Author: Confession time: I LOVE lemon bars! Although, traditionally, they are made with eggs and butter, making them not at all vegan. Enter, Sam Turnbull: Veganizer at large!! Trust me when I say these Easy Vegan Lemon Squares are over-the-top scrumptious, delicious and (as always) you don't need eggs, butter, or any animal products to make them. How's that for a game changer of a vegan dessert recipe, eh?
My Easy Vegan Lemon Squares are super easy to make with ingredients you may already have around your kitchen. I'm not sure how familiar you are with me and my recipes, but that's kind of a "theme" around here: fast, easy, cheap, fuss-free, and delicious!!
The buttery, crunchy crust will delight at first bite before melting in your mouth and the fresh, tart lemon curd is a refreshing companion to that flavour. These bars are fast-becoming a new favourite in my house. Seriously - we can't stop eating these things!!
How To Make Easy Vegan Lemon Squares:
For the shortbread crust: Preheat your oven to 325F (170C). Line an 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides so the bars are easy to remove from the pan. Alternatively use a silicon pan.
In a medium bowl, add the melted vegan butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix to combine. Lastly add the flour and mix to make a firm dough. Dump the dough into the prepared pan and press with your fingers to firmly pack and evenly spread the dough. Bake for 17 - 19 minutes until the dough is golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and if there are any bubbles you can poke them with a fork to remove them. Set aside.
For the easy vegan lemon squares layer: Add the sugar and cornstarch to pan and whisk to combine. Add the plant-based milk, lemon juice, and turmeric and whisk. (It's ok if the milk curdles, it will come back together when cooked).
Now put the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk often while simmering until the lemon square filling gets thick, translucent, and bright yellow, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
Pour the lemon layer onto the baked shortbread crust and evenly spread with a spatula. Allow to cool on the counter for about 30 minutes and then pop it in the fridge to cool for 1 - 2 hours, or overnight until completely chilled. When chilled you can remove bars from the pan and slice.
Sprinkle the lemon bars with powdered sugar if desired, just before serving. Store your easy vegan lemon squares in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. If you would like to try another, more spreadable lemony recipe that you can spread on scones, try my Easy Vegan Lemon Curd.
Common Questions:
- Can I make lemon bars gluten-free? Yes! If you swap out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free, it should work perfectly! Check out the comments below as some people have already tried this and had great success 🙂
- How long do lemon bars keep? If kept covered, lemon bars can keep in your fridge for about 1 week.
- Can you freeze lemon bars? Yes, you can. Lemon bars can be frozen for up to 3-4 months if stored away in an air-tight container. Simply cut the cooled bars (without powdered sugar topping) into squares, then place in a container and freeze.
Bon Appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
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Easy Vegan Lemon Squares
Servings: large bars
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Ingredients
For the Vegan Shortbread Crust:
- ½ cup vegan butter,, melted
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the Vegan Lemon Layer:
- 1 ⅓ cups white sugar
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ⅓ cup plant-based milk, (such as oat or soy)
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, (optional for colour)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, (optional for dusting)
Instructions
For the shortbread crust:
- Preheat your oven to 325F (170C). Line an 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides so the bars are easy to remove from the pan. Alternatively use a silicon pan.
- In a medium bowl, add the melted vegan butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix to combine. Lastly add the flour and mix to make a firm dough. Dump the dough into the prepared pan and press with your fingers to firmly pack and evenly spread the dough. Bake for 17 - 19 minutes until the dough is golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and if there are any bubbles you can poke them with a fork to remove them. Set aside.
For the lemon layer:
- Add the sugar and cornstarch to pan and whisk to combine. Add the plant-based milk, lemon juice, and turmeric and whisk. (It's ok if the milk curdles, it will come back together when cooked).
- Now put the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk often while simmering until the lemon filling gets thick, translucent, and bright yellow, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the lemon layer onto the baked shortbread crust and evenly spread with a spatula. Allow to cool on the counter for about 30 minutes and then pop it in the fridge to cool for 1 - 2 hours, or overnight until completely chilled. When chilled you can remove bars from the pan and slice. Sprinkle the bars with powdered sugar if desired, just before serving. Store lemon bars in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕
Julie says
Hi! Can we use refined coconut oil in place of vegan butter? 🙂
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Julie! Yes that will work, but just note that it might lack a little of the buttery flavor and it might be slightly more greasy feeling, but it should still work fine. Enjoy!
Eileen says
I made these yesterday as a test for needing to take 3 batches to a baby shower on Sunday. Very Very good-it takes all my self control to just eat a couple rather than half the pan at one sitting! I did add vert finely grated lemon peel to the recipe. I kept them overnight in the fridge in the pan covered with plastic wrap and they were still perfect this morning. Thank you Sam, for another wonderful recipe!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Haha! Love it!! So thrilled you love them so much Eileen!! I agree, it's difficult to not eat them all!!!
Red Sismey says
I love these! I need to get better at baking the biscuit, though. Ha.
Theoretically, could these be made with lime juice? Or at least, would they work okay if you subbed a little lime juice to the existing recipe?
Cheers!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Red! So glad you love them 😄 And yes, you can definitely make these with lime juice instead of lemon. The texture will stay the same, and you’ll get a deliciously tart and slightly different citrus vibe. You could either sub all the lemon juice for lime for a bold lime flavor, or use a half-and-half mix to keep the lemon flavor while adding a hint of lime. Just keep the total amount of juice the same (½ cup), and you’re good to go! Let me know if you try the lime version—yum!
Red says
I made a batch last week with half and half lemon/lime. Really good stuff and recommended. Still working on getting the biscuit better, but it's possibly an oven issue.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oh wonderful! SO happy to hear it worked out great. What are the issues you are having with the biscuit? Perhaps I could help.
