Healthy holiday squares made with lemons, coconut butter, cranberries and oats. No baking required.
By Divya Yadava
One of the joys of the holiday season is the abundance of sweet treats, but one too many sweets leads to unnecessary weight gain and a guilty conscience! Sweets don’t have to be bad – just start with healthy, wholesome ingredients and some creativity. 
I haven’t met a lemon square I didn’t love, but I’m always left feeling guilty after my indulgence. I wanted to create something bursting with real lemon taste, but without all the sugar and fat. With a few ingredient replacements, I came up with these fantastic dessert squares made with whole foods such as coconut butter, and dried fruit. They taste just as good (if not better!) as those made the traditional way. Best of all, they don’t require any baking. So, if you’re short on time and need a treat, these will be ready in mere minutes.
These squares use coconut butter which can be bought at health stores, but I recommend making it at home. All you need is a good food processor and 6-10 minutes. To prepare the coconut butter, toss a few cups of unsweetened shredded coconut (preferably organic) in the food processor and let it do all the hard work. A few minutes later and with some scraping off the sides, you’ll have a rich, creamy coconut butter.
PrintLemon-cranberry-coconut squares
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 squares 1x
Description
Delicious and guilt-free lemon cranberry coconut squares made with wholesome ingredients like coconut butter and oats. No baking required!
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut butter, room temperature
- Zest of one large lemon
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 cups toasted rolled oats
Instructions
- In a medium-sized non-metallic bowl, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, and coconut butter. Stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add the toasted rolled oats, dried cranberries, and honey to the bowl. Mix well by hand, ensuring all ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture is evenly distributed.
- Press the mixture firmly into a square or rectangular dish lined with parchment paper, ensuring an even thickness throughout.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the squares to set before cutting into 10-12 pieces.
Notes
These squares are perfect for a quick holiday treat as they require no baking. Coconut butter can be made at home by processing unsweetened shredded coconut in a food processor for 6-10 minutes. Store the squares in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 5
- Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 0
