These refreshing vegan lemon bars are the perfect easy summer dessert! The recipe features a gluten-free crust made from oat and almond flour and a simple no-bake filling! Chill, cut, and enjoy! Vegan Glutenfree Soyfree Recipe
Calling all lovers of lemon desserts! These lemon bars are the summer dessert you have been waiting for! Vegan Lemon Bars!!. They have a crunchy base and a rich and creamy lemon filling that you will love!
I love that this lemon bar recipe takes only minutes to assemble. The crust needs to bake in the oven for 12 minutes but the filling is no-bake. So from there, you can just let the fridge or freezer do its thing until the cashew filling hardens.
I don’t even need to whip out my food processor to make the crust, which is a really simple mix of oat flour (use gluten-free if needed), almond flour, flax meal, and maple syrup. It tastes like a traditional cookie crust. Try it -you’ll love it!
For the filling, I use nutribullet and blend it for half a minute then let it sit for 5 mins the. Blend again. I repeat this 3-4 times and it works out well for soaked cashews. If your blender doesn’t make a smooth cashew blend, use a high-speed blender as we need to blend cashews until very smooth. 4-6 hours of soaking is ideal for making cashew-based desserts. If you are pressed for time, soak the cashews for 15 minutes in hot water.
The rich and creamy blend of coconut cream with lots of lemon juice and zest makes the filling taste like lemon curd! So delish – no judgment if you grab a spoon and enjoy some straight from the blender.
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Recipe Card
Creamy Vegan Lemon Bars (Gluten-free)
Ingredients
Crust:
- 3/4 cup (90 g) oat flour plus 2 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup (60 g) almond flour
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar or any granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon flax seed meal mixed with 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
For the filling:
- 1 cup (130 g) raw cashews soaked in hot water for at least an hour
- 1 cup (240 g) coconut cream
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch , optional
- 1 tbsp lemon zest zest of a lemon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) lemon juice
Instructions
- In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients for the crust and mix well.
- Then add in the maple syrup and flaxseed milk mix. Press and mix to a make a dough. Press this dough into a parchment-lined 9x5 inch loaf pan and even it out. You can also use an 8x8 inch brownie pan.
- Bake in a 350 Fahrenheit (180c) oven for 12-14 minutes or until the center is starting to firm up.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. Blend the drained cashews, coconut cream, corn starch, lemon zest, salt, sugar, and lemon juice until very smooth. You want to blend it at least 3 or 4 times for atleast 30 seconds for the cashews to break down into smooth cream. Taste and adjust sweetness.
- Pour this mixture onto the baked crust. Even it out. Then place in the fridge to set. You can also put it in the freezer for an hour so that it's easier to slice.
- Remove it from the freezer and slice it into slices, and serve!
- You can store it in the refrigerator for 5 days. And freeze for upto 2 months. Thaw on the counter for 15-20 mins before serving
Video
Notes
- Coconut cream substitute , use 1/2 cup cashews and 1/2 cup non dairy yogurt. So the recipe now has a total of 1.5 cups cashews
- To make without oats, use regular all purpose flour or a gf blend for Glutenfree
- You can buy whole cans of coconut cream or you just put a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge and spoon off the solid cream that gathers on top.
- Make sure to use raw unsalted cashews and that you properly soak them. If you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, you won't require that much soaking time as the mixer is powerful enough to break them down.
- You can top the bars with coconut whip, lemon slices, and more lemon zest if you’d like.
- Cashew sub: you can use 1 cup coconut cream instead. The flavor of coconut will be strong
Nutrition
Ingredients:
- crust: a mix of oat flour and almond flour sweetened with cane sugar and maple syrup.
- Homemade flax egg made from flax meal and non-dairy milk helps hold the crust together
- filling: a vegan cheesecake like base made of cashews, coconut cream, sugar, and cornstarch
- flavor: we use both lemon zest and lemon juice to make these lemon bars taste really lemony
Tips:
- You can buy whole cans of coconut cream or you just put a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge and spoon off the solid cream that gathers on top.
