Easy Gluten Free Orange Squares

Hi Friends!

YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS RECIPE!! I was silly and bought like a 5lb pack of navel oranges so of course I had to bake with some. This recipe is similar to the more common recipe for lemon squares but made healthier and with orange juice and orange zest. If you prefer lemon, you can definitely swap the juice and zest with lemon, but the sweetness might need to be adjusted as lemon is quite tart (based on your taste preference).

If you’re looking for a no bake option, I’d suggest the reader favourite, my No Bake Matcha Oatmeal Bars. You guys love this recipe and rightfully so as it tastes like ice cream!

My No Bake Toasted Coconut Lemon Torte is absolutely delicious as well and can easily be made into bars using an 8×8 pan instead of in a pie pan.

I used an 8×8 aluminum baking pan like this one, lined with parchment paper. I highly recommend using parchment paper in 99% of recipes because it avoids the stress of food sticking and it is so easy to remove the bars to cut without mess. You can use a different sized pan BUT – it may change the cooking time depending on the thickness of your crust and filling. The ratio of filling to crust was also perfect with the 8×8 pan. I’m not a fan of super thick crusts so it was perfect.

These orange bars are dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free but you would never know it! I used a mix of refined sugar and coconut sugar to create these bars but feel free to use one or the other. Coconut sugar will darken the filling a bit but the taste is still 10/10.

The bars (still in the baking pan) should be allowed to cool for 1 hour on a cooling rack and then refrigerated to set for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. I ended up setting mine overnight (just due to timing) and I definitely got nice clean cuts. I don’t recommend cutting while warm as the filling will be a mess.

The oranges on top are just for presentation and look pretty if you are serving these at a dinner party. I prefer the bars almost right out of the refrigerator so decorate with icing sugar and orange slices (if wanted) just prior to serving. Funnily enough, growing up marmalade was not my favourite so I was a bit hesitant of all the rind I used but it totally works in this recipe! The orange rind and pulp in the orange juice add SO much flavour and add a nice kick when you get a bit in your mouth.

I recommend consuming the bars within 4 days of baking or freezing them up to a month or so. To freeze, slice the bars as normal and freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet for 1 hour (the bars shouldn’t be touching). After that pop them into a container, separating the bar layers with the parchment paper to avoid any sticking. The initial freeze for 1 hour will help to keep the bars separated from each other so when you want to eat only a few, you can grab just what you’re ready to consume and defrost in the refrigerator. If you’re freezing the entire batch, skip the icing sugar and just put it on when you’re ready to eat.

I can’t wait for you guys to try this recipe! I know you’re going to love it as much as I do!

Easy Gluten Free Orange Squares

April 20, 2021

by Andrea

Category Recipes

Persons

16

Serving Size

1 square

Notes

Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days. Squares will also freeze well if flash frozen on baking sheet for one hour before transferring to container for freezer storage.

You can use any granulated sugar of your choice. I used a mix of white and coconut sugar. Coconut sugar darkens the squares so keep that in mind if you use no white sugar.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or white sugar)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, softened at room temperature
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Filling

• 4 whole eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cups fresh squeezed orange juice (about 4-5 medium sized navel oranges)
• 1/2 cup sugar (I used half white half coconut sugar)
• 3 tsp orange zest
• 2 tbsp coconut flour

Optional

• 1-2 tbsp confectioner's sugar (for dusting)
• 1 orange, sliced (decoration only)

Instructions

1. Line 8x8 aluminum pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350F. Set aside.
2. For the crust, in a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients until well combined (ensure no chunks of coconut oil).
3. Press the crust into the prepared pan, pressing firmly all over until smooth and bake for 15 minutes. The crust should be lightly golden.
4. While the crust is cooking, mix filling ingredients. You can do this in a blender or with a whisk. Set aside.
5. Once the crust is done cooking, pour on the filling and return to the oven for 18-22 minutes until the center is set (soft, not liquid but still jiggly). The timing can change depending on your oven.
6. Allow to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for approximately 1 hour before refrigerating to set completely. At least 4 hours or overnight.
7. When ready to serve, cut into 16 squares, dust with confectioner's sugar and orange slices as decoration (if using) and enjoy!

Tags

dairy free gluten free orange bars,

easy gluten free dessert without chocolate,

glutenfree orange bars,

lemon bars but with orange,

orange bars,

orange dessert,

Vancouver Holistic Nutritionist

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