Fresh baked lemon bars with a shortbread crust tastes like lemon cheesecake on an almond flour cookie. Dairy free, gluten free and refined sugar free, vegan and no tofu!
These creamy baked lemon bars with a shortbread crust are a dreamy blend of a lemon cheesecake filling and a buttery cookie crust. Bursting with real lemon flavor, they're made in a loaf pan with clean, plant-based ingredients, dairy free and gluten free. The almond flour crust is tender, while the filling is smooth and bright with lemon zest and juice.
You’ll love how easy these are to throw together — just blend, bake, chill, and slice! They’re perfect for brunch, spring gatherings, or a midweek treat that feels like sunshine on a plate.
👉Loving citrus or creamy bars? Check these out too:
No Bake Meyer Lemon Tarts • Salted Chocolate Tart with Shortbread Crust • Chocolate Ganache Tart (no bake) • Chocolate Hazelnut Tarts (no bake)
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⭐ Why You’ll Love These Bars
- Creamy, tangy, and just sweet enough
- Crunchy cookie-style shortbread crust
- Dairy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar optional
- Great for brunch, dessert, or a refreshing snack
- Made with pantry staples and your blender
- Bake once, chill, slice, done!
🧾Ingredients
For the shortbread crust
- Almond flour
- Rolled oats
- Coconut oil
- Brown sugar (coconut sugar)
- Vanilla & salt
For the lemon filling
- Lemon juice & zest
- Cashews, unsalted
- Coconut cream (solids from full fat canned coconut milk)
- Maple syrup
- Thickeners: Arrowroot, cornstarch
- Pantry: coconut oil, vanilla, salt, turmeric for color
See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋Step by Step Instructions
For more detail, visit the complete and printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Step 1: Melt coconut oil by placing the jar in a bowl of hot water. Soak cashews in just-boiled water for 15 minutes, then drain and rinse. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (leave overhang for easy removal) and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2: In a food processor or blender, combine all crust ingredients. Process until crumbly and slightly sticky. Press evenly into the bottom of the loaf pan, smoothing with a spatula or glass. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden at the edges.
👉To make no bake bars: Press in the crust, make the filling and pour. Freeze the crust and filling until solid, about 2 hours. Slice and store in the freezer individually wrapped.
Step 3: While the crust bakes, blend all filling ingredients until completely smooth. Add turmeric or natural yellow food coloring for a more vibrant yellow hue.
Step 4: Pour the filling over the pre-baked crust and tap the pan to even out the surface. Bake at 350°F for another 20 minutes.
Step 5: Let the pan cool for 10 minutes at room temp. Then refrigerate (uncovered) for at least 4 hours or overnight to fully firm up before slicing.
Step 6: Dust with powdered sugar, top with lemon zest or slices if desired, and cut into 8 squares or bars.
🔍Recipe Tips & Substitutions
- Use oat flour instead of almond flour.
- Use silken tofu or yogurt instead of cashews. If using yogurt, opt for no bake as yogurt won't bake well.
- Increase lemon zest or add lemon extract to deepen lemon flavor.
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🔄Variations
- Streusel lemon cookies: Press extra crust mixture on top for a streusel-style finish.
- Berry swirl: Drop in small spoonfuls of raspberry or blueberry puree before baking and swirl for a fruity twist.
📦Storage
- Enjoy immediately, or keep refrigerated sealed in airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
- Make ahead friendly: These keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days or freezer for up to a month.
💛FAQS
Fresh lemon juice is best, especially for flavor. But in a pinch, bottled lemon juice will work — just add a little extra zest for brightness.
Definitely! Swap brown sugar for coconut sugar in the crust and use maple syrup or date syrup in the filling.
Not really — they tend to dry out in the freezer. Store them in the fridge for up to 3 days for the best texture.
More No Bake Pies & Tarts
- No bake Chocolate Pie (healthy chocolate pudding pie)
- No Bake Meyer Lemon Tarts
- Chocolate Ganache Tart
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
If you love this recipe or any others on my website, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review! It means so much to me when you try my recipes, and I'd love to know how it goes. Also please leave a 📝 comment.
📖 Recipe
Baked Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Lemon filling
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup cashews, unsalted (soaked 15 minutes in just boiled water)
- ½ cup coconut cream (Refrigerate a can of full fat coconut milk and scoop of the solid cream)
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch ground turmeric for color
👉Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox.
Instructions
Prep
- Set jar of coconut oil in a pot of hot water to melt it.
- Boil water and add cashews to soak 15 minutes, then rinse.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper so end hang over sides.
- Preheat oven 350 F
Make Crust
- Blend or use a food processor to combine crust ingredients.1 cup almond flour, ½ cup rolled oats, ¼ cup coconut oil, 2 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
- Press mixture into the lined pan and flatten with a spatula or bottom of a glass.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are brown.*
Make Filling
- In a blender or food processor, add filling ingredients. Process until smooth.⅓ cup lemon juice, ½ cup coconut cream, 1 tablespoon arrowroot, 2 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, pinch ground turmeric
- Pour filling onto crust. Tap on the counter to level the surface.
- Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.
- Let the pan cool for 10 minutes at room temp. Then refrigerate (uncovered) for at least 4 hours or overnight to fully firm up before slicing.
- Dust with confection sugar, garnish with lemon slices and lemon zest. Cut into 8 slices or bars.
Storage
- Store refrigerated in a sealed container. They will last 3 days and then begin to dry out. They do not freeze well.
Ela says
Wow, these are beautiful, Dee!
Dee says
Thank you for pinning them, Ela! So glad you like them! Dee xx
Bianca says
These look so beautiful Dee!
Dee says
Bianca, thank you! So happy you like my lemon squares! Dee xx
Jess says
So creative. Beautiful recipe Dee!
Dee says
Thank you so much Jess, that's really kind of you.. take care, Dee xx