When life gives you lemons.... make the yummiest, lemoniest, lemon bars ever! These from scratch, lip smacking, tangy dairy-free lemon bars on a buttery shortbread crust are the perfect combination of citrusy, tart & sweet.
Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. However you can find important tips/tricks in the post like how to store, reheat and substitutes.
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Ingredients
Lemons are inexpensive, easy to find and are a kitchen essential that we use in everything from salad dressing, cocktails, desserts to tofu marinades and pasta dishes.
Fresh Lemons - we recommend using fresh lemon juice and zest. You can also substitute other citrus fruit like limes or oranges.
Lemon Juice - about 8/10 large lemons.
Oat Milk - since this recipe doesn’t use any eggs we use milk to help with a smooth, creamy curd.
Cornstarch - to help thicken the filling.
Turmeric - for vibrant yellow color.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8 by 8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
Making Shortbread Crust
Step 2: In a medium bowl, add together the vegan butter, sugar and salt. Add the flour and stir until combined. The dough will be thick.
Step 3: Press into pan, evenly and firmly. Bake for 16-18 minutes until the edges are very lightly browned. Set aside.
Prepare Vegan Curd Filling
Step 4: Prepare cornstarch slurry. Warm 8 tablespoons of water. Whisk 8 tablespoons of cornstarch into and mix until mixture is smooth and lump free. Set aside.
Step 5: Zest and juice lemons
Step 6: In a medium saucepan add oat milk, sugar, cornstarch slurry and turmeric. Whisk well until sugar is dissolved.
Step 7: Next whisk in lemon juice and lemon zest. Stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens.
Prepare For Baking
Step 8: Pour filling over the crust. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator for an additional 1-2 hours, or overnight, until set.
Step 9: Lift the bars out of the pan with the parchment paper, dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares.
Step 10: Leftover bars will keep for up to 1 week in a covered container in the refrigerator. They freeze well, too.
How To Avoid Lumpy Lemon Curd?
It’s important to watch your heat. If you make your curd over a too high cooking eye or don’t stir it regularly as it cooks, you may find that it gets a little lumpy.
How To Make Crust Without Almond Flour
A lot of recipes use almond flour for their shortbread crust. This recipe however is a dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, vegan and gluten-free recipe.
The crust is actually just made from all purpose gluten-free flour, vegan butter, sugar and salt. Just blend together in a bowl or food processor and press into your pan. That’s it! Crust is done!
Storage
How Long Will Your Vegan Lemon Bars Keep?
The powdered sugar will melt after refrigerating.
- To Store. The leftover bars will keep for about a week in the fridge. Store in airtight covered container.
- To Prepare in Advance. Yes you can prepare and day or two in advance. They also freeze really well.
Great Vegan Summer Desserts
- Vegan Lemon Cupcakes
- Hibiscus Strawberry Vegan Ice Cream
- Vegan Gluten-free Strawberry Shortcake
- 25 Easy Vegan Gluten-free Summer Dessert Recipes
📖 Recipe
Dairy-Free Lemon Bars (Vegan Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Zester
- Parchment Paper
- Citrus Squeezer/Juicer
- At minimum 8 by 8 inch baking dish
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- ½ cup Dairy-free butter - soften
- ¼ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 cup All purpose gluten-free flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Vegan Lemon Curd
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest - it’s easier to zest first & then juice your lemons
- 1 cup Lemon juice - about 8/10 large lemon
- 1 ¼ cups Granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups Oat milk
- 8 tablespoons Cornstarch - can sub using 9 tablespoons of tapioca starch
- ⅛ teaspoon Turmeric - optional for color
For Serving
- Powdered sugar - for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8 by 8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
Making The Crust
- In a medium bowl, add together the vegan butter, sugar and salt. Add the flour and stir until combined. The dough will be thick.
- Press into pan, evenly and firmly. Bake for 16-18 minutes until the edges are very lightly browned. Set aside.
Prepare Curd Filling
- Prepare cornstarch slurry. Warm 8 tablespoons of water. Whisk 8 tablespoons of cornstarch into and mix until mixture is smooth and lump free. Set aside.
- Zest and juice lemons
- In a medium saucepan add oat milk, sugar, cornstarch slurry and turmeric. Whisk well until sugar is dissolved.
- Next whisk in lemon juice and lemon zest. Stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens.
- Pour filling over the crust. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator for an additional 1-2 hours, or overnight, until set.
- Lift the bars out of the pan with the parchment paper, dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares.
- Leftover bars will keep for up to 1 week in a covered container in the refrigerator. They freeze well, too.
Nutrition
These nutritional figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe.
Pin For Later!
Be sure to check out more of our plant-based desserts.
What questions do you have? Leave us your questions/comments below or on Instagram at #thevgnway.
If you give this gluten free vegan recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, or take a picture and tag us on Instagram at #thevgnway.
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The Vgn Way
Nicole
I'm wondering if the cornstarch can be substituted for arrowroot.
Shad Wright
hm. possibly, but we don't know what the ratio would be. definitely let us know if you try subbing it and how it turns out.
Megan
These were the perfect balance of sweet and tart and the crust was so buttery.