Vegan Lemon Bars are made without eggs or dairy, for a naturally sweet treat! The filling is made with creamy cashews, so this recipe reminds me of a creamy lemon cheesecake, too.
To prepare the crust, preheat the oven to 350ºF and stir together the almond flour, oil, maple syrup, and salt. Stir until a thick dough is formed. It should stick together when pressed between your fingers.
Line an 8-inch square dish with parchment paper. You can lightly spray it with oil, then add the parchment paper to help it hold in pace. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan evenly. It won't be very thick, but it should cover the bottom of the pan. Bake this at 350ºF for 15 minutes for a lightly golden crust. Let it cool completely.
To make the filling, add the cashews to a blender and blend briefly. (This way you won't get big chunks of cashews in your filling.) Add in the lemon juice, zest, maple syrup, and oil, and blend again until silky smooth, with no visible chunks.
Pour the filling over the cooled pie crust then smooth the top with a spatula. Set the pan on a flat surface in your freezer to set until firm, about 4 hours, or overnight.
When the filling feels firm to the touch, slice into 16 small bars and serve chilled. These bars will soften if they sit out at room temperature for too long. For a softer filling, you can serve them from the fridge instead. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition information is for 1 of 16 bars. This is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.Need a lower calorie treat? Skip the crust and enjoy the creamy lemon filling on its own, like a lemon-flavored fudge.