Lemon bars.
So elusive.
So tricky.
So very not vegan (or gluten-free)…until now.
Friends, vegan lemon bars (!!!) made with just 10 ingredients, naturally sweetened, and gluten-free! I know, I’m excited, too.
The almond-oat crust is adapted from my Peanut Butter and Jelly Snack Bars, and somehow ends up tasting reminiscent of graham cracker crust! It’s my new favorite thing, besides this über creamy filling.
The filling is comprised of soaked cashews, coconut cream, lots of lemon juice + zest, maple syrup, arrowroot starch (for thickening), and sea salt. That’s it!
I didn’t know what would happen if I blended it all up and baked it, but it turns out, it ends up tasting like a lemon bar with a cheesecake-like texture. SWOON!
Friends, you’re going to LOVE these bars! They’re:
Creamy
Rich
Lemony
Not too sweet
Simple
Surprisingly healthy
Portable
& Delicious
These would make the perfect dessert for so many things: Bridal showers (I know), baby showers (I know!), study dates (yass girl), office gatherings (the least exciting, but still really cool). Even if you don’t have anywhere special to be, these would make a delicious treat to have around the house for snacking (but watch out – you’ll want 2 or 3).
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment it, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends! Now excuse me while I dive into one of these magical bars.
Creamy Vegan Lemon Bars
Ingredients
FILLING
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup coconut cream* (the hardened portion at the top of full-fat coconut milk)
- 2 Tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (2 large lemons yield ~1/2 cup or 120 ml)
- 1 heaping Tbsp lemon zest (1 large lemon yields ~1 heaping Tbsp or 4 g)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (plus more to taste)
- 2 Tbsp organic powdered sugar (optional // for topping)
CRUST
- 1 cup gluten-free oats
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 4-5 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
Instructions
- Add raw cashews to a mixing bowl and cover with boiling hot water. Let rest for 1 hour (uncovered). Then drain thoroughly.
- In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Add oats, almonds, sea salt, and coconut sugar to a high speed blender and mix on high until a fine meal is achieved.
- Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and add maple syrup and melted coconut oil, starting with lesser end of range (4 Tbsp or 60 g as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and adding more if it’s too dry. Stir with a spoon to combine until a loose dough is formed. You should be able to squeeze the mixture between two fingers and form a dough instead of it crumbling. If too dry, add a bit more melted coconut oil.
- Transfer mixture to parchment-lined baking pan and spread evenly. Then place parchment paper on top and use a flat-bottomed object, such as a drinking glass, to press down firmly until it’s evenly distributed and well packed.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then increase heat to 375 F (190 C) and bake for 5-8 minutes more, or until the edges are golden brown and there is some browning on the surface. Remove from oven to cool slightly, then reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F (176 C).
- Once cashews are soaked and drained, add to a high speed blender with coconut cream, arrowroot starch, lemon juice, lemon zest, sea salt, and maple syrup. Mix on high until very creamy and smooth.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed. I added a bit more lemon zest and maple syrup. It should be very lemony, and not overly sweet.
- Pour filling over the pre-baked crust and spread into an even layer. Tap on counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake for 20-23 minutes or until the edges look very slightly dry and the center appears “jiggly” but not liquidy.
- Let rest for 10 minutes, then transfer to refrigerator to let cool completely (uncovered) – at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- To serve, slice and sift with powdered sugar (optional). Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, up to 4 days, though best within the first 2 days.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without organic powdered sugar.
*Crust adapted from my Peanut Butter and Jelly Snack Bars.
Jhoanne D. says
Hello, this looks amazing. My daughter have eggs, dairy and nuts (all types of nuts) allergy. What can I substitute cashew with for the filling?
Hi Jhoanne, You could try using silken tofu in place of the cashews and use this recipe as inspiration. Hope that helps!
Monica J Mcleish says
These lemon bars are TO DIE FOR! We took them to a picnic and everyone thought there were store bought (and had no idea they were both vegan AND gluten free).
I did add a lot more lemon juice/zest and maple syrup than the recipe calls for, but that’s my taste. I also added a lemon glaze on top (icing sugar mixed with lemon juice) then sprinkled with more zest as a finishing touch.
They are a new dessert staple for us – thank you, thank you!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Monica!
monica says
no worries
Danielle says
Hey! I have enjoyed your site for the past 2 yrs. I love your attention to detail and simplicity in real ingredients. These bars are so amazing! They remind me of cheesecake. The crust tastes like a cross between a shortbread and a graham. I have already made them 3 times! Thank you for sharing with us ?
Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review, Danielle! xo
Tanya says
These were insanely delicious. The crust was the perfect texture, not crumbly at all, the filling texture was firm and smooth, reminiscent of cheesecake. I’m making more today, it’s so good.
I made two substitutions: I ran out of coconut sugar, and used light brown sugar instead, and I used a butter flavoured coconut oil (vegan, GF, Organic).
Leigh says
Where did you get your butter flavored coconut oil?
Tanya says
From the bulk barn, it’s also on amazon, it’s Nutiva brand coconut oil.
Gali Manor says
Hi
I made this recipe few days ago and it was amazing so thank you!!!
Do you think it will go well if I replace the oats with quinoa flakes?
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Gali. We are so glad you enjoyed these! We think quinoa flakes might work- though you may need to compensate with a little more sweetener since oats have a slightly sweet flavor. Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Emily says
These look amazing! I’m going to make them for a party and have a few questions:
– Can I double the recipe and use a 9×13? If so, does the bake time need to be adjusted?
– Can I bake these 2 days before serving and store in the refrigerator? Will the crust get soggy or anything?
– Can canned coconut cream be used rather than the cream from a can of coconut milk? I saw some reviewers said that their filling curdled and they had used canned coconut cream.
Thank you!
Hi Emily, Doubling and using a 9×13 should work well! You may need to bake it a little longer, but just use your best judgment on that. We think it would be best fresh, but still work well if prepared 2 days ahead. As for the canned coconut cream- we aren’t sure as we haven’t tried that. We would say it is best to stick with coconut milk. If you are concerned about having extra coconut milk/liquid leftover, you can freeze the extra in an ice cube tray for adding to smoothies. Hope that helps!
Sarah Wolfhope says
These are absolutely delicious! I added juice from another half a lemon and 1/2 tbsp of arrowroot flour to counteract. I also doubled the zest, I like things very lemony.
Evangeline says
These look amazing and I’m planning to make them for a birthday coming up! What kind of almonds do you use? Raw, roasted, etc? Would almond flour work in its place?
Raw! I haven’t tried this with almond flour, but let me know how it goes!
Greg says
Just made these tonight! Delicious, next time I think I’ll add a little more lemon to kick up the tart taste! :)
Sophie says
Hi there! Is it possible to sub almond flour for the almonds in the crust? Also, would melted vegan butter work instead of coconut oil? Thank you!!
We haven’t tried those subs, but we think they should work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Dalibor Neuwirt says
Only the cream was the best heaven cashew, like the most insanely delicious lemon yoghurt on earth!
I must ate at least a half a cup of it before pouring on a crust.
Jk says
Soo delicious! My friends and hubby loved them :) I could not stop eating the lemon cream straight from the blender! I’m going to use it next time for fruit cups.
As for the bars, they definitely have a cheesecake texture. I may have slightly overbaked them (it was not jiggly in the center). Next time I will keep a closer eye on them to ensure a creamier texture!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, JK!
Eman says
I have made this recipe as is and loved it. I wanted to know if I could turn it into a vanilla “custard” fruit tart. Basically I do not want it to be lemon, but rather vanilla flavored. Can I sub the lemon juice with milk and add twice the vanilla flavor? Then I would just top with berries and a simple glaze. Just wondering if milk would affect the consistency/texture. Custard tarts sometimes taste eggy and so this eggless might work, your thoughts?
Hi Eman, here is our fruit tart recipe!
Kristen says
These are amazing! Vegans and non-vegans approved! Do you think these would freeze well?
Yes! Up to 1 month.
Chris says
I have a friend who is vegan that was coming over for dinner, and so I decided to make them for dessert. First off they were super easy to make. But more importantly…. the TASTE!!! They were lemony, but not too sweet, with the right amount of tang. The crust was tasty too. I only gave it 4 stars because I found the crust a bit too crumbly, but that could’ve been my fault and it just needed more oil to stick better. My friend loved them though, and demanded the recipe, so I thought I would leave a review and let you know they were a hit.
Thanks for sharing, Chris! For the crust, just be sure everything is incredibly well blended (fine texture), and pressed very firmly into the dish next time! So glad you enjoyed the flavors :)
Dyani says
Easy to follow and just delicious. The non vegans in the family actually thought it was a lemon cheesecake. I made this as my daughters birthday cake and the children who are normally used to unhealthy, sweet shop cakes absolutely loved this. Thank you.
Helen says
Perfect recipe. Thank you! Loved by my whole family, vegan and non vegan.
Jacinta says
Why is the prep time 5 hours? Also, any suggestions for a substitute for oats? Thanks super excited to try this recipe!
