Gluten Free Lemon Bars Recipe (with Matcha!)
Feb 01, 2024 • Updated Apr 10, 2024
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Attention lemon lovers! You must try these dairy-free, gluten-free Lemon Bars with a twist! A delicious, buttery shortbread crust topped with a lemon curd and matcha filling. Full of flavor, easy to make, and just in time for summer!
What Makes This Recipe Great
There is nothing, and I mean nothing like a good lemon bar recipe! Lemons are symbols of summer– bright, tangy flavor, beautifully vibrant, and add something extra to basically any and every dish. From sauces to soups, dressings to desserts, lemons are here to stay and I can’t wait to share this recipe with you!
Enter, my Vegan and Gluten-Free Lemon Bar Recipe! A delicious shortbread crust with layers of lemon filling and a very Remy-typical surprise: Matcha! The earthiness of matcha blended with the sweet and tangy lemon curd is mouthwateringly delicious. Traditional lemon bars are good, but we needed a fun twist, and the matcha is seriously the way to go!
Made with simple ingredients (no eggs, dairy, or gluten!), these tart treats are easy to whip up for any occasion. Plus, they store well in both the fridge and the freezer, and taste absolutely amazing!
If you love lemon desserts, try these Vegan Raspberry Lemon Cookies (Gluten Free) or these Meyer Lemon Blackberry Donuts, too!
Ingredient Notes
Gluten-Free Shortbread Crust
- Vegan butter
- Cane sugar
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour: Use a gluten-free flour blend like Bob’s Red Mill gluten free baking flour or King Arthur’s measure for measure. These flour blends contain xanthan gum which helps keep the structure and texture of the crust.
- Kosher salt
Matcha Lemon Curd Filling
- Fresh lemon juice: Fresh lemons offer such a better lemon flavor than bottled lemon juice in my opinion. You can also substitute Meyer lemons if you have them!
- Lemon zest
- Cane sugar: You can use your favorite granulated sugar here.
- Full-fat coconut milk: Use a can of unsweetened coconut milk.
- Cornstarch: You can use tapioca flour in place of cornstarch if desired.
- Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- Ceremonial-grade Matcha powder
- Powdered sugar
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the wet and dry ingredients: melted butter, sugar, flour, and salt with a spatula until a dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to the lined baking pan and press down using your hands or a spatula to create an even crust. Bake for 18 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool.
- As the crust bakes, In a saucepan over medium heat, combine lemon juice, zest, sugar, coconut milk, cornstarch, and vanilla. Whisk continuously while the mixture cooks, about 3-4 minutes. It will start to thicken up considerably (and create a hair gel-like texture), and you should be able to create stiff peaks when you remove the whisk from the mixture. Remove the mixture from the heat.
- Sift the matcha powder into a small bowl and add 1/4 cup hot, but not boiling water. Use a bamboo matcha whisk or electric frother to incorporate the matcha into the water. The mixture should be relatively thick, as you don’t want to add too much water to the lemon curd mixture. Once smooth, add to the pot and whisk in until smooth.
- Pour the matcha lemon curd mixture over the shortbread crust and use a spatula to evenly spread the mixture out. It will set as you leave it so make sure the top is smooth. Let the lemon bars cool to room temperature, then transfer to set in the fridge for 2 hours.
- When ready to serve, dust with powdered sugar and cut into 14 pieces, or squares the size of your choice.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week, or freeze and let thaw to enjoy for up to 3 weeks.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week, or freeze and let thaw to enjoy for up to 3 weeks.
To freeze, allow them to cool completely. Then, cut them into individual bars and wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap (or aluminum foil). Place the wrapped bars in a single layer in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! To freeze, allow them to cool completely. Then, cut them into individual bars and wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap (or aluminum foil). Place the wrapped bars in a single layer in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer.
Thaw the gluten-free lemon bars in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
More Gluten-Free Desserts
Raspberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Gluten-Free Strawberry Peach Cobbler
Vegan Raspberry Lemon Cookies (Gluten Free)
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Matcha Lemon Bars (vegan, gluten free)
Equipment
- 9×9 baking sheet
- parchment paper
- small saucepan
Ingredients
Vegan Shortbread Crust
- 3/4 cup vegan butter, melted
- 6 tbsp organic cane sugar
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt kosher
Matcha Lemon Curd
- 1/2 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 1 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
- 6 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 1/2 – 2 tbsp matcha powder ceremonial grade
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, flour and salt with a spatula until a dough forms.
- Transfer the dough into the lined baking dish and press down using your hands or a spatula to create an even crust. Bake for 18 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- In a saucepan over a medium heat, combine lemon juice, zest, sugar, coconut milk, cornstarch and vanilla. Whisk continuously while the mixture cooks, about 3-4 minutes. It will start to thicken up considerably (and create a hair gel-like texture), and you should be able to create stiff peaks when you remove the whisk from the mixture. Remove the mixture from the heat.
- Sift the matcha powder into a small bowl and add 1/4 cup hot, but not boiling water. Use a bamboo matcha whisk or electric frother to incorporate the matcha into the water. The mixture should be relatively thick, as you don't want to add too much water to the lemon curd mixture. Once smooth, add to the pot and whisk in until smooth.
- Pour the matcha lemon curd mixture over the shortbread crust and use a spatula to evenly spread the mixture out. It will set as you leave it so do make sure the top is smooth. Let the passionfruit bars cool to room temperature, then transfer to set in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to serve, dust with powdered sugar and cut into 14 pieces, or squares the size of your choice. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week, or freeze and let thaw to enjoy for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week, or freeze and let thaw to enjoy for up to 3 weeks. To freeze, allow them to cool completely. Then, cut them into individual bars and wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap (or aluminum foil). Place the wrapped bars in a single layer in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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