Indulge in the perfect balance of tangy and sweet with these delicious vegan lemon bars. The creamy lemon filling, nestled on top of a buttery shortbread crust, offers a burst of refreshing citrus flavor that will leave you craving more. Whether you're serving these bars at summer gatherings, baby showers, or simply enjoy them as a sweet treat, they are sure to impress. So, let's make this easy and delicious vegan lemon bar recipe!

Turning classic lemon bars into vegan

These easy lemon squares are made with simple ingredients and have an incredible tart lemon filling and a buttery crust, both of which are completely plant-based.

Traditional lemon bars are made with eggs and butter, but in this vegan variation, we will make a delicious version that doesn't even require them! We are going to make these eggless lemon bars by substituting the eggs with thick full fat coconut cream and corn starch as a thickener in the filling.

Then we will simply substitute the butter in the crust with a plant-based alternative for a simple shortbread crust that doesn't have any dairy.

Even though this version is made vegan, it is made with simple ingredients that you'll be able to find at most grocery stores.

What lemons to use

You can use any kind of lemons that are in season or available in your area. Meyer lemons are a popular choice because they have a more mellow and sweet flavor, and they are generally available year-round.

Since we will be using the lemon peel in addition to the lemon juice, if you can find unwaxed lemons, they would be a great choice. If you can't however, simply make sure to wash and scrub your lemons well.

What you'll need to make this vegan lemon bar recipe

Gluten-Free Shortbread Crust Ingredients

gluten-free all-purpose flour: To create a gluten-free crust, I used a measure for measure gluten-free flour. I used this flour from King Arthur. You can substitute regular all-purpose flour if you don't have this on hand, or don't need the bars to be gluten-free.
I have not tested this recipe with other gluten-free flour and I cannot say if it will work with others. It definitely will not work with almond flour or coconut flour, so I do not recommend trying those.
vegan butter: use room temperature or melted vegan butter.
maple syrup: agave or honey will also work here.
vanilla extract
a pinch of sea salt

Lemon Curd Filling Ingredients

full fat coconut milk: refrigerate a can of coconut milk overnight. Then when you open the can, scoop out just the solid part that has formed on the top and measure out one cup of this. You will just be using this thick coconut cream and not the liquid part.
cashews: soak the cashews overnight in water to soften them. If you forget, you can also soak them in boiling hot water for 1-2 hours.
lemon juice: use fresh lemon juice instead of lemon juice extract.
lemon zest
maple syrup
granulated sugar: I used organic cane sugar. I recommend using any kind of white granulated sugar instead of brown sugar or coconut sugar.
vanilla extract
cornstarch
pinch of salt
turmeric powder: this gives the bars a little extra bright yellow color. However, it's totally optional and you don't have to add it if you don't have any.

Equipment needed

baking dish
a large mixing bowl
food processor
medium saucepan
a piece of parchment paper: to line the baking dish with
a whisk and a silicone spatula

The full ratios and nutritional information are at the bottom of the post in the recipe card. If you try and like this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and review as it really helps out my work 🙂

How to make these easy vegan lemon bars

Start by preparing the crust. Combine all of the crust ingredients in a medium bowl and mix them well.

Line a square baking pan with parchment paper and grease it with coconut oil.

Transfer the crust ingredients to the prepared pan. Use a measuring spoon or the flat bottom of a cup to press down on the crust to create a level bottom.

Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes at 350*F, until the edges of the crust are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature.

mixing lemon bar crust ingredients — combine all of the crust ingredients

adding crust ingredients to a baking pan — combine all of the crust ingredients

Take a fork and use it to poke holes all around the crust. Don't poke all the way to the bottom of the crust, just about halfway. This will help the crust and filling hold together better.

poking holes into a lemon bar shortbread crust — poke holes into the baked crust

While the crust is cooling, prepare the lemon filling.

To a blender, combine the coconut cream, cashews, lemon juice and zest, maple, sugar, vanilla, cornstarch, salt, and turmeric. Blend until super smooth and creamy.

Transfer the lemon filling to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir continuously and cook for 4-6 minutes, until the mixture starts to significantly thicken and darken in color.

mixing lemon bar filling ingredients — combine the filling ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth

pouring lemon bar filling into a saucepan — combine the filling ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth

Once it has thickened, pour the tangy-sweet lemon layer on top of the crust. Use a spatula to create an even layer.

transferring lemon bar filling into a baking pan — pour the lemon filling on top

leveling out the top of a lemon bar filling recipe before baking — pour the lemon filling on top

Refrigerate the lemon bars overnight, or for at least 6 hours, until the filling hardens fully.

Once the bars have set, take them out of the fridge and slice them into squares. Dust with a little powdered sugar and dig in!

This vegan version of classic lemon bars is the perfect dessert to make for any occasion! Even if you are new to vegan baking, you'll love this easy recipe and how simple it is to make!

These tangy bars are loosely inspired by the Starbucks lemon bars that are a popular treat. I'm a huge fan of recreating Starbucks-inspired bakery-style treats and I have created a few other copycat Starbucks recipes. If you are also a fan of the baked goods at Starbucks, you can try some of these other copycat recipes that I've made before:

If you liked this vegan lemon bar recipe, you might also like these other vegan recipes with lots of tangy lemon flavor

How to store this vegan lemon bars recipe

Store these lemon bars in the fridge in a covered container. You can either cut them up into small squares and place them in an airtight container, or store them in the baking tray and cover it in plastic wrap.

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