Vegan Lemon Bars

These easy Vegan Lemon Bars are an impressive dessert for any occasion. They are just like traditional lemon bars, just made dairy-free!

The bright lemony flavors are a huge hit in the summer, but these bars are so easy and delicious you’ll want to make them year-round.

This recipe comes together with my Easy Vegan Pie Crust and a few basic pantry staple ingredients.  For a different crust option, try my Vegan Graham Cracker Pie Crust. Both of these crusts can be made gluten-free with just one ingredient swap so you can easily have gluten-free lemon bars, too!

More vegan recipes for lemon lovers:

• Easy Vegan Lemon Cookies
• Roasted Chickpea Lemon Pasta
• Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
• Lemon Basil Hummus
• Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Allergy-friendly – These vegan lemon squares are egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and easy to make gluten-free, too. They’re the perfect dessert for when you need to accommodate multiple allergies.
• Perfectly tart – These lemon bars are the perfect balance of tart lemony flavor and just the right amount of sweet.
• Simple ingredients – This recipe uses only basic pantry staples, so you won’t need to make a specialty trip to make these bars.

Ingredients

• Lemon juice – Fresh-squeezed or bottled will do the trick.
• Lemon zest or Lemon extract – If you are using fresh lemons to make fresh lemon juice, you can use the zest of 1 large lemon in place of the lemon extract.
• White sugar* – You can swap with brown sugar for a slightly different flavor. Just make sure to select a vegan variety of either sugar (see notes). 
• Non-dairy milk – I have made these with both coconut milk and oat milk, and they’ve turned out great both ways. Use whatever non-dairy milk you prefer. You can swap for coconut cream for a slightly different flavor, but the structure is not needed for this recipe. 
• Corn starch – This helps thicken the lemon mixture, giving it shape and hold. Swap for arrowroot starch if desired. 
• Turmeric – This is optional, but a pinch helps to bright out the bright yellow color.
• Easy Vegan Pie Crust – You’ll use 1/4 of the pie crust recipe for a single batch, so if you double this recipe, make sure to double the crust, too! You can easily swap this for store-bought pie crust to make your life easier. 

​Helpful Equipment

​In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:

• ​9 x 9 baking dish
• high-walled sauté pan

How to Make These Easy Lemon Bars

​This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make the Easy Vegan Pie Crust by combining all ingredients and kneading until a cohesive dough has formed. You will only be using 1/4 of the full recipe. So set the rest aside to make Pie Crust Cookies, or only use 1/4 of the ingredients to avoid leftover dough. 

Press the dough into the bottom of a 9 x 9″ baking dish. Do not bake the crust. 

​It is optional to line your baking dish with parchment paper if you prefer to remove the lemon bars from the baking dish before cutting. I usually serve the bars right from the dish, so I skip this step. 

To make the filling, add all ingredients into a high-walled sauté pan or large sauce pan while at room temperature. Do not heat the liquid before fully dissolving the cornstarch or it will form clumps that you will have to strain out of the mixture.

You can mix all of the ingredients in a medium bowl then transfer them to the pan, but I find that mixing them right in the pan is the best way – just as easy and less mess to clean. 

Once all of the ingredients are mixed, heat the mixture over medium heat until it begins to bubble and thicken. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens or it will burn. Once the mixture starts to thicken, stir for 1-2 more minutes until it is thick enough to stick to a silicone spatula when scooped. Remove from heat.

Pour the mixture over the uncooked crust in the prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread the mixture into an even layer. 

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.

Allow the bars to cool and set for at least 30-60 minutes at room temperature before cutting. For best results, allow the bars to come to room temperature then cover the baking dish in plastic wrap and refrigerate the bars for one hour. 

Dust the lemon bars with powdered sugar, slice, serve, and enjoy!

Variations

To make these lemon bars gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free flour blend when making the pie crust. 

Add a dash of vanilla extract for a bit of savory to balance the citrus fruits. 

How to Store

• Fridge: These lemon bars will last up to 5 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container.

More Tips

• Not Vegan? Use dairy milk instead of plant milk
• Gluten-Free? Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour replacement for the pie crust, or your favorite gluten-free pie crust recipe and you’re all set. Make sure to opt for a gluten-free plant milk as well.

FAQ