Description
These Creamy Vegan Lemon Bars are a no-bake, gluten-free, and healthier dessert option featuring a smooth cashew and coconut cream filling with fresh lemon juice and zest on a crunchy vegan pie crust. Perfectly tart and sweet, these bars set overnight for a refreshing treat that can be enjoyed cold or frozen.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Filling
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 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
Crust
- 1 recipe No-Bake Vegan Pie Crust (see notes)
Instructions
- Soak Cashews: Place the raw cashews in a heat-safe bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let them soak for 1 hour to soften. Alternatively, soak them overnight in room-temperature water for convenience.
- Prepare Crust: While the cashews soak, prepare the vegan no-bake pie crust according to the linked recipe. Press the crust mixture into an 8 or 9-inch pan lined with parchment paper, ensuring some parchment paper extends up the sides for easy removal later.
- Blend Filling: Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a blender along with canned coconut cream, maple syrup, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt. Blend the mixture until it is completely smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Bars: Pour the blended lemon filling over the prepared crust and spread it evenly using a spatula to smooth the surface.
- Set Bars: Refrigerate the assembled bars overnight to allow them to firm up properly. Alternatively, freeze them for at least 3 hours if you prefer a firmer texture.
- Serve: Once set, remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper edges. Serve chilled, frozen, or thawed as desired.
Notes
- Use the No-Bake Vegan Pie Crust recipe linked in the notes section for the crust to ensure a perfect vegan and gluten-free base.
- Canned coconut cream is different from coconut milk. If you cannot find coconut cream, refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk and scoop out only the solid cream that rises to the top, discarding or saving the remaining liquid for other uses.
- Bars can be stored refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for longer storage.
