This recipe for vegan lemon bars is the best lemon recipe you'll ever try! Tart and sweet, these soft lemon bars are bright with citrus and dusted with powdered sugar. Family-friendly and simple to make, this recipe for easy lemon squares is simply amazing!
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What is better than a tangy lemon square?
Gooey in the center with a flaky shortbread crust, this recipe for vegan lemon bars is delicious. Notes of vanilla and lemon zest are mixed together to create the most amazing lemon bars ever. It's a combination like no other.
Simple to make, these lemon bars are perfect for whenever you're wanting a classic citrus treat. They are great for birthdays, holidays, celebrations, and so much more because they are nearly fail-proof for a classic and nostalgic flavor.
Keep this vegan lemon bar recipe on hand; it is definitely a crowdpleaser!
How to Make Vegan Lemon Bars {Video}
Recommended Ingredients and Equipment
I love this lemon bar recipe because it uses only a handful of ingredients! You may already have these ingredients in your kitchen. And if not, then you can easily find them at a grocery store!
Here is what you need.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter – For best flavor, use a high-quality, non-hydrogenated vegan butter such as Miyoko's and Earth Balance.
- Sugar – Looking for a sugar-free option? Check out my resources for vegan sugars for healthier options.
- Silken Tofu – It’s very important that you use silken tofu. Silken tofu is a shelf-stable product found usually in the international food aisle of most well-stocked grocery stores. Like regular tofu, silken tofu comes in soft, medium, firm, and extra firm. For this recipe, I recommend using extra-firm. Learn more about the different types of tofu here.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch is used a thickening agent in this recipe. If you do not have cornstarch, then you can try arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.
Recommended Equipment
For these lemon bars, you will need mixing bowls, basic kitchen utensils, and an 8×8 baking pan. (<<affiliate links)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One – Make the Crust
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
Pro Tip: Allow the parchment paper to hang over the edge of the pan so that you can easily remove the lemon bars when they are ready.
In a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together. Add the flour and mix until incorporated. Be careful not to overmix; this will cause your crust to lose its flaky, buttery texture.
Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from crust from the oven and allow it to cool slightly.
Step Two – Make the Curd Filling
Drain the tofu.
In a food processor, combine the tofu, lemon juice, zest, and granulated sugar. Process until smooth and creamy. Next, add the powdered sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract and process again until combined. You can taste and adjust flavors at this point.
Pour the lemon curd onto the cooled crust and gently tap it down to release any air bubbles.
Step Three – Bake
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes until the lemon curd has set.
Pro Tip: Pull out the lemon bars when there is still a slight wobble to the curd. It will continue to set as it cools. Be careful not to overbake the bars or you'll lose the signature melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes prior to transferring to the refrigerator to let them set completely.
Serving and Storing
Serving – Once the lemon curd has set completely, sprinkle them with powdered sugar and enjoy!
Storing – Store these vegan lemon bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Tips and Tricks
- Fresh is best. I recommend using fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
- To get the most juice from your lemons, roll them around on your countertop to loosen the lemons and release their juices.
- Prevent the lemon bars from cracking by placing a shallow container of water underneath the lemon bars as they bake.
- Pull out the lemon bars when there is still a slight wobble to the curd. It will continue to set as it cools. Be careful not to overbake the bars or you'll lose the signature melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- For clean slices, be sure to chill the lemon bars in the refrigerator prior to cutting them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, lemon bars are not vegan. Always be sure to check the ingredients of lemon bars if you are buying them from stores or just make your own bars with this recipe!
These vegan lemon bars are okay to be left out at room temperature for about six hours, but anything longer than that may cause them to melt.
The lemon bars are supposed to be soft and gooey to some degree, but if they were not allowed to properly set before serving then they may be gooey.
The lemon bars should set completely after a few hours in the refrigerator. If they have not set after 4-6 hours, they may have needed to be baked longer. Remember, look for a slight wobble that isn't too loose when checking for doneness, similar to that of a cheesecake.
There are so many options for what you can do with lemons such as make a lemon tart, muffins, cookies, and so much more!
More Vegan Bars
- Peanut Butter Lara Bars
- Homemade Healthy Granola Bars
- Gluten-Free Vegan Almond Bars
- Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
- German Chocoalte Protein Bars
Make sure to check out all my vegan cookies and bar recipes for more baking inspiration.
Vegan Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- ½ cup vegan butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Meyer Lemon Curd
- 1 12 oz package extra firm silken tofu, liquid drained
- ½ cup fresh Meyer lemon juice, 5-6 lemons
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Start by making the crust. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together until smooth and creamy. Add flour and mix until well incorporated. You should have a thick dough that holds together when pressed between your fingers.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes.
- Next, make the lemon curd filling. In a food processor combine the tofu, lemon juice, zest, and granulated sugar and process until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the powdered sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract and process again until combined.
- Pour the lemon curd into the cooled crust and bake for another 25-35 minutes until the lemon curd has set. It should have a slight wobble to it.
