Dairy Free Lemon Bars

These dairy free lemon bars have the best buttery shortbread crust and creamy lemon curd topping! They're naturally vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy free lemon bars, vegan gluten-free lemon bars

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1

Servings: lemon bars

Calories: 95kcal

Author: Louisa

Equipment

Ingredients

For the shortbread crust:

For the lemon filling:

1 1/2 cup erythritol
6 tbsp cornstarch
Pinch turmeric (optional for color)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
Powdered sugar (optional for dusting)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper.

Base:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the GF flour and erythritol. Add in the melted butter
Mix together until a dough forms.
Press the dough into the prepared baking pan firmly and evenly, about 1/4 inch thick. Make sure there are no gaps.
Pre-bake the shortbread crust for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Filling:

Add the erythritol and cornstarch to a medium saucepan.
Add in the turmeric and lemon juice. Whisk until clump-free.
Place over medium heat. Mix until the sweetener has dissolved. Slowly pour in the coconut milk, stirring continuously until the mixture is smooth. Then, stir every minute or so until the curd thickens. Remove from the heat. Don't let it cool completely, or it will be difficult to spread!

Assembly:

Carefully pour the lemon filling over the cooled pre-baked shortbread.
Smooth out the filling and bake at 350°F for another 30 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then, chill in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Lift the chilled lemon bar out of the pan. Dust the top with powdered sugar, then cut into squares. You can also garnish the bars with lemon.

Notes

You can line the square baking pan with 2 long strips of parchment paper. Make sure they overhang the edges of the pan to make removal (and your life) easier.
Instead of increasing the amount of sweetener, you can make your dairy free lemon bars sweeter by replacing a third of the lemon juice with orange juice.
Chill your vegan gluten-free lemon bars for at least an hour in the fridge before cutting them. Pre-score the top, then cut in a single downward motion with a sharp knife. You can also warm your knife by dipping it in hot water and then wiping it dry before use.

Nutrition