Vegan Lemon Bars
The ultimate easy Vegan Lemon Bars recipe! Featuring a 3-ingredient shortbread crust and a tart, creamy lemon curd filling. Egg-free, dairy-free, and better than the original. Step-by-step video included!
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Forget everything you know about finicky egg-based custards. These Vegan Lemon Bars deliver that iconic pucker-perfect tartness and a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread crust—without the stress of cooking with eggs.
Whether you’re looking for a classic, translucent lemon curd or a protein-packed version made with silken tofu, I’ve perfected two foolproof ways to make this citrus classic.
Best of all?
They’re much easier than the original because you never have to worry about ‘scrambled egg’ filling. Let’s get zesty!
Serve these lemon bars with drizzles of blueberry syrup over the top for color and flavor!
In this Post
Watch How to Make These Bars
Reader Reviews
★★★★★
Puja
My mom is very picky in desserts but when I made this (curd version) she couldn’t help but share with other people that ‘my daughter made this’.
★★★★★
Bridget
These are the BEST vegan lemon bars! I made a half batch today using the Simple Lemon Curd (Option #2). The crust and curd were very easy to make… they were delicious!
Ingredients & Substitutions
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- All-Purpose Flour — This provides the classic shortbread snap. For a slightly nuttier flavor, you can use whole wheat pastry flour. Gluten-Free Tip: A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works perfectly here!
- Vegan Butter Stacks — I recommend using vegan butter sticks (like Earth Balance or Miyoko’s) rather than tub margarine, as the lower water content ensures a crispier, less oily crust.
- Sugar — We’ll use powdered sugar in the crust for that “melt-in-your-mouth” texture and granulated sugar for the filling to get the best texture.
- Fresh Lemons — You’ll need the juice and the zest. Fresh is non-negotiable here for that bright, zingy flavor that bottled juice just can’t replicate.
- Cornstarch — This is our “magic” thickening agent that replaces the eggs. It creates that stable, sliceable curd.
- Turmeric & Nutritional Yeast — Don’t worry, you won’t taste them! The turmeric is strictly for that classic sunny yellow color, and the nutritional yeast adds a subtle “custard-like” depth to the tofu version.
What Lemons are Best for Lemon Bars?
Look for thin-skinned lemons that do not have green spots. You may think bigger lemons would yield more juice and flavor, but this is not always the case because larger lemons have thicker skins. Each lemon should yield about 1/4 cup or more of juice. To get the most juice possible out of your lemons, you can zap them in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds, then roll them firmly on the counter.
How to Make Vegan Lemon Bars
Making vegan lemon bars is a simple process. I’ll walk you through it step by step!
Step One: Make the Crust
In a medium bowl, stir together the melted vegan butter, flour, and powdered sugar until a soft dough forms.
Press this mixture firmly into the bottom of your prepared 8×8 pan.
Pro Tip: Use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to press the crust down evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn a light golden brown
Step Two: Make the Easy Vegan Lemon Filling
While the crust is in the oven, it’s time to make the magic happen!
- For the Simple Curd (Option 2): Whisk the lemon juice, sugar, plant milk, and cornstarch in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent lumps! Once it reaches a low boil and thickens into a glossy custard, remove from heat and stir in your lemon zest, coconut oil, and a pinch of turmeric for that sunshine-yellow color.
- For the Tofu Custard (Option 1): Simply add all filling ingredients into a food processor and pulse until completely silky and smooth.
Step Three: Pour and Bake
Pour your chosen lemon filling over the warm, pre-baked crust. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 25–30 minutes.
You’re looking for the edges to be set, though the center may still have a slight, uniform jiggle.
Crucial Step: Allow the bars to cool completely on the counter before transferring them to the fridge for at least 2 hours. This ‘chill time’ is what gives you those clean, perfect slices!
How to Make High-Protein Vegan Lemon Custard
If you prefer a lemon curd with tofu, it’s a wonderful option because it’s high in protein. Learn more about my protein lemon bars for more info on the benefits of making them with tofu.
As you can see, the simple vegan curd creates lemon bars that are much more translucent. Both bars taste amazing, but the simple vegan curd bars have a more traditional look.
Swirl Together Lemon and Tofu
- To prepare the tofu lemon curd, combine silken tofu, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, nutritional yeast flakes, and turmeric in a food processor. (I didn’t even bother cleaning out the food processor from step one).
- Pulse this until smooth.
- Spoon it over the unbaked crust.
I know it sounds odd to add nutritional yeast flakes and turmeric to lemon curd, but it’s only a little bit, and it gives it a sunny yellow color.