- Once cooked, remove from oven and let cool at room temperature for 20 minutes before placing them in the refrigerator to cool all the way. Don't skip this step. It is necessary for the lemon bars to set properly.
- Once set, dust with powdered sugar or candied lemon slices just before serving.
Video
Notes
- To get the most juice from your lemons, roll them around on your countertop to loosen the lemons and release their juices.
- Prevent the lemon bars from cracking by placing a shallow container of water underneath the lemon bars as they bake.
- Pull out the lemon bars when there is still a slight wobble to the curd. It will continue to set as it cools. Be careful not to overbake the bars or you'll lose the signature melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- For clean slices, be sure to chill the lemon bars in the refrigerator prior to cutting them.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Frizzle says
okay I wish I could edit my comment- they did turn out okay after all & did set up but required much, much more baking than the recipe called for and were VERY sweet. My non vegan guests enjoyed them, which is all that matters! 🙂
Sue says
I made this yesterday but the topping didn't set so eating it like a desert. Good job I tested it as I am planning food for my party. Tasted so good so the only thing I an think of was the tofu wasn't firm enough. I will be making the lemon curd though and putting in a jar.
Aimee B. says
OMG, these are soooooo good! My kids and I picked up a free bag of lemons that one of our neighbors was giving away. I thought this recipe would be perfect for some of them, and it definitely was! These were really easy to make and incredibly creamy & delicious. I followed the recipe exactly. It will be my go to lemon bar recipe. The only thing I'd do differently next time is to be sure to leave an overhang of parchment in my pan. I neglected to do that and the bars were a bit difficult to get out of the pan. I ended up eating some of the broken parts. Darn, lol! These are a keeper and a lovely way to use up extra lemons. Thank you. <3
Jordan says
Would subbing the lemon juice for keylime juice 1:1 work for keylime bars?
Faye says
Awesome recipe, but I’m wondering why you’d bars look so yellow in the photos? They look very different in color from the baked bars in your video. Did you add food coloring or adjust the color for the photos?
Vee says
Does it have to be Meyer lemons? What about using organic lemon juice from a bottle?
Robyn says
I haven't made them yet. Can I freeze them?
Anne M Jenkins says
Oh my goodness! This is one of the best things I've ever made. I will admit I put almost double the fresh zest in the crust and curd, but followed all other directions. I baked it for nearly 45 minutes, but the curd remained pretty creamy in the center, which ended up being just fine. We served it more like a piece of pie and were able to savor it more by using a fork. Next time I'll try a 9 x 9 pan to see if the curd sets up a little better. I plan to make this often.
Elizabeth says
I made this yesterday and it is delicious! I didn’t have and powdered sugar so just omitted it as it seemed quite sweet enough. I will certainly be making it again. Thank you
Cris Bolt says
Hi, and thanks for your recipes, I've made several and all good. I've been craving lemon bars for a while now and I want to make this without sugar. Will this be okay using stevia baking blend, or would you recommend a different sugar replacement. I have xylitol, and agave 5.
Sarah McMinn says
I haven't tried it with either but this guide might help you figure out the best replacement.
Cris Bolt says
Thank you, that was very helpful, I've been baking vegan for several years but now finding out baking gluten free with sugar replacements can be a little tricky. These turned out very good, probably not as rich tasting as the original recipe using margarine and flour, but the lemon curd was delicious.
I ended up using a combination of Xylitol, Stevia drops and Stevia baking blend, between the shortbread and the lemon curd. I also used coconut flour and coconut oil instead of margarine and flour, the crust was a little different but held together well.
Erika says
Hello! Thanks for the great recipes. I am excited to try this for my dairy and egg sensitive mom. (She can have some butter just not too much). We don’t have a food processor. Any suggestions? We have a kitchen aid mixer and the old fashioned blender. Best, Erika
Vanessa says
I made the recipe today using a tart pan. The crust and filling are very good, but I would like the filling to be less sweet and more tart. Would it affect the texture to decrease the sugar? Also, I would like to be able to roll the crust so I can cover a whole tart pan but the dough is very crumbly; Is there something I can add to make it possible to roll? My non-vegan recipe has an egg. I don’t want a flax egg because it will affect the taste.
But overall good recipe, thank you.
Deb says
Great bars! Very lemony, sweet and tart like you would expect. I accidentally bought the soft silken tofu and it worked fine with a couple of modifications, which included adding roughly an extra half tablespoon of cornstarch, then after the suggested cooking time, I moved it to the top shelf of my oven and baked it for roughly another 20 minutes and the lemon curd finally set up without burning the crust.
I wanted to lower the sugar content and calories, so subbed Swerve confectioner's sugar for the granulated sugar in the crust and for the powdered sugar in the lemon curd. I also did half monkfruit sweetener, half regular granulated sugar in the lemon curd. These swap outs saved the recipe 600 calories and 154 grams of sugar and they still tasted awesome! Can't wait to see what my non-vegan friends think of them when I serve them.