Lemon Bar Peeps

Crust

• 1 3/4 cup fine ground almond flour
• 2/3 cup Swerve, Confectioners
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter or coconut oil (melted) 
• 4 TBS cold water

Filling

• 10 large eggs
• 2 to 2 1/4 cup Swerve, Confectioners depending on desired sweetness and tartness of lemons
• 2 TBS grated lemon zest 
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp of xanthan gum
• 1 1/2 TBS unflavored gelatin

Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9 X 13 pan and line with parchment paper. Leave enough of the parchment paper hanging out of the pan to pull chilled lemon bar block out to cut shapes.
2. For the shortbread, in a medium mixing bowl or food processor, mix the almond flour, Swerve, salt, and xanthan gum together. Melt butter and press into dry mixture with a fork until it looks like corn meal. Add cold water to the mixture by the tablespoon - it should begin to loosely combine.
3. Press dough evenly into parchment-lined dish. Bake for 20- 25 minutes, until edges are brown, and parts of the shortbread surface are lightly browned.
4. Remove from oven, and let cool.

Filling

1. Increase the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk together eggs, Swerve, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well combined.
3. Sprinkle gelatin and xanthan gum over the lemon/egg mixture and aggressively whisk into the wet ingredients. Make sure there are no chunks of xanthan and gelatin floating in the wet mixture.
4. Pour over the cooled crust and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
5. Once at room temperature, cover with Saran wrap and place in fridge overnight.
6. Remove from fridge. Gently with edges of parchment paper, pull lemon bar block out of pan onto a cutting board. Firmly press desired cookie cutter shapes into lemon bar block.
7. Gently remove shape from cookie cutter and enjoy!
8. Optional: Dust with Swerve, Confectioners and/or lemon zest once finished cutting out shapes.

Makes 10-15 servings depending on shape of cookie cutter.

*Note: If you desire bright yellow lemon bars, add a ½ tsp or 1 tsp of natural yellow food coloring to wet ingredients.