The Best Vegan Lemon Bars

The other week I was searching for a dessert recipe and somewhere along the way, the interwebs suggested the Pioneer Woman’s lemon bars recipe to me. Immediately, I had an intense craving for lemon bars. But of course, most lemon bars are made with egg yolks and butter, and I wanted vegan lemon bars. Not just any vegan lemon bars, but the best vegan lemon bars.

I’ve made vegan lemon bars a couple of times. But in my experience, most vegan lemon bar recipes are raw and made from soaked cashews or almonds.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m down for a raw dessert now and then, but to me, the custard-like texture of the lemon bar filling was missing from the raw nut-based recipes I’ve made.

I also longed for that shortbread-like crust you find in traditional lemon bar recipes. So, I set out to make my own lemon bars with a shortbread-like crust and a creamy dreamy luscious lemon filling.

How did I do it? Well, I made vegan shortbread using vegan butter, and then I used tofu, lemon juice, sugar, and corn starch to make the filling.

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And it worked quite well! These tofu-packed lemon bars are pleasantly tangy, and have the custard-texture I was looking for. The bars taste a bit like lemon bars, and a bit like cheesecake, in the best way possible. As an added bonus, they just happen to pack a plant-based protein punch, too.

I made this recipe in a cupcake pan to make mini ‘bites,’ but an 8×8 inch pan will work, too. You may notice bars these are not a vibrant yellow hue; that is because I did not use egg yolks nor food coloring in my bars.

If you’d like them to be more yellow, feel free to use a drop or two of plant-based yellow food coloring. But otherwise, know that they taste great despite the pale color!

I hope you make these lemon bars – which are the best vegan lemon bars as far as I’m concerned – and I hope you like them! Please leave comments, questions, or post suggestions down below in the comments, and/or reach out to me on Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube.

The Best Vegan Lemon Bars

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 9

INGREDIENTS – Shortbread Crust:

• 1/2 cup cold vegan butter, cubed (I used Earth Balance)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1-2 tablespoons cold water

INGREDIENTS – Bars:

• 1 12-ounce package of firm silken tofu
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (from about 3-4 medium/large lemons)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare crust in a large bowl: whisk together flour, granulated sugar, and lemon zest. Cut cold butter into small cubes. Fold butter cubes into flour mix. Cut butter with a pastry cutter (or mash butter cubes with the back of a fork), to spread the cold butter. You may also squish butter with your fingers. Continue to cut/squish butter and mix into dry ingredients until a crumbly dough forms.
2. Once a loose crumbly dough has formed, add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until a dough forms.
3. Press crust batter into a greased 8×8 inch baking pan, or 9 lined or greased compartments of a cupcake tray.
4. Bake prepared crust for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow crust to cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare filling.
5. Wash lemons well. Zest lemons into a small bowl and set aside. Juice lemons into another bowl.
6. Add tofu, sugar, corn starch, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a food processor or high power blender. Blend until smooth, about 4-5 minutes.
7. Pour lemon batter into cooled crust (either the 8×8 baking pan or the cupcake tray). Bake for 18-22 minutes until lightly golden and the top(s) have a visible film forming. The bars or bites should wiggle a little bit upon shaking, but not be fully set nor liquid.
8. Allow to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, before serving. Store remaining bars in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.