Red Sismey says
My biscuit is just coming out very stodgy and doughy. A bit wet. It does't have that kind of shortbread bite, y'know?
I don't know if I need to bake it for longer because my oven isn't as powerful or what. Concerned about over-baking it though.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Red, the crust should have that classic buttery shortbread bite, so if it’s coming out stodgy or a bit doughy, here are a few tips that might help: It’s possible your oven runs a little cooler, so baking the crust a few extra minutes could help it set properly. Look for the edges to turn golden—that's the best visual cue it’s done. If the center still feels a bit soft, that’s okay—it’ll firm up more as it cools. Make sure you're measuring the flour correctly, too little flour can make the dough too soft. If you're using a vegan butter with a high water content, that could also make the crust feel a bit wetter. A firmer vegan butter (like Earth Balance) tends to give better shortbread texture. I hope that helps!
Halley says
Delicious! Turned out perfect, especially love the crust
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! I am so happy you loved it Halley!
Destiny says
Can you taste the turmeric in this recipe?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Destiny, no you cannot taste it. It's just added for a hint of color. If you prefer you can omit it, the squares just won't be as yellow. Enjoy!
Bee says
Made these on a cold February afternoon. This recipe is now my favourite for lemon bars! The lemon layer set wonderfully. I added a bit of lemon zest for an extra flavour 🙂
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay that's so wonderful! I'm so thrilled you love them Bee!
May says
These are so delicious (and easy), I’ve made them twice and the first ones are always amazing BUT I’m having serious issues with storage.
I keep them in a sealed container in the fridge, but the lemon layer always gets these deep cracks and the whole thing leaks a watery, buttery liquid and the base gets a little soggy. They still taste great, but obviously it’s not ideal. Any advice?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
I’m so glad you love the lemon squares! The issues you’re experiencing with storage could be due to slight variations in the lemon layer or crust. The cracks in the lemon layer might happen if it’s overcooked or if the bars are exposed to too much air in storage. Make sure the bars are completely cooled and set before sealing them in the container. As for the watery liquid and soggy base, this could be caused by condensation or separation in the filling. Try placing a paper towel in the container to absorb excess moisture. I hope this helps improve the texture for you!
Crissy M. says
These are one of the most amazing desserts I have ever made. A real crowd pleaser.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Aww thanks so much Crissy! SO happy you loved the lemon squares 🙂
Ell says
Very good, but I added half the amount of vanilla and added the zest of one lemon to make it more lemony and tart
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you enjoyed it!
Emi says
Hello there! I am fourteen years old and I have been vegan for almost two years now, and I just want to thank you for all your wonderful recipes that keep me going. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to discover the beauty that lies behind plant-based foods, so I thank you for all the recipes you have shared with this amazing vegan community up till this point!
Don't stop posting 🙂
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oh my goodness, Emi, your comment means the world to me! ❤️ I’m so happy to hear my recipes have been a part of your vegan journey. You’re inspiring—going vegan at such a young age! Thank you for your sweet words, and I promise to keep sharing more recipes for our amazing community. 🌱
Rachel says
Great recipe I had to alter a little as lemon is one of my migrain triggers so I tried this with peach juice rather than lemon and added fresh raspberries at the very end... and I don't think I'll be missing my old "traditional"(egg etc) lemon bars of the past thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oooh that sounds lovely! I'm so happy you enjoyed it Rachel!!
Karen says
Can you freeze these squares?
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yes they do freeze well!
Love says
okay s, your recipe beat all,fair and square. I'm not vegan but this is the dream cooking adventure
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Haha love it!!
Heather says
Is there any way to modify it so it has less refined sugar?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Heather, I haven't tested this but you could try swapping some or all of the white sugar for coconut sugar or a natural granulated sweetener like date sugar or erythritol. Note that these may slightly alter the color and texture but will still taste delicious. If you give it a try, let us know how it turns out 🙂
Stephanie R Marder says
The bottom crust was delightful. I would try a bit less corn starch in the lemon goo.
I very much enjoyed them and used gf flour. thank you!
Sheri L Livingston says
This is by far the best summertime, or year round in my case, dessert ever! The filling is tangy & sweet and the crust is the perfect texture. I make these for fundraising bake sales and they sell out quickly. I highly recommend.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Aww yay! So happy to hear that Sheri 🙂
Gail (Toni) Stephenson says
Everyone loves these.
Courtney Moses says
Absolutely love these lemon bars. It’s so fun watching the lemon mixture come together as it heats in the pot. 🙂 I have messed the recipe up a few times by not following the order of steps closely enough so just be sure to follow the recipe closely! When done right, these come out amazing.
Rose says
Thanks for sharing, I am wondering if the pan should be covered when you put it in the frig?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Rose, yes you can cover them, just make sure the bars are cooled before covering so that there isn't trapped condensation. Enjoy!
Crissy M says
I have made this several times, the crust is buttery and smooth and the filling is so easy to make and bursting with flavor.
Sarah Doran says
I'm making these because they are egg free rather than for a vegan. Could I use cow's milk?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Sarah, this is a vegan blog so we do not cook with nor ever recommend using animal products. If you want to learn more about why we do not use cows milk specifically you can watch this short 5 minute video called "Dairy is Scary". I hope that helps!
Joy says
The answer is yes tho…
Lynn says
yes certainly, not quite sure how to go about that though.
Shu Lin says
This looks amazing, thank you for the recipe!
Can I use oil instead of vegan butter?
Thank you!
Linda says
Made these yesterday- perfect!!!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!