Easter Lemon Squares

These lemon bars are so easy to make and are a perfect combination of fresh, tart lemon curd and a crumbly, buttery shortbread crust. Sweet and buttery and perfect for an Easter treat or a spring dessert.

 Ingredients

For the Vegan Shortbread Crust:

 

• ½ cup vegan butter, melted ( non- vegan if you eat dairy)
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

 

For the Vegan Lemon Layer:

• 1 ⅓ cups white sugar
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1 ⅓ cup plant-based milk (such as oat or soy)
• ½ cup lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric (optional for colour)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 – 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional for dusting)

 

Instructions

For the shortbread crust:

1) Preheat your oven to 325F (170C). Line an 8″ x 8″ pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides so the bars are easy to remove from the pan. Alternatively use a silicon pan.
2) In a medium bowl, add the melted vegan butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix to combine. Lastly add the flour and mix to make a firm dough. Dump the dough into the prepared pan and press with your fingers to firmly pack and evenly spread the dough. Bake for 17 – 19 minutes until the dough is golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and if there are any bubbles you can poke them with a fork to remove them. Set aside.

For the lemon layer:

1) Add the sugar and cornstarch to pan and whisk to combine. Add the plant-based milk, lemon juice, and turmeric and whisk. (It’s ok if the milk curdles, it will come back together when cooked). Now put the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk often while simmering until the lemon filling gets thick, translucent, and bright yellow, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
2) Pour the lemon layer onto the baked shortbread crust and evenly spread with a spatula. Allow to cool on the counter for about 30 minutes and then pop it in the fridge to cool for 1 – 2 hours, or overnight until completely chilled. When chilled you can remove bars from the pan and slice. Sprinkle the bars with powdered sugar if desired, just before serving. Store lemon bars in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.