Hi Jacinta, the prep time includes soaking the cashews and chilling the bars. We haven’t tried a sub for the oats, but other readers have mentioned quinoa flakes have worked for them. Hope that helps! Enjoy!
Melissa A Bruney says
These look awesome!!! Do you have a substitute for the almonds? I have a sensitivity to them. Thx?
Hi Melissa, you could try walnuts! Hope that helps! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Kate.HP says
WOW. Great! I’ll make this again but call it cheesecake!
There was a bit more crust to filling ratio to my preference; next time I will take the filling up by 1.5 to see if that’s more the right balance for my taste.
I added a bit extra zest and syrup as you did in your notes. And made a simple strawberry coulis to go with.
I always have great faith in your recipes being top notch- you never disappoint!
Thanks for sharing, Kate!
Marina says
I have a bottle of lemon juice but no zest, would this still taste okay without the zest?
Hi Marina, we would definitely recommend the zest, if possible! They won’t have as much “zing” without it. But if you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes.
Robin says
My husband liked these but, it was a fail for everyone else :(
I followed the recipe exactly too.
Oh well, I need to find something else to do with all my lemons!
I do like most of your recipes though! :)
That’s odd. Did you follow the directions and ingredient suggestions, or did you make any modifications? Other people seem to enjoy these so much.
Lisa says
I am obsessed with these lemon bars! I’ve made them a few times now and they always turn out great! Love love love!
Jessie says
Really enjoyed these bars and would definitely recommend them. Super easy and delicious! I made a cherry coulis for ontop and it a nice addition but I liked them plain as well.
Rachael Hammett says
I made these for Easter dinner and they were super easy to make and delicious. We eat plant based but our guests who do not eat that way also thoroughly enjoyed them!
MW says
These look amazing! I’m on a plant based diet and also trying not to consume oil. Anything you can recommend instead of coconut oil in the crust, or thoughts on leaving it out? Would they syrup be enough to bind it together?
Thank you!
Hi! We haven’t tried it, but you may be able to sub melted coconut butter for the coconut oil to make these oil-free. If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes! Hope that helps!
Jules says
For any vegans reading the comments, I ran out of coconut oil and subbed Earth Balance soy-free and they turned out divine!
Kaitlin says
Hi! Just wondering if I could use olive oil instead of coconut oil? Thanks!
Hi Kaitlin, that might work, but we would expect the crust to be a lot more crumbly and not hold together as well. Hope that helps!
Madelyn says
Lemon is my absolute favorite flavor for desserts so I had to try this. I followed the recipe exactly and they came out AMAZING. The texture is extremely creamy and they are sooooo lemony!! I’m definitely making these for an upcoming dinner party.
Jenny says
Could you do the same recipe, but use lime juice and lime zest?
Here is our recipe for Lime Pie Bars!
Lorinda says
Would it be ok to substitute tapioca starch for the arrowroot starch?
That should work! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Laura says
This looks awesome. Is there another nut I can substitute for almonds in the crust? My son would love this but the almonds don’t agree with him. Thanks!
Hi Laura, you could try walnuts! Hope that helps! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Katie says
Hi, I’m making this for my class next week and was wondering if I can make the curd part ahead of time and stick it in the fridge for about 3 days before baking?
Hi Katie, we don’t think that would work because the filling solidifies in the fridge. You could potentially add more liquid to the blender when ready to pour the filling over the crust, but we aren’t sure if it would harden properly. If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Natalie says
These looks divine! Question though, are you able to taste the coconut cream in this or does the lemon mask it? I REALLY do not like the taste of coconut so I would hate to make these bars and then not be able to enjoy them.
Hi Natalie, to reduce the coconut taste in the crust, we would recommend using refined coconut oil. For the filling, we (and some readers) find that the lemon masks it. A potential option if you really don’t want to use coconut cream would be to sub in homemade almond milk that’s thicker than your usual batch (use less water). You can also add in a little olive oil to make up for the fat lost from the coconut. It won’t be the same, but that should help!
Lynnette says
This is an amazing recipe! Any cheesecake lover will enjoy this delectable dessert! Thanks so much for sharing!
I followed the recipe exactly, except for a couple of modifications – I added more maple syrup (I usually find when desserts are served cold they need a little more sugar to come through). I also added the lemon zest to the filling mixture after blending the filling (I enjoy the tiny bits of zest when I bite into the cheesecake). Thirdly I added vanilla extract to both the filling and crust, and lastly, I garnished with candied lemon zest. I can’t wait for my guests to try it! Thanks again!
Eman says
This is perfect but I cannot use cashews, would almonds work? Does the crust get soggy if baked a day ahead. Also I am scared of coconut cream. I once tried to whip it and it turned into a mess, it was like gray glue with water leaking out of it.
