Lemon Cherry Pie Bars – Gluten Free ~ Macheesmo

There is one particular person in my life that I love very much (okay, it’s my mom) who has what I like to call part-time gluten intolerance. Will she eat a really delicious homemade pasta dish that I make? Yes. But in general, she feels better when she sticks to mostly gluten-free foods. For them and many others, these are Lemon Cherry Pie Bars.

It took me a few tries to figure out these lemon cherry pie bars. I used almond flour for the crust (I prefer the Bob’s Red Mill brand) it worked so well. I also used real lemons and cherries. No fake deals with these guys.

I honestly think they’re better than a gluten-filled variant of the same recipe. The crust is perfectly tender but holds up surprisingly well to the filling.

They’re a little work, sure. But it is worthwhile in any case!

Making the almond crust

This is similar to a graham cracker crust but is actually easier to make. No cracker crunching necessary!

I really recommend Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour if you want to try this. They are very high quality ground almonds.

Mix in the sugar and salt, then add the melted butter. You can mix this all together in a small bowl and it will be almost the consistency of cookie dough when ready.

To finish the crust, you need to bake it before adding the filling or it will get too soggy. Line an 8×8 baking pan with foil for easier removal later, then press in the crust. I just used my fingers to work it into the edges and sides a bit. Try to make it as even as possible, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.

Bake the crust at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes until golden brown and in place.

The custard pie filling

There are many cherry pie bars online that only use cherries, but I like to add that custard layer to these bars that helps hold them but doesn’t detract from the cherry flavor.

Please. Please! Use fresh lemons for this. Don’t use the lemon juice from the jar. It’s too acidic. Take the time to peel and juice a few lemons and your efforts will be rewarded.

Mix the ingredients for the filling in a bowl. Stir it really well to make sure the cornstarch doesn’t clump together.

Then pour the custard filling into the baked crust. I just love the color here.

This needs to be baked a second time for about 15 minutes until just beginning to set.

The Cherry Swirl

Again, I decided to use real cherries. You could use canned cherries in a pinch, but since you’ll have to wait for the crust and pie filling to bake anyway, you might as well go the extra route!

Finely chop some defrosted dark cherries and place in a small saucepan with the sugar. Let this simmer for a few minutes, continuing to mash the cherries while they simmer. Then stir in the cornstarch and water mixture. Anytime you add cornstarch to a hot liquid like this, it’s always good to dissolve the cornstarch in water or it will clump up.

Cook this for another minute or two over low heat and then remove from the heat. It gets pretty thick as it cools.

Completion of the cake bars

When the lemon bars come out of the oven, the filling will still be wobbly and not quite set. Don’t worry. It sets in as the bars cool. While the cream is still fluffy, add the cherry strudel filling so you can swirl it in the filling.

Use a knife to swirl it around, then allow the bars to cool to room temperature.

Then chill them in the fridge for at least a couple of hours (or overnight).

Then you can carefully lift them out of the pan and peel off the foil. Perfect!

Cut the bars into 12 even pieces and dust with powdered sugar and some extra lemon zest if you like.

Also, if you’re a gluten lover (I am), these are some of the best lemon bars you’ll find. Guaranteed to make friends, especially gluten free friends!

Substitutions and Ideas

These are actually quite a flexible bar. You can easily change up the recipe by using other fruits like blueberries or peaches.

You can also add some extracts to the pie layer to enhance the flavors. A teaspoon of almond extract would bring out more of those flavors, or you could add vanilla extract.

In a pinch, you could just use canned cherry pie filling or apple filling for the strudel in the bars, but I prefer the strudel with freshly cooked fruit.

My Lemon Cherry Pie Bar Recipe

Here are a few other great recipes to try!