These Lemon Bars are easy and delicious to make! The perfect treat for Springtime, these bars are bursting with lemon flavor and a crunchy graham cracker crust. You won't want to miss out!
*Originally published March 28, 2022 and updated with new copy and photos 3/14/23.
One thing I love about Spring is the freshness and the feeling of rebirth. We are leaving the cooler weather behind and moving into the warmer weather of Spring. Another thing I love about Spring is all the fresh citrus. I love the bright and fresh flavors of citrus fruits. These Lemon Bars with a Graham Cracker Crust are a refreshing and flavorful dessert, perfect for spring or summer.
These lemon bars are dairy-free and deliciously creamy. The graham cracker crust is buttery and delicious. This dessert is the perfect healthy alternative to traditional sugar-heavy lemon bars and the whole family will love it!
For some other great dessert ideas, check out this No Bake Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake, these Vegan and Gluten-Free Pound Cake, this Banana Pudding Lasagna, these Vegan Lemon Cookies, this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread without Baking Soda or this Blackberry Lemon Bread!
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What Makes These Lemon Bars with a Graham Cracker Crust So Great
- Easy to Make- These lemon bars are so easy to make! Over the years I have tried different iterations of Dairy-Free Lemon Bars with little success. Most recipes use a mixture of coconut milk and cornstarch and then you cook it but it can be hit or miss. Most of the work for these lemon bars is done in the blender and then finished off in the oven. Easy peasy!
- Plant-Based-Tasting one of these Lemon Bars, you would never guess that they are plant-based. They are creamy and delicious and fun, a healthier take on the original.
- Delicious Graham Cracker Crust- Most Lemon Bars are made with a shortbread crust which in my opinion is a little boring. The delicious graham cracker crust on these bars makes them unique and a total standout!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Graham Crackers- The crust of this recipe is a graham cracker crust. Most graham crackers do contain honey making them non-vegan, but there are a lot of honey-free vegan options out there.
- Meyer Lemons- Meyer lemons are a smaller, sweeter type of lemon. They have all of the lemon flavors but a little less of the tart flavor. That being said, if you can't find Meyer lemons, feel free to swap them for regular lemons.
- Cashews- The cashews in this recipe help to make the custard extra thick. When blended with coconut milk, it creates a custard that is just like the egg version.
- Maple Syrup- The maple syrup helps to sweeten the lemon bars without adding a lot of processed sugar. It is a healthy and clean alternative to white sugar. However, feel free to swap with your favorite sugar substitute.
A complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Instructions
Step 1: Add raw cashews to a mixing bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak while you are making the graham cracker crust.
Step 2: Add the graham crackers and melted vegan butter, to a food processor and process until a loose crust is formed. You should be able to squeeze the mixture between two fingers and form a crust instead of it crumbling. If too dry, add a bit more melted vegan butter.
Step 3: Transfer the mixture to the parchment-lined baking pan and spread evenly. Press down firmly until it’s evenly distributed and well packed. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown
Step 4: While the crust is in the oven, add the cashews, lemon juice, lemon zest, maple syrup, vanilla extract and coconut cream to a blender and blend until smooth.
Step 5: Pour the custard mixture over the baked graham cracker crust and spread until smooth. Bake for 1 hour or until the edges look very slightly dry and the center appears jiggly.
Step 6: Let rest for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to let cool completely for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Hint: Use a high speed blender to blend the cashews. I love my ninja blender and typically blend on high for about 5 minutes. If you don't blend the cashews enough, the custard will have a grainy texture to it.
If you love these lemon bars, you will also love these Vegan Chai Scones with Maple Glaze and this Vegan Southern Peach Cobbler!
Variations
- Blood Orange - Swap the lemons for blood oranges in this recipe for a fun citrus alternative!
- Traditional Shortbread Crust - Make these the traditional way with a shortbread crust instead of the graham cracker crust.
- Gluten-Free - Use gluten-free graham crackers to make this recipe gluten-free.
For another fun bar recipe, check out these No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars!
Storage
Store the lemon bars covered, in the fridge for up to four days. You can freeze these bars for up to 3 months. Just bring them to room temperature and thaw completely before serving. These lemon bars are best served chilled.
Top tips
- I can purchase coconut cream in the can from my grocery store, however, if you can't find coconut cream, use two cans of full-fat coconut milk. Refrigerate the cans overnight and then scoop out the top cream part and add to the recipe.
- If you don't have a food processor, to make the graham cracker crust, add the graham crackers to a gallon-sized bag and roll a rolling pin over it until a fine crumble was formed. Then, transfer it to a bowl and mix it with the melted butter and sugar.
- When checking for doneness, you want the edges of the lemon bars to be set and the middle of the lemon bars to still be jiggly, however, you don't want it to be fully liquid. The bars will solidify while they are chilling.
Recipe FAQ's
Most graham crackers do contain honey but there are a lot of vegan options out there! I like to use the Nabisco brand of graham crackers that do not contain any honey.
Yes! I only recently purchased a food processor. Before, I would add the graham crackers to a gallon sized bag and roll my rolling pin over it until a fine crumble was formed. Then, I would transfer it to a bowl and mix it with the melted butter and sugar.
No, these lemon bars do not taste like coconut. They have a creamy texture and taste just like the Meyer Lemons but sweeter.
Check out these Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies or these Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies for another fun dessert idea!