Hi Eman, we don’t think it would work to replace the cashews with almonds. You could try using silken tofu in place of the cashews and use this recipe as inspiration. Hope that helps!
Natalie Bartosek says
I agree that this is more like a cheesecake, but my party attendees agreed that it was the best vegan cheesecake they’d ever had. I whipped up an easy three-ingredient raspberry coulis to pour overtop instead of dusting with icing sugar. It was a total winner. Thanks Dana!
Cathy says
DELICIOUS!! This recipe needs to be renamed…THE BEST Vegan Baked Lemon Cheesecake. Who says that Vegans can’t enjoy cheesecake! I made it & intend to make it over & over again. I used honey in place of maple syrup and coconut sugar. I’ll be experimenting with other flavours, mango, strawberry, passionfruit or even chocolate.
Thanks so much, Dana!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Cathy. We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Jessica says
This recipe is so delicious and rich. The crust is wonderfully fragrant and moist. I added an extra half lemon of zest and the lemon filling was perfect. Unfortunately the filling curdled in the blender so they aren’t pretty. I’m not sure if I used the correct coconut cream or if I just blended it too long. Instead of taking it from coconut milk I just bought a can of pure coconut cream. I would love to make these again for sharing if I could prevent the curdling.
Lauren says
The same thing just happened to me! I also used the coconut cream in a can (not coconut milk). I hope they still taste okay….
Sóley Blanc says
Hi,
I want to make this for my family next weekend and I was thinking if I could add turmeric to the creamy mixture to make it more yellow?
Look so good can’t wait to try!
We aren’t sure that would work as it could impact the flavor. If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Ines says
I did it (just a little teaspoon goes a long way) and it turned out great, you couldn’t taste the turmeric at all :) I have to say that it wasn’t a particularly aromatic brando though.
Sadie says
Is honey an okay replacement for the maple syrup? If so, would you recommend using more than 1/4 cup?
Thanks!
Hi Sadie, we haven’t tried it, but think it should work! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
marie says
Those babies are so delicious ! Creamy and light texture and the crust is perfectly compact and tasty.
I made them so many times and my family loved them !! Thank you so much for sharing.
I know it’s random and I hope I am not too out of line with this question but I would love to make them with CBD oil. For the crust, do you think I can use 3 Tbsp coconut oil (melted) and 3 Tbsp of CBD oil can work ? (for 12 pieces)
Thank you for any advice, very appreciated.
Hi Marie, so glad you and the fam enjoy them! We don’t have any experience cooking with CBD oil and therefore do not have any advice on that.
Karishma Bharti says
Hi!
Do you think this would work as a pie/tart? Looks delicious!
We think that should work, though we haven’t tried it ourselves. Report back if you give it a try!
kshray says
I’m making this evening, is the lemon slice on top taw, candied or prepared some other way? Can you provide directions? Thanks!
Hi! The lemon slice is raw and just for garnish purposes. We don’t recommend eating it.
Michelle says
I made these and they were delicious! I used Meyer lemons and replaced the maple syrup in the filling with puréed dates. The color was not as pretty because of the dates, but they still tasted great.
Kathryn says
I made this last night because I love lemon bars! I was really pleased to find a vegan, less guilt about eating eggs. ? the recipe turned out great! I did add a little more lemon zest like you mentioned in the instructions. The only thing that would change is the name. I found it to have a more of a cheesecake type consistency than a true custard; again I know there’s no egg so that’s kind of hard to duplicate. But the taste was great all the same. I think I might try to cook it in a pie pan next time and use key lime instead of lemons. Key lime pie anyone?!?! ?? thanks for your wonderful recipes!
Vera says
This recipe is SO delicious! But I did experience the filling separating from the crust when I put a fork through it. I could actually take the whole filling section off the crust bottom of the piece that I had. Any way that you know to keep the filling glued to the crust? Otherwise, it’s amazingly yummy!
Hi Vera, hmm we haven’t had that happen! Did you make any modifications? Or wait a while between baking the crust and adding the filling?
sue says
Hi Dana! thank goodness i found this recipe. i love lemon bars and not only that it’s vegan and gluten free. i made the bars for Sunday after a hot circuit class at the hot yoga studio. Everyone love it. i had some left (i cut them into small squares) gave some to my friend and yoga teacher. they love it and i love it. thank you so much for the recipe.
John Plourd says
The original filling was gritty due to blending the cashews. Grinding the cashews into a paste before incorporating into the filling worked much better. I also flavored the crust with chinese five spice powder for flavor.
mary says
You didn’t blend your cashews long enough…don’t stop blending until it looks like cream.