Quick Fix Tip
If your sauce develops lumps, finish cooking it in the saucepan and then remove it from the heat. Add the remaining ingredients and transfer it to a food processor or blender and pulse in short bursts until the lumps are gone.
Recipe Test Kitchen
I love testing a recipe to get it just right. Here are some of my notes after making several batches of these lemon bars:
- To Bake or Not to Bake: I’ve made the shortbread crust by prebaking it and sometimes not prebaking it. Both options work great, but you get a little bit crispier crust by prebaking it first.
- What about the Nooch? I like adding just a bit of nutritional yeast flakes to the filling because it adds just a bit of egg flavor. It’s purely optional.
- Curd Options: It’s nice to have two curd options for those times when you want a creamier filling (go with the tofu), or you want that old-fashioned, almost translucent filling (go with option #2!).
If you’re a baking science geek like me, I love these tips from Cooks Illustrated on the science of lemon bars to understand how the crust and filling interact.
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- Pucker-Perfect Flavor — We use both fresh lemon juice and zest to ensure that iconic, tart citrus “zing” in every single bite.
- Zero “Scrambled Egg” Stress — Traditional recipes call for finicky eggs. This vegan version is “whisk-and-go,” meaning no curdled filling, ever!
- Foolproof 3-Ingredient Crust — A simple, buttery shortbread base that stays crisp and holds up to the thick lemon topping.
- Two Recipes in One — Whether you want a classic translucent curd or a creamy, high-protein tofu custard, this post gives you the best of both worlds.
- Perfect for Crowds — These bars are incredibly stable, making them the ultimate easy-to-slice dessert for spring potlucks, Easter, or Mother’s Day.
Storage Tips
Cover and store bars in the fridge. They will keep up to 5 days. They can be cut into individual slices and frozen for up to 2 months.
These vegan lemon bars are a sweet treat that is easy to make and a real crowd favorite.
Marly’s Tips
- Zest Before You Juice! — It is nearly impossible to zest a squeezed lemon. Always use a microplane to zest the skin first, then move on to juicing.
- The Microwave Trick — To get the most juice out of your lemons, microwave them for 10–15 seconds and roll them firmly on the counter before slicing.
- The Secret to No Cracks — If you’re worried about the top cracking, place a shallow pan of water on the rack below the bars while they bake. The steam keeps the custard moist and smooth.
- Clean Slices Every Time — Wipe your knife with a warm, damp cloth between every single cut. This prevents the lemon curd from sticking to the blade and tearing the bars.
- Silken is Best — For the protein version, ensure you are using silken tofu (usually found in a shelf-stable box). If you can only find refrigerated tofu, go with “Soft” or “Medium” and blend it longer to ensure it’s completely smooth.
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Vegan Lemon Bars
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Ingredients
Vegan Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup vegan butter , melted
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Tofu Lemon Custard (Option #1)
- 12 oz silken tofu
- 1 medium lemon (zested and juiced)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 pinch ground turmeric (for color)
Simple Vegan Lemon Curd (Option #2)
- ¾ cup lemon juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups plant-based milk
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (substitute 1 tsp lemon extract)
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
For Serving
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F/163°C. Line a 8×8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to easily remove the bars when they're done.
- Combine flour, butter, and powdered sugar in a bowl and stir until combined. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake the crust for 15=20 minutes until the edges are slightly golden. Remove from the oven and use a fork to poke holds on the crust (not all the way through to the bottom). Set aside.
For the Tofu Lemon Curd (Option #1)
- If you're making your lemon bars with the tofu lemon curd: In the same food processor bowl (no need to wash it out), add the tofu, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, and turmeric. Pulse until completely smooth. Pour the lemon filling over the crust and evenly distribute it across the pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sides are golden brown and the filling is firm (if it's still overly jiggly, you should cook it a few more minutes).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. After it's cooled, transfer to the fridge and chill for 1 to 2 hours. Once chilled, grab both sides of the aluminum foil and remove it from the pan.
For the Simple Lemon Curd (Option #2)
- If you're using the simple lemon curd, in a saucepan combine the lemon juice, sugar, milk, and cornstarch. Stir to combine the cornstarch. Cook over medium heat while stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar and to prevent lumps as the mixture thickens. Bring it to a low boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture should get fairly thick. If you get lumps, simply pulse the curd in a food processor or use an immersion blender.
- Once the mixture thickens, remove from heat, add the lemon zest, coconut oil, and turmeric. Stir to combine. Spoon out the lemon curd over the prepared crust.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the sides are golden brown and the filling is slightly firm. It may be a little jiggly.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. After it's come to room temperature, transfer the pan to the fridge and chill for 1 – 2 hours. Once chilled, grab both sides of the parchment paper and remove the bars from the pan.
