Healthy Vegan Strawberry Lemon Bars

Vegan strawberry lemon bars are the PERFECT summer treat! Made healthy with an almond flour crust and SUPER easy vegan strawberry lemon filling.

Every feel like you always need a better vehicle to get strawberry AND lemon into your life more?! I know, ME TOO. These healthy vegan strawberry lemon bars were born out of a desire to make a twist on my lemon bar recipe, with a little extra pop of summer. Plus, they’re kind of healthy? YES, please. 

The filling on these strawberry lemon bars is a perfect combination of strawberries, lemon juice and zest, and cashews! Why cashews? Because it’s the perfect ingredient for thickening the lemon bar filling, without adding in lots of heavy ingredients. 

Let’s talk crust! I usually go for a shortbread crust, but I wanted to give this version of strawberry lemon bars a little twist with an almond flour crust. It’s kind of like making the crust a little heartier, without being too heavy or filling. I find that sometimes nut-based crusts can be a bit too heavy and feel too filling, but this version is the perfect combo of light, filling, and holds up to the strawberry lemon filling perfectly. 

Ready to make these sweet squares of perfection? You’re in luck because it’s SO EASY. Mix together all your crust ingredients, bake it for 12-15 minutes, and then top it with the super easy filling. 

I usually blitz up the strawberry lemon filling while the crust is baking, so as soon as you pop the crust out of the oven you can top them and get them back in the oven. Bake the bars for a bit longer and now you’re to the hardest part…waiting! These healthy strawberry lemon bars need time to cool and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, so if you’re planning on taking these to a cookout or party, be sure to bake them the night before.

Voila, you’re done! I like to top these with a healthy sprinkle of powdered sugar, which does take away some of the healthy factor of them but is also SO GOOD. Life is all about balance, right? 

Are strawberry lemon bars healthy?

I wouldn’t say these are straight up HEALTHY, but they are a healthier version of a classic vegan strawberry lemon bar recipe! The almond flour cuts down on the amount of processed flour in the crust and the filling uses banana as the thickener (I promise you won’t even taste it!). There is still sugar in these, but they’re a little less guilty with the lightened up crust and secretly healthy lemon bar filling.

Can strawberry lemon bars be made gluten-free?

Yes! I would swap out the flour in the crust for a gluten-free flour blend. Since the crust already has almond flour in it, it’s already halfway to being gluten-free already. 

How long do strawberry lemon bars last?

Strawberry lemon bars will last 5-7 days in the fridge. I would recommend eating them within 5 days, after that, they start to get a weird texture on top and won’t taste quite the same. I would recommend storing them covered, in the refrigerator. Since they have lots of fresh fruit in the filling, I wouldn’t recommend storing these at room temperature. 

Can you freeze lemon bars?

Yes! Cut the bars into squares and freeze them layered with wax paper in a container. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. The texture may be a bit different when you defrost them, but they will still be really delicious!

How long does almond flour last?

Almond flour can last up to a year if stored properly. Make sure to store almond flour in a sealed bag or jar in a cool, dark place (aka your cabinets). If your kitchen tends to get hot during the summer like mine, I would recommend storing your bag of almond flour in the freezer to maintain peak freshness. 

More vegan lemon dessert recipes:

Vegan Lemon Cake

Vegan Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Vegan Lemon Poppyseed Bread

Mini Lemon Cakes with Coconut Whipped Cream and Berries

Print