Been making cashew cream for five years and never had a problem
Lisa says
How do you go with defrosting these? do they fall apart when not refrigerated?? I want to have them on display at a bridal shower but don’t want them to go leaky and too soft.
I’d recommend pulling them from the freezer and placing them in the refrigerator when you’re ready to defrost them.
JT says
Hi,
I was curious if you have a substitute for the cashews? My wife is allergic to them so I’m trying to figure out how to make this amazing recipe work. Would substituting almonds work?
You could try using silken tofu in place of the cashews and use this recipe as inspiration. Hope that helps!
Caroline says
One of the best dessert recipe I have made. I have tried it 3 or 4 times and it is delicious every single time. Also very easy to make.
Dayna says
Super Yum! I think they are more like cheese cake than lemon bars.
Lina says
This looks divine. I made it today and it was delightful, this is the first “ cake “ that I have eaten since I became vegan and it made my day thank you so much for sharing this recipe
Lina says
Unfortunately the Color un top was not yellowy but it was amazing so thank you again
Jennifer says
Just made these and we are in the sitting and waiting for them to cool in the refrigerator phase! Can’t wait to try these out, we are going crazy with our overly robust lemon tree here in San Diego! Thanks for the great vegan, gf and child friendly recipe!
meline says
What size should the baking sheet be ideally, to get the right crust to lemon ration once cut?
We used an 8×8″ inch baking dish and found it to work well.
Antoaneta says
This! Amazing!!! I followed the recipe to the T and it was perfect! The taste is OMG and everyone loved it. Definitely making it again. Thank you :)
Whoop! We are glad to hear that! :D
Adrienne says
Has anyone tried freezing it before baking or freezing at all? I was hoping to have it around over the holidays but just read the “best within 2 days” note ?
Thanks!!
PS. The filling tastes delicious!
Holly says
I have the same question, Adrienne! I want to make them for Xmas but today’s the only spare day have before then.
Johnny says
Can you explain the process for the lemon slices on top? Did you buy candied lemon slices or make your own? Do they go on the bars before or after baking?
Natasha says
I just finished these up this morning and had my first taste- the texture of both the crust and lemon topping are wonderful! (I added 2-3 more lemons worth of zest because I love lemony things)
The only thing I would change next time is to cut the filling in half so the bars are more of a 1/2 crust, 1/2 topping ratio. The crust would also be wonderful with some sort of chocolate/peanut butter/caramel mix on top I think ?
Great! Thanks for sharing, Natasha!
Jacqueline says
Could they be stored in the freezer, I want to cook ahead bf Christmas ;))
I am very pleased about the ingredients.. cant wait to taste them, but hopefully they are easily stored too?
Dana says
I made these last night and just tried the finished product. Delicious! Great balance of not too sweet not too tart. I was a bit worried because the unbaked filling was a bit chalky but once baked and chilled they are delightfully creamy. I candied lemon slices for the the top. I will definitely make these again. Thank you!
We are so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Dana :D
John says
I just made these for a holiday gathering where vegan, gluten-free, and no refined sugars are the call–a tall order in my book when it comes to yummy desserts. I was kind of freaking out along the way. Both the peculiar flavor of the cashew, coconut cream and lemon together, and the liquidy nature of the lemon filling had me worried. I used Meyer’s lemons and followed your advice to add more zest and a little more maple syrup. In the end, the crust was great as advertised, the filling set-up beautifully (closer to cheesecake than lemon curd), and after a night in the fridge, the flavors mellowed and came together nicely. My wife and daughter sampled them for me and both gave a thumbs up. We all appreciate that these aren’t too sweet. Thanks for a great recipe. I think they will be a hit!
ML Moore says
I’ve just made these, and they’re delicious. I love the crust. However my filling is less creamy, denser and therefore thinner on the crust than what your pix show. It’s actually thinner than the crust. What do you think I did?
Alex Walker says
These are AMAZING! After tasting the batter, I added the juice and zest of one more lemon and a touch more maple syrup. One friend said it was too tart, another said it was too sweet, but my son and all of his friends LOVED it! Thank you for this terrific recipe!
Emily says
Thank you for the lovely recipe! I tried these and substituted date sugar for the coconut sugar in the crust. Once baked, the crust crumbled apart. It was nice and doughy before baking. I’m wondering if the coconut sugar created the glue to keep the crust together. Do you think date syrup would be better?
It might, yes! We haven’t tried though and can’t say for sure. Let us know if you experiment!
