Vegan Lemon Bars
Updated Jul 17, 2025
These easy vegan and gluten-free lemon bars are tart, creamy, and chewy. You'll love the oatmeal–walnut crust and the egg-free lemon filling!
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Make vegan lemon bars!
In the summertime, one of the desserts I like making for friends and family is these vegan lemon bars that are tart, sweet, and made with an oatmeal walnut crust. I think you’re going to love them because there’s no egg involved in making the creamy lemon custard, but the texture of the filling and crust are just amazing!
The vegan lemon bars are not only egg-free, but also butter-free. It’s a lighter version of the classic lemon squares but there’s no shortage of flavor here! You can make them a few days in advance because they actually get better as they sit, and the lemon flavor actually gets stronger.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Vegan Lemon Bars Ingredients
- For the crust: Instead of a more traditional graham cracker crust, I make mine with rolled oats, walnuts, coconut oil and maple syrup. You can swap the walnuts for other nuts, you can swap the coconut oil for another oil or vegan butter and you can also change the maple syrup to agave.
- For the lemon filling: Use both fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for the best flavor. Mix it with granulated sugar, coconut milk, cornstarch and turmeric to help brighten up that yellow lemony color.
How to Make Vegan Lemon Bars
Vegan Lemon Bars
Video
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups walnuts
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Lemon Filling
- 1 cup lemon juice about 5 lemons
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup can full-fat coconut milk using mostly the white part (cooled)
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
For Serving
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the oats, walnuts, coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt. Pulse until the mixture is crumbly and sticky, about 1 minute.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Use the back of a spoon to press it down until it's evenly distributed and well-packed.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
Make the filling:
- In a medium saucepan without any heat, add the lemon juice, sugar, coconut milk, cornstarch, lemon zest, and turmeric. Whisk well to dissolve the cornstarch. Transfer to medium heat, whisking constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Pour the lemon filling over the crust in an even layer, using a spatula if needed to smooth. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove and let cool at room temperature until cool to the touch, about 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator uncovered for an additional 1–2 hours, or overnight, until set.
- Lift the bars out of the pan with the parchment paper, dust generously with powdered sugar, and cut into 9 or 16 squares.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add ground ginger to the crust. This gives the lemon oatmeal bars a lovely zing. A little goes a long way. About ¼ of a teaspoon is all you need!
- Top the bars with a crunch. Sprinkle the lemon bars with coconut flakes, toasted nuts, or crushed freeze-dried berries.
- Turn them into key lime bars. Use lime juice and lime zest in the filling instead of lemon juice and lemon zest for a whole new dessert.
Recipe Tips
- Zest your lemons before you juice them. It’s much easier to zest a plump lemon!
- Be patient while cooking the filling. It might seem like it’s taking forever for the mixture to thicken, but if you keep whisking, it will happen. Be sure to use medium heat so the mixture doesn’t boil.
- Let the bars cool completely before cutting into them. This will help them hold their shape especially since there’s no egg in the recipe.
FAQs
Store in an airtight container with a layer of parchment paper between each row. The eggless lemon bars will keep for 4 days at room temperature and for 1 week in the fridge.
Yes! Layer the bars between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container, and they’ll last in the freezer for up to three months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
If your lemon filling isn’t thickening, it’s likely because you’re either not using enough cornstarch or you’re cooking it on too high of heat. Be sure to use the amount of cornstarch in the recipe and cook the filling on medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens.
If your lemon bars are too tart, you can add a little bit of powdered sugar, whipped cream, sweetened yogurt, or white chocolate drizzle on top. You can also serve them with something mild like vanilla ice cream, crème fraîche, mascarpone, or shortbread cookies.
Comments
This was a terrible recipe with REALLY bad directions.
Hi there, just checking to make sure you scrolled all the way down to the full recipe card at the bottom of the post?
Yumna, I’m not the original commenter here, but I followed the recipe card to a T and still ended up with a goopy mess that wouldn’t set. Not sure what happened!?
Oh no! So sorry to hear that, Kate!! It sounds like your lemon filling didn’t thicken up or set properly. Did you make sure to use 1/3 cup cornstarch and whisk the filling on medium heat (not higher)?
Have you considered using agar as the setting agent? The topping would only need to be heated/cooked in a saucepan to dissolve the sugar and agar, then poured on the cold base to set in the fridge (a vegan “jelly”). It might be easier. I look forward to trying this recipe. 😀
This is a nice idea, thanks for sharing! In this case, cornstarch is much easier to find across the country so I decided to go with that.
simply the best version of vegan lemon bars out there! Tried others nothing compares.. easy to make I cut back on the sugar no one noticed .. a crowd pleaser.. the only problem should have doubled the recipe.
Haha they are so good, I can’t keep them in the house!
This is delicious! Your recipes and tips are always so easy to follow and end up with something the family loves. 😋
Thank you so much, Jim!!
Could I use evaporated milk instead of coconut milk?
Hi,
What about a sub for nuts? I’m allergic. Thanks!
I haven’t tried this recipe with a nut substitute yet. You could try pumpkin or sunflower seeds?
Love your recipes but so many, we can’t use them because my wife is diabetic. Desserts especially. Do you have any desserts that could be used by diabetics? I am sure we are not the only ones that would appeciate it.
Thank you! While I don’t focus on creating diabetic friendly desserts, there are some other amazing food bloggers out there who do!
What about Monk sugar? that could be a good substitute? I haven’t tried it yet.
I really enjoyed preparing these bars, the recipe is soo easy and the outcome it just delicious!
Yay!! I love that!
I loved the original version of these lemon bars. I am quite disappointed from the visual and the color that changed drastically with the removal of the nuts from the filling. I definitely prefer the original recipe.
Thank you for sharing your feedback with me! Did you find the color to not be as vibrant with this new recipe?
Indeed, darker.. is the photo of these bars updated as well?
These looks so delicious and creamy!