Creamy, tangy lemon bars are the perfect summertime frozen treat. They are infused with bright lemon throughout and have the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture that make it difficult to stop at just one! I call them my little squares of sunshine!
I have been wanting to make a vegan, allergy-friendly lemon bar for some time now. I'm proud to say that this version is both of those things plus so much more! This version is much healthier than a typical lemon bar recipe. Plus, it is no-bake and couldn't be easier or quicker to make! This is one of those recipes where you might just end up impressing yourself.
The crust is made from buckwheat cookies and vegan butter. Just blend together in a food processor and press into your pan. That's it! Crust is done!
The lusciously creamy lemon filling is made in a blender then poured overtop the cookie crust. The filling is made with just five ingredients: fresh lemon juice and zest, coconut cream, brown rice syrup, arrowroot powder (for thickness) and vanilla. You can add a pinch of turmeric to make it more yellow and it will not affect the flavor. How easy is that?
This recipe is sponsored by Bucks Natural Cookies and I use their brand-new delicious buckwheat lemon cookies as the base for the cookie crust in the lemon bars. The new lemon buckwheat cookies are infused with bright lemon flavor throughout and have real chunks of candied lemon peel in them. They make the crust so flavorful in this recipe.
I absolutely love their cookies because they are allergy-friendly and taste amazing. Their cookies are naturally gluten-free and made from 100% buckwheat flour that is locally-milled from buckwheat groats. Buckwheat is gluten-free, high in fiber, rich in vitamins and minerals and contains eight essential amino acids. If you would like to learn more, here is an article I wrote for The Washington Post that goes into more detail about the health benefits of buckwheat.
Bucks Natural Cookies are also free of the top eight allergens. So, just like this lemon bar recipe, their cookies are nut-free, vegan, gluten-free, egg-free and soy-free. Plus, because of their dedicated facility there is no concern for cross contamination with any of the top 8 allergens.
These no-bake lemon bars are vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free which makes them wonderful for serving to a crowd with varied food allergies or food sensitivities.
If you give this recipe a try, please let me know! Leave a comment below, rate it above, and tag a photo @eatingbyelaine and #eatingbyelaine on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook so I can see your creations!
Vegan, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free Frozen Lemon Bars
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 16 1x
Description
No-bake lemon bars are the perfect summertime treat! This frozen, allergy-friendly version is so simple to make and absolutely delicious. They are ultra creamy and full of fresh and tangy lemon flavor.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 boxes of BUCKS Natural Cookies: Lemon Cookie Buckwheat Cookies
- ¼ cup vegan, soy-free butter
For the filling
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (2 lemons) + zest of ½ lemon
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk, chilled for 24 hours
- ⅓ cup brown rice syrup
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric (for color)
- Optional: powdered sugar for garnish
Instructions
For the crust:
In a food processor, add the cookies and butter and process until well combined and a sticky mixture is formed. Transfer to an 8 x 8 baking pan lined with parchment paper (bottom and sides). Use the bottom of a flat metal measuring cup to press the mixture down evenly so it spreads into one even layer. Place the pan in the freezer on an even surface.
For the filling:
Open the chilled can of coconut milk and scoop out just the solid white coconut cream that floats on the top. Discard the coconut water or save it for another use.
In a blender, add the lemon juice, coconut cream, brown rice syrup, arrowroot powder, vanilla and turmeric. Blend until well combined. Pour the mixture into the baking pan on top of the cookie crust layer. Place the pan back in the freezer for another 3-4 hours until the lemon bars have hardened.
To serve:
Remove from freezer and cut into 9 or 16 squares with a knife. If the lemon bars have been left in the freezer for a long time you may need to let them thaw slightly for 5-10 minutes before cutting into them. Enjoy immediately as the filling will melt at room temperature. You can sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar if desired. Note: because the lemon bars are so moist the powdered sugar will get slightly absorbed into the filling. Store leftover lemon bars covered in the freezer to up to one month.
- Prep Time: 8
This recipe is sponsored by Bucks Natural Cookies. All opinions are my own.
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