Emma says
I am SUCH a dessert snob but these are SO good! I made this in a muffin tin with paper liners and put a half a thumb of fresh ginger and large pinch of powdered ginger in the crust! Fellow snobby friends and fam were impressed they were vegan /gluten free/refined sugar free! Thank you!
Mike says
Look great – haven’t made it yet so can’t comment on taste, etc… But OMG – look at the fat and sugar content PER bar! Diabetic dream/nightmare! What can we modify to reduce those?
Laura Thomson says
Hi Dana,
I’ve just made this and I’m very excited!! Ive loved every one of your recipes so far. We’ve basically only eaten your recipes for the last 3 months. I’m obsessed!!
But when I was making this my filling split when I was blending it, any ideas on why and how to stop it for next time?
Thank you :)
Hmm, I’m not sure what exactly you mean by split. Can you clarify?
Laura Thomson says
Hi Dana, its like it curdled. It was nice an creamy but the cashews weren’t quite blended down enough, so i blended it a little more and then it split.
It was really weird!
Eva says
Mine curdled as well – it was fine but then I blended it more because of the still slightly grainy texture and it just happened. I used coconut cream in a can. Somebody else mentioned this happened to them as well. I’m just baking the whole thing – hope it still tasted ok!
Katie says
I’m trying this out! First time making lemon bars vegan and I’ve been vegan for almost 2yrs! My lemon custard turned out very liquidity no matter what I did because there wasn’t any separation in my coconut cream. Still going to try baking and see what happens… yikes
Sarah Gooda says
This recipe is amazing. Apart from using vegetable oil instead of coconut I exactly followed the recipe and it is fabulous. Deliciously lemony and creamy cheese cake like topping and the base is amazing. I can’t believe how easy it was too. It wasn’t too sweet (I didn’t need to add extra maple syrup or lemon juice).
Ive made lots of your recipes now and I’m going to invest in the book.
Yay! We hope you love the cookbook, Sarah!
Karsta Lowe says
I LOVE this recipe….so fresh and not too sweet. Thanks @minimalistbaker for being the best.
Yay! We are so glad you enjoyed it, Karsta!
Emily says
Is there anything I could use as a substitute for the coconut cream? I just found out I’m allergic to coconut.
Hi Emily! You can sub in homemade almond milk that’s thicker than your usual batch (use less water). You can also add in a little olive oil to make up for the fat lost from the coconut. It won’t be the same, but that should help! Let me know if you give it a try.
Caroline says
Hi, Dana! I came across this beautiful recipe the other day and thought it’d be perfect for my mom’s birthday, which is coming up soon. I thought it would be really cute if it was in more of a tart form, rather than bars. So, my question is, would this recipe work in a 9-inch springform pie pan instead of a square baker? Do you think that I would have to make any adjustments to amounts of ingredients or baking time or would it be about the same? Thank you so much!
Hi Caroline! I think that should work, though we haven’t tried it ourselves. Report back if you give it a try!
Caroline says
Hi, Dana! I just wanted to check back in to say that these lemon bars worked beautifully in tart form- no adjustments required! I will definitely be making these again. Thank you!
Thanks for reporting back, Caroline! We are glad to hear that! :D
Virginia says
Thank you for a GF, dairy-free recipe for a long-time favorite! Made these today.
We like lemon bars super lemony, so I added lemon zest to the crust (about 1 Tbsp), and QUADRUPLED the lemon zest in the filling. Yum!
I used Thai Kitchen brand coconut milk for the coconut cream. Just chilled the can, opened from the bottom to pour off the coconut “water” (saved for another use), and then opened the other end to push out the solidified cream from the top. You get exactly 1 cup of cream from one can. :-)
Lesley says
Creamy deliciousness…
Lemon-y loveliness…
Absolutely sublime…
The crust is my new favourite and I will be using it for other bars. With a little coconut for Nanaimo bars… hey! I also added a little extra sweetener and lemon zest. The texture of the lemon layer is perfect! And the recipe easily can be changed. Next time I’m subbing raspberry puree fof the lemon juice and see where that leads me. Maybe with the thinnest layer of ganache on top… Amazing recipe! ??? Thank you!
richelle says
I love this recipe – so delicious, easy and quick to make. I used limes instead of lemons as my friend had an abundance of limes from her tree. I also baked this in a round spring form tin and called it a cheese cake rather than a slice. Made for friends after dinner it was enjoyed by all. I love being able to treat friends to plant-based versions of classic desserts so they realise adopting a plant-based diet doesn’t mean going without fun and delicious treats!
Yum! Fresh limes in this recipe sounds delicious, Richelle! Glad you enjoyed these bars :D
Eva says
Hi there, what would be better to use instead of a blender? nutri bullet or food processor?/both food processor for base and nutri bullet for the cream?
