October 7, 2020

No Bake Vegan Lemon Bars

Name: No Bake Vegan Lemon Bars
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 8 h 30 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 2 cups raw cashews; 1 recipe No-Bake Vegan Pie Crust (linked in notes); 1/2 cup canned coconut cream*; 1/2 cup maple syrup; 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice; zest of 1 lemon; 1 tablespoon coconut oil; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1/4 teaspoon salt

Dairy Free Gluten Free Vegan Vegetarian Desserts No Bake

2 comments

I’m excited to introduce my newest recipe: no bake vegan lemon bars!

I took the classic lemon bars recipe and made it vegan, but with a luscious cheesecake texture. And these bars are no bake, so there’s no need to wait for your oven to pre-heat. (That includes the crust, which is one of my old fave no bake recipes!)

Vegan Lemon Bars Recipe

I love how these turned out! The filling is incredibly easy to make, and it’s the perfect balance of creamy, sweet, and tart. The crust is nutty and buttery (without the butter, of course). It’s a dreamy combination.

I was nervous about how these would set up in the fridge and if they’d be super messy to cut, but they were perfect! They have a sort of cheesecake consistency, so I recommend eating them with a fork.

Turns out they also freeze well, too, so feel free to make an extra batch for later. 😉

If you’re eating them directly from the freezer, they’re a bit like an ice cream sandwich. They don’t freeze too hard, and you can easily eat them as finger food. You can also wait to let them thaw out if you want to eat them with that creamy texture!

No Bake Lemon Bars Ingredients

To make these delightful bars, you’ll need:

raw cashews
canned coconut cream (This is not the same as coconut milk. If you can’t find canned coconut cream, refrigerate a can of coconut milk and use only the solids that float on the top.)
maple syrup
fresh lemon juice
lemon zest
coconut oil
vanilla extract
salt

And for the no-bake crust:

raw nuts (walnuts, almonds, or cashews. Or a mix!)
pitted dates
rolled oats
coconut oil

How to Make Lemon Bars Vegan

Start by placing the cashews into a heat safe-bowl. Pour boiling water over them (enough to cover them completely) and let sit for 1 hour. (Another option: use room temperature water and let soak overnight).

Meanwhile, prepare the vegan no-bake pie crust (<- recipe). Press into an 8 or 9-inch pan that’s lined with parchment paper. Tip: use a larger piece of parchment paper so the edges come up the sides of the pan. That way you can easily lift the bars out of the pan when they’re ready.

Next, drain the soaked cashews, then place in a blender with the rest of the ingredients (coconut cream through salt). Blend until the mixture is smooth, then pour over the prepared crust. Use a spatula to smooth the top.

pouring lemon bars mixture over no bake crust in pan

Then, refrigerate overnight so the bars set. Once cool, cut the bars and they’re ready to serve!

How to Store Lemon Bars

These creamy lemon bars can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. In an airtight container, stack them with a piece of parchment paper in between each layer. This prevents them from sticking to each other.

Or, like I mentioned before, you can totally freeze these! They should take at least 3 hours to fully freeze. Just make sure to cut them into bars beforehand to make things easier on yourself. 🙂

You’ll find the full no bake vegan lemon bars recipe at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!

lemon bar squares with lemon slices on top

For more tasty vegan desserts & snacks, check out these recipes:

No Bake Vegan Lemon Bars

September 24, 2020 by Anne

These no bake vegan lemon bars are creamy, with a luscious cheesecake texture and a delicious nutty crust.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes

Yield

16 bars

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Ingredients:

2 cups raw cashews
1 recipe No-Bake Vegan Pie Crust (linked in notes)
1/2 cup canned coconut cream*
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Place the cashews in a heat-safe bowl and pour enough boiling water over to cover the cashews. Let sit for 1 hour. (Alternatively: use room-temperature water and let soak overnight.)
Meanwhile, prepare Vegan No-Bake Pie Crust recipe as directed and press into an 8 or 9-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave edges of parchment paper that come up the sides of the pan to make it easier to lift the bars out of the pan.
Drain the cashews and place in a blender with the remaining ingredients (coconut cream through salt). Blend until completely smooth, then pour over the prepared crust. Smooth with a spatula.
Refrigerate the bars overnight to set up, or freeze for at least 3 hours. Bars can be served refrigerated, frozen, or thawed.

Notes:

Use this No-Bake Vegan Pie Crust recipe to make the crust for these lemon bars.

*Coconut cream is not the same as coconut milk. If you can't find canned coconut cream, refrigerate a can of coconut milk and use only the solids that float on the top, discarding or using the liquid for another recipe.

No Bake Vegan Lemon Bars