Lemon Bars {Gluten-Free!}

I am definitely a chocolate girl, but there is just something about a light, tart, lemony dessert just makes my mouth water. It is one of those flavors you just cannot stay away from and surprisingly (for me) really love! These lemon bars are light, creamy and delicious, and even better yet for some of you…gluten free! I have a delicious lemon bar recipe that is not gluten free that I will share soon, but these are wonderful, and thought I would share first for all those out there that live gluten free.
These are really easy too, a surprise if you have ever made lemon bars from scratch before. My other recipe, while wonderful, takes a lot of time and effort (squeezing what feels like a hundred lemons!). I know you will be able to whip up this recipe quite easily  for a Mother’s Day brunch or any spring entertaining!

Lemon Bars (Gluten Free)

Crust:
1½ cup gluten free oats, measured then ground into flour (I used my food processor)
1/2 cup pecans, pulsed a few times in a food processor
2 tblsp sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
4 tblsp butter, melted

Filling:
4 eggs
1 tbslp lemon zest
6 tblsp lemon juice
5 tblsp honey
1/2 cup gluten free oats, ground very finely into flour
2 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper making sure to leave paper overhang and spray or grease lightly with cooking spray or butter.  In a small bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups oats ground into flour, pecans, sugar, sea salt, and melted butter until well combined. It should look like coarse sand. Press very firmly into the baking pan. Bake for 12 minutes and take out to cool slightly. While crust is cooling, beat eggs with lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, oats and sugar until a smooth creamy batter is formed (it will be very liquidy). Pour the batter onto the crust. Carefully place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and then refrigerate for 3 hours or more. To serve, lift out of pan using parchment paper overhang. Slice, sift powdered sugar on the top and serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

*Note: If you do not want to use sugar, replace sugar in crust with coconut sugar and sugar in filling with stevia. If you need a nut free dessert, replace pecans with another 1/2 cup oats and increase the butter by a tblsp.*