- For individual vegan lemon bars make these in mini muffin pans.
- Make sure to buy raw unsalted cashews and that you properly soak them. If you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, you won’t require that much soaking time as the mixer is powerful enough to break them down.
- You can top the bars with coconut whip, lemon slices, and more lemon zest if you’d like.
How to make Vegan Lemon Bars:
In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients for the crust and mix well.
Then add in the maple syrup and flaxseed egg. Press and mix to form a dough.
Press this dough into a parchment-lined 9×5 inch loaf pan and even it out. You can also use an 8 x8 inch brownie pan.
Bake in a 350 Fahrenheit (180c) oven for 12-14 minutes or until the center is starting to firm up.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Blend the drained cashews, coconut cream, corn starch, lemon zest, salt, sugar, and lemon juice until very smooth. You want to blend it at least 3 or 4 times for the cashews to break down into a smooth cream. Taste and adjust sweetness.
Pour this mixture onto the baked crust. Even it out. Then place in the fridge to set. You can also put it in the freezer for at least an hour so that it’s easier to slice.
Once it’s somewhat frozen, remove the bars from the freezer and slice into square slices and serve!
Storing vegan cheesecakes
You can store it in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Brenda
These are too good. I made them twice in a week. My only change was using limes instead of lemons since my tree was fruiting. I used the regular flour option. Thank you for so much delicious food!!!
Vegan Richa Support
Very glad you enjoy! 🙂
Diane
Is it possible to make these without the processed sugar? Could I substitute with maple syrup?
Vegan Richa Support
Some kind of granulated sugar (coconut sugar is a good alternative) is best for just the right consistency. You can try adding 1 tablespoon more maple syrup, but I wouldn’t add more than this.
Becca
Can you use Monkfruit or Stevia? Sugar and Maple Syrup is a lot of sugar.
Vegan Richa Support
Yes, you can use whichever sugar substitute you prefer. But note these will slightly change the taste and texture of the bars.
Dianne
Hi Richa, just wondering about these not being baked? I have recipe – creamy Began Lemon Bars and this recipe has baked filling. Very nice too I might add. I have made it many times and people always rave about it. I sent this link to people but now I’m confused as this is a non bake filling, it has pretty much the same ingredients as this recipe could I bake this one? Why the change from baked to not baked? Just curious. Love your recipes, thank you.
Richa
The lemon flavor is much stronger and fresher when not baked.
Charlene kinne
I would love to try this but I can’t eat cashews. Would almonds work instead?
Vegan Richa Support
not in this recipe – in the ****Notes section read: Cashew sub: you can use 1 cup coconut cream instead. The flavor of coconut will be strong
Laura Rohrsen
These vegan lemon bars are AMAZING!!! I like them better than regular ones! Thank you Richa❤️❤️❤️❤️
Vegan Richa Support
wow ❤️❤️
Sophia
Is it possible to replace flax seed for chia seed?
Vegan Richa Support
We have not tested this replacement. The flax is a substitute for an egg to hold the crust together, while chia seeds are more of a thickening agent.
JoAnn
These lemon bars are sooo good! I used Meyers Lemons for amazing flavor. I also made a raspberry sauce and drizzled it over them.
Vegan Richa Support
those are the best!
Laura Rohrsen
Great idea with the raspberry sauce!! I am taking these to a friend’s tomorrow & will definitely add that!
Sue
Yummy! Thank you so much for this great recipe!
Richa
❤️❤️
Sue Pike
Is Flax Meal the same as ground flax seeds? I have Flax Seeds, that I usually grind and add water to for the egg. Do I nead ‘meal’?
Richa
Yes they are the same. If you buy pre ground flax seeds they are labeled as flax seed meal
Sue
Thanks so much! About to make them!
Lucy
I have an allergy to almonds. Any ideas to substitute almond flour would be appreciated.
