Light Vegan Lemon Bars (Without Coconut)

Name: Light Vegan Lemon Bars (Without Coconut)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 2 h 37 min
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 1 ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas); ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats; pinch of fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 tablespoons maple syrup; 10 ounces silken tofu; 2 teaspoons lemon zest, from about 2 lemons; 1 cup lemon juice, from about 7 large lemons; ⅓ cup plain or vanilla non-dairy milk of choice; ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar; ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt; 2 ½ tablespoons tapioca or arrowroot starch; 2 teaspoons agar agar powder; small pinch of ground turmeric or ¾ teaspoon nutritional yeast, optional, for color

User Reviews

5.0

45 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 37 mins
Servings
16 servings
Calories
110 kcal
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American

Light Vegan Lemon Bars (Without Coconut)

Finn Russell

Report

Creamy, fresh, and light, these gluten-free vegan lemon bars are possibly the healthiest lemon bars ever! An eggless lemon curd rests on a simple pumpkin seed crust. These bars are no-bake and require just 30 minutes of prep time. This recipes is vegan and free from gluten, oil, nuts, and coconut.

Share:

I Made This!

Be the first!

Print

8 people printed this

Save this

Be the first!

Ingredients

Servings

For the crust:

1 ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
pinch of fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons maple syrup

For the lemon filling:

10 ounces silken tofu See Notes.
2 teaspoons lemon zest, from about 2 lemons
1 cup lemon juice, from about 7 large lemons Fresh is best, but bottled pure lemon juice works in a pinch.
⅓ cup plain or vanilla non-dairy milk of choice
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar Or use ½ cup maple syrup for a refined sugar-free option.
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 ½ tablespoons tapioca or arrowroot starch
2 teaspoons agar agar powder
small pinch of ground turmeric or ¾ teaspoon nutritional yeast, optional, for color

Add to Shopping List

Instructions

Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, allowing it to overhang two sides of the pan for easy removal.
Place a heavy-bottomed pot or sauté pan over medium heat. Toast the pumpkin seeds and oats until fragrant, about 7 minutes. Pour the seeds and oats into the bowl of a food processor, and pulse several times to chop.
Add the salt, maple syrup, and vanilla to the food processor. Pulse again to distribute the syrup and further break down the seeds and oats. Check the texture, and squeeze a small amount between your fingers to see if it holds together. It should look like coarse crumbs at this point. Add another teaspoon of maple syrup for stickiness, if needed.
Pour the crust mixture into the parchment-lined pan. Lightly spread the crumbs around the pan so that it's even, then firmly press into the pan so that it's compact. Place the crust in the refrigerator.
Rinse the food processor and sauté pan to remove any seed or oat fragments. Wipe clean with a towel if necessary. Set the pan aside. To the food processor, add the tofu, zest, juice, milk, and sugar (or maple syrup), and blend until smooth. Taste the filling, and add a bit more lemon zest or sugar, if desired. Add the tapioca, agar, and turmeric/nutritional yeast, if using. Process for 15 to 20 seconds to ensure all ingredients are blended.
Place the pot/saute pan over medium heat, and pour the lemon filling into the pan. Stir frequently with a whisk or silicone spatula. When the mixture begins to bubble, stir constantly, and cook until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally so that it doesn't set.
Remove the crust from the refrigerator, and pour the filling onto the crust. Smooth the top with a silicone spatula. Refrigerate the lemon bars for at least 2 to 3 hours before slicing into 16 squares.

Notes

Qs about substitutions? Please see the Ingredients section and FAQs in the post above.
Tofu
For this recipe I recommend the refrigerated type, usually found near the produce section. Most brands come in 12 or 16 ounce packages. If you don't own a kitchen scale, simply eyeball it to measure out 10 ounces.
Storage
Store lemon bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. After a couple of days the pepita-oat crust gets softer, so keep that in mind. If you're making these for a party it's best to make them early the the same day or the night before.
Sorry but I haven't tried freezing these lemon bars yet. Will update as soon as it's tested!