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.
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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.
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Ingredients
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.
Detailed ingredients, measurements, and instructions are provided at the end of this post in the printable recipe card. This recipe has not been tested with substitutions or variations not listed. If you make any changes, please share your results in the comments!
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 8 by 8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
Making Shortbread Crust
Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and salt. Using a hand mixer, add the vegan butter to the sugar and cream together until smooth. Add the flour in ⅓ increments and stir until combined. The dough will be thick and slightly wet to touch.
Step 3: Press the dough into the pan, evenly and firmly. Here you can sprinkle a little flour on the dough as you spread it out if needed. You may also coat your fingers with some flour to help spread the dough. Bake for 20-23 minutes until the edges are very lightly browned. Set aside.
Prepare Vegan Lemon Curd Filling
Step 4: In a bowl or measuring glass, add ½ cup of water. Take a fork and stir 8 tablespoons of cornstarch into the water. You can add 1 tablespoon at a time and mix in between until mixed well. The mixture should be smooth. Set aside
Step 5: Zest and juice lemons
Step 6: In a medium saucepan over medium low heat add oat milk, sugar and turmeric.Whisk well until sugar is dissolved. Next whisk in lemon juice and lemon zest.
Step 7: Take the cornstarch slurry and give it a mix (just to make sure the cornstarch and water is mixed well) then add it to the saucepan and continue whisking until well incorporated for about 2 minutes. Mixture will quickly thicken. Remove from heat once it has thickened.
Prepare For Baking
Step 8: Pour filling over the crust. Bake for 20-23 minutes, until the edges are set and there is less jiggle. If the mixture is too jiggly in the center when you go to start taking it out of the oven let it cook a few minutes longer. Once the edges are set and there is less jiggle remove it from the oven.
Step 9: Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator for an additional 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. It cuts easier using a knife that’s been run under hot water.
Step 10: Leftover bars will keep for up to 1 week in a covered container in the refrigerator. They freeze well, too.
Recipe FAQ's
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.
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?
- To Store. The powdered sugar will melt after refrigerating. 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
- Blueberry Lavender Lemonade
- Hibiscus Strawberry Vegan Ice Cream
- Vegan Gluten-free Strawberry Shortcake
- 25 Easy Vegan Gluten-free Summer Dessert Recipes
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram and Pinterest!
📖 Recipe
Dairy-Free Lemon Bars (Vegan Gluten-Free)
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Zester
- Parchment Paper
- Citrus Squeezer/Juicer
- 8x8 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 a 8 by 8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
Making The Crust
- In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and salt. Using a hand mixer, add the vegan butter to the sugar and cream together until smooth. Add the flour in ⅓ increments and still until combined. The dough will be thick and slightly wet to touch.
- Press into dough into the pan, evenly and firmly. You can sprinkle a little flour on the dough as you spread it out if needed. Or coat fingers with some flour to help spread dough.
- Bake for 20-23 minutes until the edges are very lightly browned. Set aside.
Prepare Curd Filling
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, add 1:2 water. Take a fork and stir 8 tablespoons of cornstarch into water. You can add 1 tablespoons at a time and mix in between until mixed well. Set aside.
- Zest and juice lemons
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat add oat milk, sugar and turmeric. Whisk well until sugar is dissolved. Next whisk in lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Take the cornstarch slurry and give it a mix then add to saucepan and continue whisking until well incorporated for about 2 minutes. Mixture will quickly thicken. Remove from heat once it has thickened.
- Pour filling over the crust. Bake for 20 - 23 minutes until the edges are set and there is less jiggle. Once the edges are set and there is less jiggle remove from oven.
- Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer to refrigerator for an additional 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
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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.
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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.