Vegan Lemon Bars (no bake!)
These easy Vegan Lemon Bars require less than 10 ingredients and 20 minutes of hands on time! They're sweet & tangy and best of all, super easy to make & require no baking! This is simply the best Lemon Square recipe around and it's perfect for picnics, Easter brunch, bridal showers and baby showers!
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups almond flour
- ¼ cup maple syrup sub agave
- ¼ cup vegan butter melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- pinch salt
Lemon Filling
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1¼ cup cane sugar
- 2 zested lemons
- ½ cup vegan evaporated milk sub full fat coconut milk
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder optional for color
Optional
- powdered sugar for dusting (double check for vegan!)
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- In a mixing bowl, add almond flour, maple syrup, melted butter and a pinch of salt. Mix until combined well. Mixture will look crumbly but hold together when pressed.
- Line a 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper and add crust mixture, using hands or a spatula to press the crust into the bottom of the dish until the based is covered and crust is even. Place in the fridge to chill while prepping the lemon curd.
Lemon Curd Filling
- To a medium saucepan, add cornstarch and lemon juice, whisking to combine until no clumps remain.
- Add the remaining lemon curd ingredients and place over medium heat, stirring well for 6-8 minutes until mixture starts to thickens, then remove from heat.
Assemble
- While still hot, pour the lemon curd over the prepared crust and smooth out top is necessary. Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours before slicing. When serving dust the top with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
Tips for making Vegan Lemon Bars
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- Use Fresh Lemon Juice. Do not use store bought lemon juice. You need the fresh citrus and zest to really make these zesty and delicious.
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- Let them chill. I know waiting is the hardest part, but as these cool down the lemon filling will fully set. Cutting into them too early will still be delicious, but the filling my not have fully set.
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- Line your baking dish. Line the baking dish you are using with parchment paper. These makes clean up even easier and allows for easy removal of the bars from the dish.
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- Cut like a pro! For clean, crisp squares, I recommend using a sharp knife and cleaning it with a damp cloth between every slice.