These Vegan Lemon Slices have a crunchy oat base with a tangy, sweet and lemony filling topped with toasted coconut, they are sure to satisfy any lemon lovers! The recipe is quick and easy to make.

Most recipes for lemon based toppings are made with egg but this vegan version is egg-free. These are the best vegan lemon slices, with the perfect balance of oat crust to creamy tart lemon filling made with rich coconut milk.

How to make Vegan Lemon Slices:

First, make the crust. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted vegan butter and sugar. Add the flour and stir to combine then add the oats. It will be thick.

Press it into the prepared pan (lined with parchment paper) evenly and smoothly. Bake for 16-18 minutes at 350 degrees F until lightly golden on the edges.

Line a 20cm tin with parchment paper so that there is overhang on either side (you’ll use this to lift the lemon bars out easily later).
Place the dough into the prepared dish and use your hands to smooth it down evenly across the bottom of the dish. It takes a little patience to get it smoothed out all the way to the sides and into the corners but it’ll get there.
Place into the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 180°C/350°F/Gas 6 until the edges are slightly browned.

Toast the coconut: Spread the coconut in an even layer over a large baking sheet and bake at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 6 for 8-10 minutes. Stop to stir every two minutes.

The lemon layer: Add the sugar, cornstarch and salt to a pan and whisk to combine. Add the coconut milk, water, lemon juice, lemon zest 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 constantly while simmering until the lemon filling gets thick, translucent and bright yellow, about 5 minutes.

Pour the lemon layer onto the baked crust and evenly spread with a spatula, then sprinkle on the coconut.

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 from the pan and slice into 16 slices or 8 if you prefer larger slices.

You need it to be completely chilled before you slice it into slices. So it will need to be in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but if you can leave it overnight, then that will be most ideal.

Common Questions:

Why add turmeric? The tumeric is just for color, you don’t taste it in the final result. You can also omit this if you prefer but it gives a nice golden yellow colour to the lemon layer.
Why toast coconut? Toasting coconut brings out its flavor and it gives great flavor and texture to the slices. Spread the coconut in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until the coconut begins to brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a dish to cool completely.
Can I make lemon slices gluten-free? Yes! If you swap out the plain flour for a gluten-free, it should work perfectly!
How long do lemon slices keep? If kept covered, lemon slices can keep in your fridge for about 1 week.
Can you freeze lemon slices? Yes, you can. Lemon slices can be frozen for up to 3-4 months if stored away in an air-tight container. Simply cut the cooled slices, then place in a container and freeze.
Can I Use a different tin? Of course! I used a 20 cm round tin but you can also use a 20cm x 20cm square tin and cut into sixteen squares.

Ingredients for the oat crust

Rolled oats: The oats take the place of some of the flour in this recipe and give the crust a lovely, chewy texture.
Flour: I used plain flour but you could use gluten free if you prefer.
Vegan butter: This is what helps bind the crust together.
Brown sugar: I used brown sugar but you can use white sugar if you prefer.

Ingredients for the lemon filling

Fresh lemon juice & zest: I love using fresh lemons in this recipe, but you can also use lemon juice from a bottle. You’ll want to get at least one fresh lemon for the zest.
Sugar: I used caster sugar, but you can use any type of sugar you like.
Coconut milk: Full-fat coconut milk gives these lemon squares a lovely, creamy texture. You might think the slices will taste very strongly of coconut from the coconut milk but the lemon taste is the strongest taste.
Turmeric: This is completely optional, but I add a little turmeric to my vegan lemon slices for the beautiful, yellow color.
Cornflour: This is what helps thicken the lemon filling and keeps it from oozing all over when you go to cut into it.

Tips for success:

Use fresh lemons. This will give your lemon filling the best flavor. If you only have bottled lemon juice, you can still make these bars; they just won’t be quite as flavorful.
Zest your lemons before juicing them. It’s much easier to zest a lemon before juicing it!
Don’t skip the turmeric. I know it sounds strange, but trust me on this one. The turmeric gives the lemon filling a beautiful color, and it has some great health benefits too.
Be patient when cooking the filling. It might seem like it’s taking forever for the mixture to thicken, but if you keep whisking, it will happen. Just be sure to use medium heat, so the mixture doesn’t boil.
Let the bars cool completely before cutting into them. This will help them hold their shape when you cut them.

Variations:

Add a little bit of ground ginger to your crust. This will give it a lovely zing. A little goes a long way. About ¼ of a teaspoon is all you need!
Try using lime juice in place of the lemon juice. Turn these lemon slices into key lime slices with just a switch of citrus!