Am making these today :)
I’d say a nutri bullet. A food processor may not get the mixture as creamy.
Marina says
Made these last week and turned out sooooo good! All my friends loved them! And even if the cream separated, after a couple of hours in the fridge, the flavours combined perfectly. Thank you for the recipe!
Eva says
I made this and it’s the best vegan cake I’ve ever made. It tastes exactly like a baked cheesecake (and baked cheesecake is one of the few things I miss since going vegan). I was actually gobsmacked. I did not find it very coconut-y, the lemon masks it. It helps to have a very good blender to blend the cashews super smooth without any bits.
Can’t wait to make it for my whole family.
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing, Eva!
Nicole says
Nut free options?
For the crust, potentially crushed graham crackers? For the filling, I think you could use silken tofu in place of cashews for this recipe. Good luck!
Joelene says
Hi Minimalist Baker,
I just want to say your recipes are amazing!
I am going to attempt making these for my dinner party!
I don’t have cornstarch…. Is it a vital ingredient? – Can you advise what I could use instead?
Alex says
What would you recommend replacing the cashews with? as I am allergic to cashews :)
Hmm, silken tofu?
Penelope Lowder says
I’m allergic to nuts. Any suggestions for substitutions?
Possibly a crushed graham wafer crust in place?
Aurianna says
Can you replace almonds with finely ground almond flour? If so, would it be the same amount?
PJ Duke says
I have the same question as Aurianna about using almond flour vs almonds, but think I will just give it whirl and will report back…
PJ Duke says
I used almond flour with no changes in the recipe otherwise, and it was TERRIFIC!
Teresa says
I successfully made a nut-free version of these! I replaced the cashew cream with the same amount of the firmest silken tofu I could find. For the crust I used pumpkin seeds in place of the nuts and I also added about 5 soaked pitted dates to help bind it. I did have to bake the cheesecake longer, and pre-baking the crust wasn’t necessary. My husband (who is allergic to nuts) absolutely loved them!
Yay! Thanks for sharing your results, Teresa!
Susan Dilger says
I admit I love LEMON almost as much, if not more, than CHOCOLATE! There…. I said it! Had been dying to make these and they turned out perfect. I added a bit more lemon juice after tasting, but next time think I’ll up it to 3/4 cup (and adjust the sweetness). I really like them tart! ** I’m going to cut up the pan into squares and freeze the remainder so I don’t make my way through them in a week. They are little fat bombs, after all. Thanks, Dana for a fabulous recipe!!!!!
Dana E. says
Just popped this in the oven. The base is soooo delish, what happens if I put this in the ice cream maker? Would it work for ice cream?
We have not tried and can’t say for sure! If you give it a try, report back!
Jo says
Hi there, could you used 100% oats for the base? I just find many vegan desserts too rich with the amount of nuts and seeds used. I am on the hunt for lower fat vegan desserts ? X thanks in advance!
Hi Jo! We haven’t tried that and can’t say for sure, but if you try, report back!
Jo-Anne says
Every person who tried these (including my family of extreme skeptics of whole-food vegan baking) loved them, to the extent that the dozen bars I saved to take to work shrank to four overnight, and I had to make another batch.
Tweaks:
I doubled the batch for a 9×13″ Pyrex pan, and used a couple of tbsp of rice flour to consolidate the somewhat crumbly crust, rather than adding more coconut oil. Worked like a charm.
I have been searching for a really good vegan lemon bar recipe. You have answered my prayers. Thank you!
P.S. Like Jen, I’d love a good use for the leftover coconut milk, especially one I could make in tandem with the lemon bars so it’s not sitting in the fridge for too long.
Jo-Anne says
Sorry- Jenn!
Yay! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe, Jo-Anne!
Madison says
Use it to make vegan ranch!
Roni says
I’ve enjoyed so many of your other recipes, I’m excited to make a few batches of these for Easter this weekend (big family gathering). One thing, though, do you have a suggestion for a sugar substitute for someone with diabetes? My mother was recently diagnosed and loves lemon deserts. I’d like to make a batch with her in mind. I’m very skilled now at vegan/gluten-free baking, but have never had to go “sugar free” to accommodate diabetes… I tried a couple diabetic recipes I found around Christmas that used stevia and all I can say is scary and gross :-( I’m tempted to try one of those sugar-free syrups that you can buy for coffee flavoring and such as a 1:1 ratio for the maple syrup… I know it would be artificial, but I’m trying to think of her health/enjoyment.. Any ideas?