To Serve:
- Sprinkle the tops of the bars with powdered sugar. Slice into bars and serve.
- Store lemon bars in the fridge. They will keep up to 5 days.
Recommended Equipment
(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)
Notes
Tofu
Option #1 calls for “silken” tofu. You can find that in the produce sections of a lot of U.S. grocery stores and definitely at health food stores. It may or may not be refrigerated and most typically I find it in a small “box” type container rather than a plastic tub. If you can’t find silken tofu, then buy a soft or medium regular tofu. The nutritional estimates are provided for the tofu curd.For Simple Curd (option #2)
Be sure to allow the curd to thicken in the saucepan before proceeding. Also, use the kind of coconut oil that is solid at room temperature. You can sub coconut oil for the vegan butter in the crust.Video
Nutrition
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Vegan Lemon Recipes
If you love these easy vegan lemon bars, you’ll definitely want to try these other vegan lemon dessert recipes too:
That’s it for this vegan lemon bar recipe!
This post was originally published in 2019 and updated with new photos, new text, and a new recipe in 2021.
Frequently-Asked Questions
What are Vegan Lemon Bars?
Vegan Lemon Bars are a plant-based twist on the classic American dessert. They consist of a crisp, buttery shortbread crust topped with a thick layer of tart lemon curd. Unlike traditional recipes, these are made without eggs or dairy, using clever plant-based thickeners like cornstarch or silken tofu to achieve that perfect, sliceable texture.
Why are my vegan lemon bars jiggly?
You can expect these bars to be slightly jiggly when they come out of the pan. They will firm up as they cool.
Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?
It’s perfectly fine to use bottled lemon juice, but you may not get that same fresh lemon zing. If you can find a lemon at the store, I highly recommend it!
About the Author
Hi! I’m Marly McMillen. I’m the founding editor, author, recipe developer, vegan home chef, and food stylist behind Namely Marly. I’m so grateful to you and every member of my audience for your support and dedication. More about Namely Marly ›
55 Responses to Vegan Lemon Bars
Rate / Comment
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hi! do you like option 1 or 2 more? can you taste the tofu in option one?
I prefer option #2 because I like the translucent look of the lemon curd made with cornstarch. I did not notice a tofu taste with option #2, so it’s great, especially if you have some silken tofu on hand. Hope that’s helpful Rylyn!
You’ve mentioned how you use silken tofu for dips, creamy soup, etc..Does the tofu melt??
Reason I’m asking, I’m thinking queso..
Hi Amanda. I like the way you think! You can make something like that using silken tofu. Or you can use vegan cream cheese that is made from tofu as well. Here’s a link to my vegan queso recipe. Hope this is helpful!
Hi Marly,
Hope you are safe and staying at home. Your recipe is amazing and delicious too. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. My mom is very picky in desserts but when I made this (curd version) she couldn’t help but to share with other people that my daughter made this
Since I am trying my hand in kitchen in this quarantine mode, this recipe was an ultimate saviour.
Hi Puja! Thanks so much for your feedback. I’m honored to get a review from your mom too! Please give her a hug for me (at least a virtual one). We are in the same boat – staying home – and there is no flour to be found anywhere! Well, I did find some gluten-free flour and it works too. So glad we could connect. Stay safe!
Amazing love the regular lemon curd version and have made it a few times using fresh lemons!
Hey, can I use coconut oil instead of vegan butter for the crust?
Hi Lexie. Great question. Yes, absolutely you can use coconut oil. I’ll add this to the notes.
I love this recipe. It takes a party appetizer to a whole new level and so darn easy!
The coconut oil I used was indeed solid. I thought the curd thickened up in the pan but maybe it wasn’t enough? What consistency should I be looking for? And when I say “crust” on top I don’t mean the shortbread crust that makes up the bottom of the lemon bar. I meant that the curd was slightly solid on top but fully liquid underneath.
I made these today using option #2 the simple lemon curd and not sure where I went wrong but they have not firmed up at all. I even left them in the oven for way longer. They are in the fridge now but they are basically soup with a slight crust on top. Any suggestions or ideas where I might have goofed?
Hi Jay! Did the curd get thick in the saucepan? Most of the thickening occurs in the saucepan for this recipe. Also, the coconut oil should be the kind that is solid at room temperature. To prevent the crust from ending up on top, be sure to tamp down the crust in the bottom of the pan. I’ll add a note to clarify this in the instructions.
Awesome idea! Much Thanks!
Thanks, Dina! So glad you like this lemon bars recipe too!