Other Great Dessert Recipes To Try
Lemon Bars with a Graham Cracker Crust
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 8x8 inch square pan
- 1 High Speed Blender
Ingredients
- 1 sleeve graham crackers about 10 full crackers
- 5 tablespoons vegan butter melted
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews
- 2 cups coconut cream about 2 cans
- 1 cup lemon juice about 5 lemons
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest about 2 lemons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Add raw cashews to a mixing bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak while you are making the graham cracker crust.
- Add the graham crackers and melted vegan butter, to a food processor and process until a loose crust is formed. You should be able to squeeze the mixture between two fingers and form a crust instead of it crumbling. If too dry, add a bit more melted vegan butter.
- Transfer the mixture to the parchment-lined baking pan and spread evenly. Press down firmly until it’s evenly distributed and well packed. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown
- While the crust is in the oven, add the cashews, lemon juice, lemon zest, maple syrup, vanilla extract and coconut cream to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the custard mixture over the baked graham cracker crust and spread until smooth. Bake for 1 hour or until the edges look very slightly dry and the center appears jiggly.
- Let rest for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to let cool completely for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Notes
- I can purchase coconut cream in the can from my grocery store, however, if you can't find coconut cream, use two cans of full-fat coconut milk. Refrigerate the cans overnight and then scoop out the top cream part and add to the recipe.
- If you don't have a food processor, to make the graham cracker crust, add the graham crackers to a gallon-sized bag and roll a rolling pin over it until a fine crumble was formed. Then, transfer it to a bowl and mix it with the melted butter and sugar.
- When checking for doneness, you want the edges of the lemon bars to be set and the middle of the lemon bars to still be jiggly, however, you don't want it to be fully liquid. The bars will solidify while they are chilling.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Natalie says
Oh wow, these lemon bars look amazing. The texture is perfect. I never tried the vegan version before. I'm excited to try your recipe. Thanks!
Gloria says
Lemon recipes are a sure sign of spring. These lemon bars would make the perfect Easter dessert. I am printing the recipe out right now.
Kristina says
Loved the lemony flavor. Thank you!
Stephanie says
So happy I came across this recipe! Definitely making these this spring, nothing quite like a refreshing tasty lemon desert! Thanks for sharing this recipe with us ??
Bernice says
These were such a treat! So glad to have a vegan alternative to one of my favourite bar recipes.
Sara says
My father in law loved these!
Anaiah says
These vegan lemon bars look soooo perfect! Looking forward to trying this recipe with all my leftover lemons.
Chantry says
These are so delicious! I always loved taking lemon bars to gatherings and have been on the hunt for a good vegan version. These were perfect!
Luke says
An excellent lemon treat, they didn't last long in our house lol 😉
Jeri says
I made these vegan lemon bars when I went to a retirement party! Everyone loved them! They turned out exactly as described. Thanks!
Nancy says
What a delicious and perfect recipe for the lovely spring weather we are having.
Emily says
These lemon bars are so good, and everyone loved the graham cracker crust!
Daniela says
No one could tell these were vegan. Made them with gluten-free graham crackers. SO Good!
Holly says
Flavor and texture were spot on! These lemon bars are going on my Easter brunch menu this year!
Amanda says
These bars are the perfect spring treat! The lemon filling had such a nice brightness, and I loved it with the crisp graham cracker crust.
Ash B says
This treat is so yummy and perfect for SPring! My favorite part is the crust by far!!
Swathi says
This vegan lemon bar looks delicious I would love to give it a try.
Marta says
I made these vegan lemon bars myself and I still couldn't believe they were vegan. I don't know if it was psychological or what, but they actually tasted like it was made with eggs and all of that.
Jacqui says
I love Graham crackers, and this is a perfect way to use them! These are such a good way to celebrate citrus season too. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe
Sam says
Wow how I love these!! I was looking for a great Easter recipe and this tastes like a winner. The lemon is delicious!
Michelle says
These are so gorgeous and totally delicious! Such a perfect party treat.
kate says
these lemon bars are awesome - it was gone in seconds!
Anna - Vegnfit says
I love the idea of using graham crackers for the crust. Those lemon bars are so delicious and refreshing.
Katie says
This recipe is perfection! Lemon bars are my favorite dessert, and these did not disappoint!
Lauren Michael Harris says
This vegan lemon bars recipe is so creative! It's amazing that desserts like this can be vegan and still taste so good!!
Sabrina says
Lemon is my favourite, love these bars!
Marie says
I love lemon desserts so much, these bars were right up my alley! They're really easy to make, have a lovely creamy texture, and are truly zesty. I'll be making these again!
Veronika Sykorova says
These lemon bars were amazing! I really enjoyed the graham cracker crust and I like that the recipe calls for Meyer lemons. They're my favorite but I can never find enough good vegan recipes.
Linda says
Love the addition of coconut cream in these lemon bars. So creamy and delicious!
Jessica says
I love lemon bars but hadn't had them since I became a vegan so it was such a treat to try this recipe. They were everything I could have hoped for; the perfect combination of textures and just the right amount of lemon. Thanks so much!
Marisa Franca says
It seems like I've been looking forever for a recipe like this. I'm so glad I found it. I made this on Friday and then I surprised my daughter with the Lemon Bars. They were so good she thought I'd cheated and made them with my old non-vegan recipe. Her whole family LOVED the lemon bars. Looks like I'll be making this recipe often.
Kate says
These lemon bars tasted so fresh and delicious! They also had the perfect texture. Definitely making these again!
Ramona says
These look so pretty and I am definitely going to be making these for dessert tonight! Thank you for sharing this recipe, I cant wait to try these out!