Strawberry Lemon Almond Bars Step By Step Recipe

For The Filling

In a pan, mix together chopped strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. 

Cook the strawberry mixture for about 5-6 minutes on medium heat until softened. 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and 2 tsp water into a slurry. 

Turn the stove on low, transfer the cornflour slurry, and stir it frequently. 

Cook the mixture for about 3-5 minutes or until it looks thick and shiny. 

Turn off the heat, add chia seeds, mix, and set aside. 

For The Crust

In a medium bowl, mix together almond flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. 

Next, add lemon zest and some oil. Rub the mixture with your fingers and the texture should become crumbly. 

Now add some almond milk in the mixture and form a well combined dough.

Baking The Bars

Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃

Line the bottom and sides of a 8 x 4 inch baking pan with parchment paper and set  aside. Slightly overhang the paper on the sides – it helps to remove the bars easily from the pan and to cut them into the pieces.

Transfer the prepared dough to a baking tray, keeping around 3 tbsp of dough aside for later use. 

Press the dough with your hands or spatula to form an even thickness of the crust. 

Next, spread the strawberry lemon filling evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the filling and spread a few slices of almonds on the top. 

Transfer the baking tray to the oven and bake for 35-37 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the strawberry filling looks bubbly. 

Take out the baking tray from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely. You can let the pan sit on a cooling rack for 15-20 minutes, transfer it to the refrigerator, and cover the pan with a kitchen towel to speed up the cooling process. 

Gently lift the parchment paper from the baking pan and transfer the bars on a cutting board. Cut the strawberry lemon almond bars into 8 squares and enjoy! 

Tips For Making Strawberry Lemon Almond Bars

• Cook the strawberries until thickened. If the filling is a bit runny then you may need to bake the bars for 40-42 minutes. 
• If you are using frozen berries, they have lots of moisture in them and will release more juices while making the filling. You can increase the quantity of cornstarch to 2 tsp for 1 cup chopped strawberries. 
• Optionally, you can add chia seeds to help the strawberry lemon filling thicken.
• Zest the yellow skin of the lemon and leave the bitter part to make the bars taste the best.
• Zest the lemon before juicing it. 
• Use fresh lemon juice in this recipe, it tastes more amazing than a store bought juice. 
• You can completely skip adding milk in the crust if you wish but you will need to add 1-2 tbsp extra oil for the recipe. 

Variations

• You can use any berries or mixed berries for making these almond bars. 
• Frozen berries can be used instead of fresh berries but check out my tips for thickening the filling. 
• I have used a combination of almond and all purpose flour for this recipe. You can use oat flour instead of all purpose flour in the recipe. 
• Skip adding sliced almonds in the recipe or use chopped almonds. 
• If you are not a fan of lemons in the desserts, skip adding the zest and juice in the recipe. You can use 1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ tsp almond extract in the crust. 

How To Store Strawberry Lemon Almond Bars?

Store them in an airtight container for 5-6 days at room temperature.

If you want to store the strawberry lemon almond bars for longer, store them in the refrigerator for 10 days. 

You can store the bars in a freezer safe container or bag for 4 months. 

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