Passion Fruit Bars with Gluten Free Shortbread Crust
Apr 10, 2024 • Updated May 08, 2024
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These easy passion fruit bars (lilikoi bars) consist of 9 simple ingredients! A buttery shortbread crust is topped with fresh passion fruit curd, then chilled and set. The resulting cookie bar has a perfect, tropical sweet-tart flavor with a yummy gluten-free crust.
Passion Fruit vs. Lilikoi
Passion fruit and lilikoi are actually the same fruit! This juicy, seedy tropical fruit is known around the world as “Passion Fruit”, but it gets the name “Lilikoi” from Hawaii! These terms can be used interchangeably as they refer to the same tangy, sweet, delicious fruit.
What Makes This Recipe Great
Today we’re making Passion Fruit Bars, or Lilikoi Bars with a vegan and gluten-free shortbread crust that is buttery, crunchy, and divine. The combination of the passion fruit curd with the buttery crust makes a delicious cookie-like bar similar to classic lemon bars!
This dessert really hits the spot as a fresh and fruity tropical summer treat– with the perfect amount of sweetness and tartness. You’ll love the flavor, the texture, and how easy they are to make! There are only 9 simple ingredients for both the crust and the curd, and I can’t wait for you to try these amazing tropical morsels! Happy Baking!
Ingredient Notes
Vegan & Gluten-Free Shortbread Crust
- vegan butter, melted
- organic cane sugar
- gluten free all-purpose flour
- salt
Passionfruit Curd
- passion fruit juice or passion fruit puree: You can make a puree with passion fruit found in the freezer section where other frozen fruit is. The juice can be found easily in grocery stores as well.
- fresh passion fruit pulp: These can be harder to source. I recommend checking Farmer’s Markets and specialty markets if you can’t find them at your local grocery store. You can buy the fresh fruit, then cut and scoop out the pulp.
- organic cane sugar
- full-fat coconut milk: Canned, unsweetened.
- cornstarch: You can also use tapioca starch or arrowroot if desired.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat your oven temperature to 350F and line a baking dish with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, flour, and salt with a rubber spatula until a dough forms.
Transfer the dough to the lined baking dish and press down using your hands or a spatula to create an even layer of crust. Bake crust for 18 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine passionfruit juice, passionfruit pulp, sugar, coconut milk, cornstarch, and vanilla. Whisk continuously while the mixture cooks, about 3-4 minutes. It will start to thicken up considerably (and create a hair gel-like texture), and you should be able to create stiff peaks when you remove the whisk from the mixture. Remove the mixture from the heat.
Pour the passionfruit curd mixture over the shortbread crust and use a spatula to evenly spread the mixture out. It will set as you leave it so make sure the top is smooth. Let the passion fruit bars cool to room temperature, then transfer the baking pan to set in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, cut into 14 pieces, or squares the size of your choice. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week, or freeze and let thaw to enjoy for up to 3 weeks.
Expert Tips
- Fresh passionfruit can be difficult to source. Passion fruit is typically in season between late summer and early Fall (July-November). In California, it’s typically August-October. You can typically find it at your local grocery store during this time, but if not, I recommend checking Farmer’s markets, your local Mexican grocery store or Asian market, or other specialty markets.
- Use this gluten free shortbread crust recipe as a base for other cookie bars! If you’re looking for more, try this matcha lemon bar recipe or these salted caramel shortbread cookies.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week, or freeze and let thaw to enjoy for up to 3 weeks.
To freeze, allow them to cool completely. Then, cut them into individual bars and wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap (or aluminum foil). Place the wrapped bars in a single layer in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQs
There are two parts to this recipe, the gluten free shortbread crust (4 ingredients: vegan butter, cane sugar, gluten-free flour, and salt) and the passion fruit curd (5 ingredients: passion fruit juice, fresh passion fruit, cane sugar, canned coconut milk, and cornstarch).
The edible part of a passionfruit is the inner pulp, which surrounds the seeds. The pulp is typically juicy with a sweet-tart flavor. The seeds are also edible and add a pleasant crunch to the overall texture. The outer skin of the passionfruit is not eaten due to its tough and bitter taste.
More Summer Dessert Recipes
Strawberry Matcha Sugar Cookies
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a star rating and comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Passion Fruit Bars with Gluten Free Shortbread Crust (Lilikoi Bars)
Equipment
- 9×9 baking sheet
- parchment paper
- small saucepan
Ingredients
Vegan Shortbread Crust
- 3/4 cup vegan butter, melted
- 6 tbsp organic cane sugar
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt kosher
Passionfruit Curd
- 1/2 cup passionfruit juice or purée
- 2 fresh passion fruits optional
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 1 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
- 6 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, flour and salt with a spatula until a dough forms.
- Transfer the dough into the lined baking dish and press down using your hands or a spatula to create an even crust. Bake for 18 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- In a saucepan over a medium heat, combine passionfruit juice, passionfruit pulp, sugar, coconut milk, cornstarch and vanilla. Whisk continuously while the mixture cooks, about 3-4 minutes. It will start to thicken up considerably (and create a hair gel-like texture), and you should be able to create stiff peaks when you remove the whisk from the mixture. Remove the mixture from the heat.
- Pour the passionfruit curd mixture over the shortbread crust and use a spatula to evenly spread the mixture out. It will set as you leave it so do make sure the top is smooth. Let the passionfruit bars cool to room temperature, then transfer to set in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to serve, cut into 14 pieces, or squares the size of your choice. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week, or freeze and let thaw to enjoy for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
Expert Tips
- Fresh passionfruit can be difficult to source. Passion fruit is typically in season between late summer and early Fall (July-November). In California, it’s typically August-October. You can typically find it at your local grocery store during this time, but if not, I recommend checking Farmer’s markets, your local Mexican grocery store or Asian market, or other specialty markets.
- Use this gluten free shortbread crust recipe as a base for other cookie bars! If you’re looking for more, try this matcha lemon bar recipe or these salted caramel shortbread cookies.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week, or freeze and let thaw to enjoy for up to 3 weeks. To freeze, allow them to cool completely. Then, cut them into individual bars and wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap (or aluminum foil). Place the wrapped bars in a single layer in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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