Looking for a creamy and refreshing no-bake dessert? These Vegan Lemon Bars are the way to go!
I took the classic lemon bar recipe and made it vegan but with a delicious cheesecake texture. And these bars are no-bake, so there’s no need to wait for your oven to preheat. (This includes the crust, which is one of my all-time favorite no-bake recipes!)
No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bars
I love how these turned out! Incredibly easy to make, the filling strikes the perfect balance of creamy, sweet and tart. The crust is nutty and buttery (no butter, of course). It’s a dream combination.
I was nervous about how these would line up in the fridge and if they would be super messy to cut, but they turned out perfect! They have a kind of cheesecake consistency, so I recommend eating them with a fork.
Turns out they freeze well too, so don’t hesitate to make an extra batch for later. 😉
When you eat these vegan lemon squares straight from the freezer, they’re a bit like an ice cream sandwich. They do not freeze too much and can easily be eaten as finger food. You can also wait until they’re thawed if you want to eat them with that creamy texture.
Check out these other delicious lemon recipes too!
No Bake Ingredients for Lemon Bars
To make these easy vegan lemon bars you will need:
- raw cashew nuts
- Canned Coconut Cream (This is not the same as canned coconut milk. If you can’t find canned coconut cream, refrigerate a can of whole coconut milk and use only the solids that float to the top.)
- maple syrup
- fresh lemon juice
- Lemon peel
- coconut oil
- vanilla extract
- Salt
And for the no-bake crust:
- raw nuts (walnuts, almonds, or cashews. Or a mix!)
- pitted dates
- oatmeal
- coconut oil
How to make lemon bars vegan and gluten free
Start by placing the cashews in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over them (enough to cover them completely) and let them sit for 1 hour. (Another option: use room temperature water and let it soak overnight).
(The hot water will soften them, making them easy to blend smooth later.)
Squeeze the mixture into an 8- or 9-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Tip: Use a larger piece of parchment paper to allow the edges to come up the sides of the pan. This way you can easily lift the bars out of the pan when they’re done!
Next, drain the soaked cashews and place in a blender with the remaining ingredients (coconut cream, maple syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt).
Blend until smooth, then pour over prepared/chilled date nut crust. Use a spatula to smooth the mixture on top.
Then place in the fridge overnight to set the bars. (Or freeze them for 3 hours). Once cool, slice the bars and they’re ready to serve! They can be enjoyed chilled, frozen or thawed.
If you want it extra fancy, dust the lemon bars with powdered sugar before slicing. If you like, you can also add small slices of lemon on top!
How to store lemon bars
These creamy lemon bars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Stack them in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper between each layer. This will prevent them from sticking to each other.
Or, as I mentioned earlier, you can freeze these entirely! They should take at least 3 hours to freeze completely. Just make sure to cut them into bars beforehand to make it easier on you. 🙂
Are lemon bars vegan? Do you have dairy and gluten?
Classic lemon bars aren’t typically vegan, dairy-free, or gluten-free. The filling and crust often contain eggs, butter, and/or flour. In this recipe, we swap those ingredients out for equally delicious vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free alternatives, including coconut cream, nuts, dates, rolled oats, and coconut oil.
This also makes them more nutritious than typical lemon bars. They’re also lower in sugar (no refined sugar at all!) since they’re sweetened with maple syrup.
You can find the full no-bake vegan lemon bars recipe at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!
You can find more delicious vegan desserts and snacks in these recipes:
No Bake Vegan Lemon Bars
These no-bake vegan lemon bars are creamy, with a delicious cheesecake texture and a delicious nutty crust.
preparation time
30 minutes
Extra time
8 hours
total time
8 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients:
-
2 cups raw cashew nuts
-
1 Recipe No-Bake Vegan Pie Crust (linked in notes)
-
1/2 cup canned coconut cream*
-
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
-
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
-
zest of 1 lemon
-
1 tablespoon coconut oil
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Place the cashews in a heatproof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover the cashews. Leave to rest for 1 hour. (Alternatively, use room temperature water and let soak overnight.)
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegan no-bake pie crust recipe as directed and press into an 8- or 9-inch skillet lined with parchment paper. Make sure the edges of the parchment paper are sticking up the sides of the pan to make it easier to lift the bars out of the pan.
- Drain cashews and add to blender with remaining ingredients (coconut cream through salt). Blend until smooth, then pour over the prepared crust. Smooth out with a spatula.
- Refrigerate the bars overnight to set them up, or freeze them for at least 3 hours. Bars can be served chilled, frozen or thawed.
Remarks:
use this Vegan no-bake pie crust Recipe to make the crust for these lemon bars.
*Coconut cream is not just coconut milk. If you can’t find canned coconut cream, refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk and use only the solids that float to the top and discard the liquid or use it in another recipe.