Vegan Richa Support
all purpose will be fine or all oat
Sameera Iqbal
I love your recipes. Wow this looks delicious!! What can I sub for coconut cream which is too high in saturated fat for me to consume?
Vegan Richa Support
a vegan whipped cream would work or 1.5 cups cashews and 1/2 cup yogurt
Kelsey Southerland
Just wanted to clarify. If subbing cashews for the coconut cream you would add an additional 1.5 cups of cashews with the dairy milk, correct? So your total cashew load would be 2.5 cups?
Richa
No that’s the total. So use 1/2 cups of cashews and the yogurt to substitute 1 cup coconut cream. I’ll make that clear
sophia
Its so yummy
Vegan Richa Support
Awesome! Please do add a rating when you make again!
Lisa
What is the function of the corn starch here? I thought corn starch will only thicken up if it is boiled. Thanks.
Afsan
I have the same question! Maybe to absorb extra liquids?
Richa
It smooths out the texture more , it’s easily omitted. You might not notice the difference
Franny Holly
Opting out of cornstarch, because it’s processed with sulfites, which I can’t tolerate. Good to know it’s function, tho. Thanks!
Richa
Yes it’s easily omitted
Carol
Can you use a block of creamed coconut.?
Vegan Richa Support
sure – you just need to make it thick liquidy texture like the coconut cream is (1 cup equivalent)
sunnysusan
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe, I love lemon anything. Can you give me an idea what the item is that gives iron based on the nutritional information? I appreciate you so much, your blog is always so informative.
Vegan Richa Support
thank you. maple syrup but the oat flour and cane sugar also have a little iron as well
Emily
These were Ahmazing!! So creamy and so fresh!
Richa
❤️❤️❤️
Maryanne Zahra
Hello what a great recipe, I love anything with lemon. I was looking at the nutritional information and can you tell me what is the item that is giving the iron?? Thank you so much, I love your blog, it’s always so informational.
Richa
Oats and nuts both have some iron
Maryanne Zahra
Thank you so much for your quick response, you are wonderful
Jane
These look fabulous! However, I cannot eat coconut…..I wonder what could replace the coconut cream?
Increase cashews and use a bit of plant milk to blend….?
A rich plant yogurt….?
I need to experiment! 😉
Richa
Yes use 1.5 cups cashews and 1/2 cup yogurt
Geraldine Pike
Hi there Richa
This recipe looks amazing want to try it, i only have 1 concern the cornstarch do not set when not cooked.
I have made marinades with cornstarch and it always sinks to the bottom even after some time. I find that
cornstarch has to be cooked till it starts to cream up. Is there a better alternative.
Jane
You are right….I didn’t think about that. I wonder if a bit of xanthum gum might work…? 🤔
Richa
It might. Just blend long enough for the mixture to be smooth and creamy and it will work just fine and you won’t need cornstarch or xanthan
Richa
It’s a thick cream so nothing settles . You can omit it. It just helps make the cream a bit more smooth. A good blender will solve that
Lulu
These were excellent. I love all your recipes as I don’t have to worry if it’s a “good” one. Thanks for doing all the work. I know everything from you will be great! (And for Pete’s sake, commenters, don’t give a recipe four stars if you haven’t made it yet🙄)
Richa
Yay awesome!
Pat
This is just what i have been needing! Please tell me more about coconut whip, how to…any particular recipe. Thanks!
Richa
You can buy whole cans of coconut cream or you just put a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge and spoon off the solid cream that gathers on top. 1 can will give you about a cup
Jean
This looks really good to make for my daughter’s birthday! Does 1 can of full fat coconut milk have enough cream to separate for this recipe?
Richa
Yes it does! I used just 1 can
carole N.
Is Cream of coconut an ok sub for coconut cream or would it be too sweet?
Richa
It would be too sweet and also will change texture.get a can of full fat coconut milk and refrigerate it fir a few hours open the can and scoop the hard white cream on top and use