Hi Roni! Stevia would be your best bet here. Either that or dates if you can do dates. If so, add a few to taste and go from there. But otherwise my go-to would be powdered stevia. Start with a little bit – too much and it takes on a chemicaly flavor. Hope that helps!
Roni says
Thank you so much for your feedback. I tried the Stevia – wasn’t a fan of the aftertaste, but I experimented a bit more (expensive experimenting!) and found a combo that was perfect. I couldn’t even tell the difference between the ones true to the recipe and the ones that were artificially sweetened and I always taste fake sugar! I made both types for my large family gathering last week. My family members who need to watch their sugar intake really appreciated it.
I replaced the maple syrup 1:1 with Torani’s Sugar-free Vanilla syrup (the stuff you put in coffee). I replaced the coconut sugar 1:1 with regular Splenda (not the baking blend).
**It wasn’t completely sugar free due to the coconut cream, but it brought down the per serving sugar count into an acceptable range for a diabetic dessert (or so my mom said ). I think it was 16 when we put the recipe with the changes into a nutrition calculator.
Thank you again!
Alexa Noe' says
Very excited to make this for easter!! I don’t have a high-speed blender, could I use a food processor or a normal blender that I use for shakes and stuff?
Thanks so much, I’ve been following for a while now:)
PERFECT Easter recipe! Food processor should work!
Jenn says
Man, oh man! These were fanfreakingtastic. The filling was so creamy and lemony and I very much enjoyed taste testing this.
Two things:
– I found that the filling really came together in my nutribullet (I don’t own a vitamix, and my food processor isn’t too fancy).
– what is a good use of the leftover liquid with the coconut cream?
Thank you thank you for this bomb recipe!
Louise says
I made these today. OMG, they were so delicious. Perfect balance of sweet and sour. I didn’t have corn starch so used tapioca instead. They were a hit with my 3 sons. Will be definitely making again. ?
Ricardo says
I made these for a southern Indian dinner and they were a hit. I used more coconut oil in the crust to get it to stick together. Otherwise, I followed the directions with no modifications and it came out perfectly.
I think next time I’ll try Coconut nectar as the sweetener. Thank you for this, it came along just when I needed it. It will be in my rotation.
Ricardo says
One other change; I added turmeric to the filling to get a creamy yellow lemony color, worked great. Thank you
Hilary says
For those of us who may have used our only can of coconut milk on one of your curries, is there a recommended (vegan) substitute for the coconut cream? (Just in case I don’t want to wait until my next grocery trip…)
Teresa says
I was looking for a lemon bar recipe that had the consistency of a blondie, because I remember having one once and I wanted to find a vegan version. I stumbled upon this recipe and decided to make it.
They came out fantastic! I love the texture so much. I used walnuts instead of almonds, and I think my crust was a little less sweet because of that, so when I eat them I just drizzle a little maple syrup over the top and let it soak into the crust as it runs off the sides. So delicious.
My husband is allergic to nuts, so these are just for me this time. I’ll have to try to make a nut free version with silken tofu, as you suggested in the other comments. I’ll probably use sunflower or pumpkin seeds in the crust.
Raquel says
I made this for my non vegan family for dessert last night. We all loved these bars! Healthy which seems unheard of for lemon bars, not too sweet, and filling. The crust is perfect! I would make these a million times again!
Yuri Kustov says
These are delicious! When I make them again, I’ll cut the recipe for the crust in half – I found the recipe as written yielded a 1:1 crust to filling ratio, and I like a thinner, crispy crust to complement the creamy filling. I also found these great dried lemon slices at Trader Joe’s that I am topping these with so that they look as beautiful as the bars in your photos. Thanks Dana!
Cerulean says
I like this recipe. I made it with pre-sweetened coconut cream, as that’s what I had on hand, and omitted the maple syrup in the filling. I think next time I would use unsweetened coconut cream and double the lemon zest.
Christina S. says
I made these a few weeks ago and loved them! Lemon bars are my favorite dessert and I love trying different variations of the recipe. This week I switched out the lemon/zest for half cup of cookie butter (vegan) and kept the recipe the exact same overwise. They turned out so good!
Tuesdé says
Hey there. My dad has a sensitivity to cashews. Would walnuts be an okay substitute?
Thanks!
Hi Tuesdé! You could try using silken tofu in place of the cashews and use this recipe as inspiration.
Katherine says
Hi Dana,
Your Lemon Bars recipe is fantastic.
I would love to feature this in our website, Greenthickies. I will not be posting the actual recipe but will use only one image from this post and a small quote and link back here.
Is that okay?
Thanks :)
Katherine,
Greenthickies