You left the lemon zest out of the recipe for Option 2? Did you write lemon extract by mistake, or do you need both zest and extract?
Hi Susan! Actually, I was trying to keep Option #2 for the vegan lemon curd super simple so I used lemon extract and it worked amazing! However, you can add a teaspoon of lemon zest too if you’d like. Hope you love these vegan lemon bars!
Hello! I love your recipes, especially your Potato Salad!
I eat oil free and wondered if you had any suggestions for the crust besides butter or oil? Thank you!
Hi there Dede! I have not tried this but this is what I would do to create an oil free crust: Substitute 1 cup almond flour for the all-purpose flour (to keep some fat in the crust), add a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water), and the sugar. I think this should work. In fact, I may add this as an option for folks! 🙂
Hey Marly! These look fantastic. Thought the same thing about Meyer lemons . I wondered how much powdered sugar goes into the shortbread crust? Did I miss that somewhere? Thank you for another beautiful, easy recipe! Cannot wait to try.
Hi Julie! Thanks for your comment! I know the powdered sugar was originally in the recipe, so it must have accidentally gotten deleted when edits were made. Thanks for letting me know – it’s fixed now! 🙂
What firmness tofu did you use? Soft, Firm, Extra Firm…?
It says in the recipe that it calls for “silken” tofu. You can find that in the produce sections of a lot of U.S. grocery stores and definitely at health food stores. It may or may not be refrigerated and most typically I find it in a small “box” type container rather than a plastic tub. If you can’t find silken tofu, then buy a soft or medium regular tofu. Hope this helps.
I intend to make these soon, but in #2, you say Lemon extract, then say zest later. I think video says extract. Confusing. I’m just going to use zest.
Hi Becky, Yes, you’re right. The recipe instructions should say lemon extract. It’s fixed now. Thanks much for pointing that out. I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
I have these in the oven right now and I’m so looking forward to it! Will post a follow up. 🙂
I love my lemon so I’ll be adding a tad bit of lemon extract on the next batch. I love how it has a custard consistency. I couldn’t wait for it to cool down so I had a hot lemon bar. lol, it was still yummy! I put the rest in the fridge and can’t wait to try a cold slice of this goodness. 🙂
Thank you for the recipe! <3
Thanks for letting me know how it went Bree! That’s a great idea to add some lemon extract. Sometimes it’s nice being bold with it! Oh, and I’m with you – I can never wait for things to cool like I’m supposed to. Gah! 🙂
I love the anticipation you created. I’m sitting by the computer. Waiting. Hmm. I wonder if I should paint my nails while I’m sitting here. Or maybe I could get some work done. Nah! 🙂
These look amazing and easy! (two pluses in my book!) I was wondering, do you drain the silken tofu before using for this recipe? I know draining silken tofu on paper towels is pretty standard, but I wanted to make sure the extra liquid wasn’t needed for this recipe! I’m going to a BBQ next weekend, and I’m thinking of making and bringing these. 🙂
Silken tofu comes with a very small amount of liquid in the container. I drain that out. But I don’t press the tofu or drain it out on paper towels. It’s a easy recipe and so tasty too. I hope you enjoy your BBQ. Sounds like fun!
Thank you for replying! Our family BBQ was postponed until next weekend, but I wanted to try these, so I made them just for me. SO GOOD! And I even was naughty and impatient, and cut them well before they were cooled. They were super soft, but still tasty, and they firmed up beautifully in the fridge. These are just AMAZING. I’m super excited to bring them this weekend! Great recipe. Thank you!
Angela! I LOVE that you made these just for YOU! You are my hero! I mean, we’re always doing things for other people. We deserve a little Lemon Bars hot out of the oven for ourselves. 🙂
Hi there. I love everything lemon and would love to give this recipe a go but was wondering if I may use coconut butter instead of margarine which I am not a big fan of. Thanks!
Hi Lucia. I haven’t made this with coconut butter before, but I think it would do fine. One idea would be to try Earth Balance’s Coconut Spread. I think it’s formulated to do well in baked goods. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
Your lemon bars look YUMMY but I can’t tolerate soy products 🙁
Any substitutions?
Hi Angela. You can use my coconut sweetened condensed milk to make the lemon curd without soy.It’s a delicious bar, but it won’t have that same distinct creamy layer that this one does.
Thanks, Marly!
You’re welcome! We love making lemon squares, especially for spring and summer desserts!
These look wonderful! I can’t wait to make this! I already have all the ingredients. Thanks!
I hope you love these lemon bars as much as we do!
These look delicious and I am not even a fan of lemon really- I will definitely have to make these! 🙂
Maybe this will be the recipe that will win you over. Welcome to team Lemon! 🙂