These Eggless Lemon Bars are pretty simple to make and only require 7 ingredients! The shortbread crust is buttery and crunchy, which is the perfect match for the lusciously sweet and tart lemon filling.
This Eggless Lemon Bars recipe is insanely delicious!
I’ve been working on it for a few weeks to get it just right, and what better time to give in to all our lemon cravings than today, right? Plus, they are the perfect dessert or snack. Especially when you need an extra dose of vitamins C.
Eggless Lemon Bars Recipe Highlights
- These Eggless Lemon Bars are sweet, tart, and lemony, just what you want in a lemon bar.
- They are pretty simple to make, you only need 7 ingredients, and I’m walking you through each step in the photo tutorial below.
So pick up some fresh lemons and let’s get baking!
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and instructions (scroll down).
You’ll need just 7 ingredients:
- Butter: . I prefer to use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter handy, you can use it. In this case, skip the salt called in the recipe.
- Sugar: Regular white sugar, also known as caster sugar.
- Flour: Standard all-purpose flour works best here, skip the cake flour, bread flour and wheat flour.
- Cornstarch: This will help to thicken the filling and make it creamy.
- Salt: I used Black Salt , which is a salt that is used in many vegan/eggless recipes to mimic the flavor of the eggs. If black salt is not available you can substitute with kosher or sea salt. See recipe notes to learn more about black salt.
- Evaporated milk: You don’t have evaporated milk? No problem!! Check out my post about How to Make Evaporated Milk at home.
- Fresh Lemons: You’ll need the juice and zest.
Step By Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
1 – Make the Crust
In a medium bowl, beat together with an electric mixer softened butter and sugar.
Add flour and salt, mix to blend until the mixture is just combined, about 1 minute.
Place the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer. TIP: I place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough to help the spreading.
Bake until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2 – Make the Filling
Sift the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a large bowl.
Add the evaporated milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and whisk until completely combined. Add 1-2 drops of yellow food coloring if desired.
Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and then pour filling over the crust.
3 – Bake
Bake the bars until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles. Remove bars from the oven and cool completely at room temperature, for about 2 hours. Then refrigerate for 1-2 more hours until chilled.
Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Cut into squares, and dust with icing sugar before serving. NOTE: For neat squares, I recommend using a long serrated knife and wiping the knife clean between each cut.
Air Bubbles on Top Of Baked Lemon Bars
The air bubbles on top of the baked lemon bars are completely normal. It’s the air from the mixture rising to the surface. Regardless, the lemon bars taste the same and after dusting them with confectioners’ sugar the bubbles won’t be visible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Halve each of the ingredients and bake in a 9×9-inch baking pan. Same oven temperature. Bake the crust for 13-15 minutes and the bars for 15-20 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles.
Black salt or Kala namak is a type of rock salt, a salty and pungent-smelling condiment used in South Asia. Although it is called black salt, its color is not black, it has a purple-ish to pink-ish color. Due to its sulfur content, it tastes and smells like hard-boiled egg yolks. This salt is used in many vegan/eggless recipes to mimic the flavor of the eggs. It can be found in gourmet grocery stores or online on Amazon. You don’t have black salt? No problem! Just use regular salt. The bars won’t have an eggy flavor but will be still delicious regardless.
If you plan on eating your eggless lemon bars within a day or so of baking them, there is no need to refrigerate them. However, for more extended storage chilling the bars is recommended.
I haven’t tested this recipe with regular milk so I cant say for sure. But making your own evaporated milk is super easy. Check out my post about How to Make Evaporated Milk at home.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Store: Cover and store leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freeze: Lemon Bars are freezer-friendly!
- Let them cool completely.
- Place cut bars in a single layer in a tray and freeze for 1 hour.
- Then cover each bar individually tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap. Place into a large bag or freezer container to freeze.
- Freeze for up to three months.
Before serving, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Sprinkle with Confectioners’ sugar before serving, if desired.
More Lemon Egg-Free Recipes You’ll Love!
- Easy Eggless Lemon Curd
- Eggless Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
- Eggless Easy Strawberry Bars
- Eggless Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Best Eggless Lemon Pound Cake
- Eggless Lemon Cake
- Easy Eggless Lemon Bars
- More recipes…
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Easy Eggless Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (75 g) cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon black salt (see notes below)
- 12 oz (354 ml) evaporated milk
- 1 cup (240 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1-2 drop yellow food coloring (optional)
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350º F/ 180º C. Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper (see tip in the notes below), leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, cream together with an electric mixer softened butter and sugar. Add flour and salt, mix to blend until the mixture is just combined, about 1 minute.
- Place the dough into the prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer. TIP: I like to place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough to help the spreading. NOTE: I highly recommend building up a thin 3/4-inch edge around the sides to keep the filling from spilling beneath the crust and sticking.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Filling:
- Reduce oven temperature to 325º F/ 160º C.
- Sift the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Add the evaporated milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and whisk until completely combined. Add 1-2 drops of yellow food coloring if desired.
- Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and then pour filling over the crust.
- Bake the bars for 20-25 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles. Remove bars from the oven and cool completely at room temperature, for about 2 hours. Then refrigerate for 1-2 more hours until chilled.
- Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Cut into squares, dust with icing sugar before serving. NOTE: For neat squares, I recommend using a long serrated knife and wiping the knife clean between each cut.
- Cover and store leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Let them cool completely.
- Place cut bars in a single layer in a tray and freeze for 1 hour.
- Then cover each bar individually tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap. Place into a large bag or freezer container to freeze.
- Freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Originally posted in April 2020, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, no change to the recipe in April 2022.
Decided to try this eggless variation from my own recipe. It was expectedly delicious! But I’m wondering what the reasoning was for the (roughly) 1:1 flour-to-butter ratio? Isn’t shortcrust pastry meant to be about 2:1 flour to butter?
Glad I tried it though!
Hello Kurisu! I’m so glad you gave the eggless version a try and enjoyed it! 😊 Great question about the flour-to-butter ratio. This recipe is a bit richer and more buttery than a traditional shortcrust pastry, which gives it a softer, melt-in-your-mouth texture. But you’re right—classic shortcrust is usually closer to 2:1. Feel free to tweak the ratios to suit your taste! Thanks for the awesome feedback!
No pictures because they disappeared so fast! I made these for an egg free daughter in law and they were the very best lemon bars I have ever had. No bitter after taste that comes with other bars. Definitely my new potluck dessert.
Hello Corky! That’s amazing! It sounds like those lemon bars were a real hit! I’m thrilled they turned out so well, especially for your egg-free daughter-in-law 😊 And it’s always a good sign when there are no pictures because they disappear so quickly! They’ll definitely be a hit at potlucks. If you ever need more egg-free recipes or baking tips, just let me know! 🍋
Small addition. I have now made these 4 times within just 2 months. I didn’t mention this in my first comment b/c I thought I had just made an error, however all 4 times the baking took 50 minutes. All four times were perfect and still yummy, just took longer than stated. Now to try your cheesecake!
Hello Corky! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for the feedback. Every oven is different, so baking times always have to be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, and that will all affect baking time, so keep an eye on yours. Happy Baking!
Finally, my favorite dessert egg-free! I can’t wait to try this. Thanks, Oriana. 🙂
Hello Markus! Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Hello there, just a 13yr old beginner baker on this side, Wud luv to know a substitute for evaporated milk(if not, can i make it at home?, if yes pls do share the reciepe)
Btw, luv your recipes , tried a few and wud love to try more!!
Hello Evy! Yes, you can definitely make it at home. Find the instructions here > How to Make Evaporated Milk
This recipe was great, I had adjusted quite a few things since I was working with what I had on hand but it still turned out delicious. I made the condensed milk from 1 can of coconut milk, regular salt, 2 oranges to in addition to limited lemons to help make 1 cup of juice and then thankfully I had some potato starch on hand because I didn’t have enough corn starch left for the full 1/2 cup. With my oven I baked it for about. 35 minutes
Hello Erin! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know!
Hola. What can be used instead of evaporated milk??
Hello Srishti! I am sorry, but I haven’t tested this recipe without evaporated milk. If you do try using an alternative ingredient, please let me know the outcome. Thanks for your interest in my recipe.🙂
My daughter has an egg allergy and I wanted to make her grandma’s favorite dessert, lemon bars. These are SOOOOO GOOD!! Also they smell amazing. I halved the recipe, made my own evaporated milk, and did not have black salt. Turned out beyond delicious. Thanks for the recipes – I have tried many and this one ties with the banana bread for me as the best.
Hello Jamie! I’m so glad you love these lemon bars. Thanks so much for trying my recipes and for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Hi! I’m on part two of baking the lemon mixture, but it doesn’t seem to be setting. Is it really just 20-25 minutes at 325?
Hello Liz! That is right. The bars will continue setting as they cool. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Hi Oriana! I’m having the same problem – my filling was still really liquid after 25 mins in the oven. Is there anything that could’ve gone wrong with my mixing?
Hello Nikki! Every oven is different, so baking times always have to be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, and that will all affect baking time. I would recommend using an oven thermometer to make sure it’s working properly. Having said that, this eggless lemon custard is always sort of jiggly, even when it’s “set”; furthermore, it’s one of those dishes that set properly only after you remove it from the heat of the oven. Hope that helps!
Can I use sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar and evaporated milk?
Hello AP! I am sorry but I haven’t tested this recipe with that combination of ingredients. If you do try using this alternative, please let me know the outcome. However, if the problem is that evaporated milk is not available, you can make your own: to make 1 cup of evaporated milk, place 2 cups of regular milk into a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Turn heat on medium-low, and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the amount of milk has been reduced in half, about 30 minutes. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Hi,
I want to try this recipe. Wondering if I can use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Please advise.
Thanks,
Misha
Hello Misha! Yes, you can, just keep in mind that the texture might be denser. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
What can I use in place of evaporated milk? My
Family is lactose free as well as eggless due to an allergy.
Hello Brittany! Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Nestle sells lactose-free evaporated milk (https://www.verybestbaking.com/products/11910/carnation/nestle-carnation-lactose-free-evaporated-milk/). If that is not an option, you can use your lactose-free milk of preference and place it into a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Turn heat on medium-low, and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the amount of milk has been cut in half, about a half-hour. Hope this helps!