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paleo lemon bars and fork on white table with lemons and cashews in background

Vegan Lemon Bars (no-bake, crazy creamy, rich!)

Author Erin Dooner
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 20 bars
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
These vegan lemon bars are super creamy, cashew-based, and are no-bake! They’re full of lemon flavor, are maple-sweetened and are also paleo.

Ingredients

For the crust:

For the filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups (218 grams) roasted cashews
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (252 grams) unrefined coconut oil very soft or melted, but do not use cold coconut oil!
  • 6 tablespoons (90 grams) coconut cream the top, solid part from a can of full-fat coconut milk that's been refrigerated overnight
  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2/3 cup (158 ml) Grade A maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons (12 grams) lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • pinch salt or more to taste

Instructions

  • Place 1 1/2 cups of cashews needed for the filling (not the crust!) in a small pot, pan or mug and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 1 hour. Drain the water.
    1 1/2 cups (218 grams) roasted cashews
  • Line an 8"x8" pan with a piece of parchment paper.
  • Prepare the crust. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the coconut. Stir frequently until nicely toasted. Do not walk away from the pan as the coconut starts to burn very quickly! Pour the coconut into a small bowl and let cool for about 5 minutes. You can skip the toasting step but I think it adds so much flavor to the crust!
    3/4 cup (65 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut
  • Place all the crust ingredients in a high-powered blender and process at low speed until the mixture starts to clump together. Don't process so long that it becomes pasty. When you pinch some of the mixture between your fingers, it should easily clump together. If it doesn't, add a tiny bit of water and process again until it does.
    1 1/2 cups (218 grams) roasted cashews, 2 tablespoons + 3/4 teaspoon Grade A maple syrup, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, pinch salt
  • Press onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Make sure there aren't any holes and really press down to compact it.
  • Place the pan in the freezer while you prepare the filling. The fridge will also do if you don't have space in the freezer. It should be firm before putting the filling in.
  • Wipe out the blender jar using a paper towel and place all the filling ingredients in there. Blend for about 30-60 seconds at high speed until totally smooth.
    1 1/2 cups (218 grams) roasted cashews, 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (252 grams) unrefined coconut oil, 6 tablespoons (90 grams) coconut cream, 3/4 cup (180 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2/3 cup (158 ml) Grade A maple syrup, 3 tablespoons (12 grams) lemon zest, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, pinch salt
  • Pour the filling over each crust.
  • Refrigerate for about 4 hours or until firm. If you're in a hurry, place the pan in the freezer.
  • Refrigerate bars in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you freeze them for a while, they'll need about 70-80 minutes at room temperature to defrost or about 1 1/2 - 2 hours in the refrigerator. Once properly defrosted, they should be totally creamy.

Notes

  • While I'm sure the crust can be made in a food processor, I'm not sure about the filling. It definitely wouldn't be as smooth (using a high-power blender, it's totally smooth) and it may not work at all. If you try it anyway, let us know how it goes!
  • The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator. 

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 201mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 2mgNet Carbs: 15
Tried this recipe?Tag me today! Mention @texanerin or tag #texanerin! Thanks. 🖤