These vegan lemon bars are the perfect balance of tart and sweet with a deliciously creamy texture. They’re easy to make with no fancy ingredients required.

Vegan Lemon Bars
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Why I Love this Recipe

If you’re looking for a tasty dessert that delivers on flavor and simplicity, you’ve found it. This recipe gives you a tangy lemon curd paired with a crumbly, coconut-infused shortbread base. It’s a simple recipe for a classic treat, made vegan-friendly without compromising on taste. These taste just like classic lemon bars and they make a great afternoon snack, dinner party dessert, or baby shower treat! They’ll be a hit with vegans and non-vegans alike.

The buttery shortbread crust is a simple mix of oat and rice flour, sweetened with sugar and enriched with coconut oil. The lemon curd is where the magic happens—a velvety texture achieved with coconut milk and thickened with cornstarch, with the brightness of fresh lemon juice shining through. A touch of turmeric is all you need for that bright yellow color. And that’s it! You can make healthy vegan lemon bars with just a handful of pantry staples. The hardest part is just letting them cool!

Ingredients & Substutions

  • Oat flour- Oat flour is made from simply blending oats. You can buy oat flour or you can make your own by blending oats in a blender or food processor until finely ground.
  • All-purpose flour- I used all-purpose flour, but this also works with white rice flour if you wanted to make this vegan lemon bar recipe gluten-free.
  • Granulated sugar:-This adds just enough sweetness to balance the tart lemon.
  • Coconut- Shredded unsweetened coconut adds a subtle, nutty flavor and a unique texture without added sugar. If you only have sweetened shredded coconut, that will work just fine.
  • Coconut oil– The vegan stand-in for butter, coconut oil binds the base together and adds a hint of richness.
  • Lemons– This recipe does require lots of lemon juice so you can use bottled lemon juice, if desired. You’ll need at least one fresh lemon for the zest.
  • Coconut milk– Full-fat coconut milk gives you the creamiest lemon curd.
  • Cornstarch– This thickens the lemon filling to just the right consistency.
  • Turmeric– A pinch of turmeric gives it the bright yellow color, but it’s completely optional.

How to Make Vegan Shortbread Crust

Mix the dry ingredients: oat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, shredded coconut, and a pinch of salt.
Blend in the melted coconut oil until the mixture is crumbly but holds together when pressed.
Press the dough into the bottom of your pan, creating a firm, even layer.
Bake until golden around the edges, about 18-20 minutes.

How to Make Perfect Vegan Lemon Curd

Combine Dry Ingredients: Start with your granulated sugar, cornstarch, and a little lemon zest in a medium pot.
Whisk in Coconut Milk: Gradually mix in the coconut milk to avoid lumps, creating a smooth mixture.
Stir in Lemon Juice: Pour in the fresh lemon juice and keep whisking.
Thicken Over Heat: Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
You’ll know it’s ready when it becomes thick and translucent, a sign that the cornstarch is doing its job.
Pour Over Base: Gently spread the creamy lemon curd over your pre-baked shortbread base, and give it a gentle shake to even it out.
Bake Again: Put it back in the oven and bake until the lemon bar filling starts to set.

Tips & Tricks

  • Giving them time to chill is the secret to that ideal texture. Once they’ve cooled at room temperature, transfer them to the fridge for at least two hours—overnight is even better if you can wait that long. This step is non-negotiable; it’s what takes your lemon bars from good to great.
  • Before serving, dust them with a generous layer of powdered sugar. It’s not just for aesthetics—though they do look stunning—it adds a delicate extra sweetness that complements the tangy lemon flavor.
  • When you’re ready to serve, remove the bars from the fridge. For the cleanest slices, heat a sharp knife under hot water, dry it off, and cut. Rinse and repeat between slices. You’ll get those perfect squares that hold together beautifully, ready to be lifted out and enjoyed.
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Vegan Lemon Bars

Easy Vegan Lemon Bars

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Chill Time: 2-3 hours
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: 16 squares 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

These vegan lemon bars are the perfect balance of tart and sweet with a deliciously creamy texture. They’re easy to make with no fancy ingredients required—everything you need is probably already in your kitchen.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Shortbread:

  • 3/4 cup oat flour
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (or white rice flour)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1–2 tablespoons water (if needed for the crust to hold together)

Lemon Curd:

  • 3/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 (15oz) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional, for color)
  • Powdered sugar to top

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8” x 8” baking pan with parchment so there is some overlap (for easy removal).
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the oat flour, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, shredded coconut, and salt. Stir to evenly distribute.
  3. Stir in the coconut oil until small clumps form.
  4. Add a tablespoon of water if needed and stir until dough begins to hold together. Add an additional tablespoon of water as needed, until just holding together but still crumbly.
  5. Press dough into lined pan, forming an even layer.
  6. Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly brown at the edges.
  7. While the base is baking, prepare the lemon curd layer:
  8. In a medium pot, combine the granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, and turmeric. Whisk to distribute.
  9. Add just enough coconut milk while whisking to form a thick slurry with no lumps. Once smooth, add the rest of the coconut milk and lemon juice.
  10. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes thick and translucent.
  11. Pour curd over baked base and return to oven for 15 minutes until there is slight browning around the edges.
  12. Allow to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature before covering and moving to the fridge to cool for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
  13. Once completely cool, remove from pan. Dust with a generous layer of powdered sugar just before serving and cut into 2-inch squares. For easiest cutting, heat a very large knife under hot water (and dry it) and wash the knife between slices.