Last updated - ; Published - By Rhian Williams 8 Comments
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These Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Crumble Bars are the perfect sweet treat: a crunchy base topped a creamy, tangy lemon curd and a "buttery" crumble topping. They're refined sugar free and are an excellent make-ahead for Easter, Mother's Day, bridal showers and baby showers! They're great for sharing and an excellent alternative to Lemon Pie!
Why does this recipe use brown rice flour?
You can usewhite rice flour or gluten-free flour, but I found the texture was much better with brown rice flour. If you can't find brown rice flour in your local supermarket, you'll be able to find it in local health stores or online.
How is the lemon curd made?
The lemon curd is made using shop-bought custard powder.
This is my favouritecustard powder - it's vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free, and contains just 4 simple ingredients!
Not only does this custard powder act as a thickener, making the lemon curd extra creamy, but it also adds a lovely colour without having to use something like turmeric.
What can the custard powder be replaced with?
If you can't get hold of a shop-bought custard powder, you can replace it with the same amount of cornflour (cornstarch) or arrowroot, which will result in a similar texture, though the colour will be considerably less yellow.
To add yellow colour, I would suggest adding a tiny pinch of saffron, which I much prefer to turmeric as it has a much milder flavour.
What type of plant-based milk is used to make the lemon curd?
You can use any type of plant-based milk, though results do vary depending on which one you choose: cashew, oat or coconut milk make the creamiest and thickest curd, whilst almond milk will be less creamy. I personally prefer to use rice milk as it creates a just-set lemon curd-like consistency which I love.
How to make this recipe
Scroll down to thebottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Mix together the ingredients for the dough in aglass mixing bowl.
- Transfer one half into asquare baking tin.
Tip:Line the tin with greasedbaking paperto make it easier to remove the bars after.
- Use your fingers to push the mixture all the way to the edges, then use a spatula to press down on it until the surface is completely even.
- Bake in oven for 10 minutes - you'll be baking this again so you don't want to over-bake at this stage!
- Measure out the rice milk in a measuring jug.
- Pour the milk into a pan, leaving behind a few tablespoons of milk in the jug.
- Heat up the milk.
- Add the custard powder to the remaining milk in the jug and mix well, ensuring it has dissolved completely.
- Once the milk in the pan is steaming, add approximately half of the hot milk to the bowl with the dissolved custard powder, mix well and transfer the custard powder mixture to the pan.
- Mix well and keep stirring on a low heat for around 5 minutes, until thickened.
- Add the lemon juice and maple syrup.
- Pour the lemon curd over the base until it’s completely evenly covered and make sure the surface is smooth.
Tip: Tap the dish gently on the counter a few times to get rid of the air bubbles.
- Use your fingers to crumble the rest of the dough mixture over the top until it is all used up and the lemon curd completely covered.
- Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Leave to cool then keep in the fridge for at least 4 hours until it firms up - may take slightly longer depending on the type of custard powder you use, the temperature of your fridge etc.
- Cut into squares once it’s completely firmed up.
How long do these keep for?
These Lemon Crumble Bars do taste best when fresh, but they keep covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
Substitutions you can make
- you can replace thecoconut oilwithcoconut butter
- you can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc
- the ground almonds (almond meal) can be replaced with ground walnuts
- for a nut-free version, use ground sunflower seeds instead of ground almonds and use a nut-free plant-based milk
- you can replace the brown rice flour with plain flour if you’re not gluten-free
- you can add flaked or desiccated coconut or oats to the crumble topping.
Substitutions to be careful of
- you can usewhite rice flour or gluten-free flour but the texture is much better with brown rice flour
- I would recommend making the curd with rice milk - see recipe notes for details.
More vegan dessert recipes
- Chocolate Lava Cake
- Apple Crumble Bars
- Coconut Macaroons
- Lemon Bars
- Strawberry Trifle
- Sugar Cookies
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Yule Log
- Lemon Cheesecake Crumble Bars
- Blueberry Crumble Bars
- Lemon Pudding
- Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- Vegan Baked Cheesecake
- Churros
- Blondies
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog,I’d really love to hear anyfeedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes onInstagram! Thank you.
Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Crumble Bars
These Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Crumble Bars are the perfect sweet treat: a crunchy base topped a creamy, tangy lemon curd and a "buttery" crumble topping. They're great for sharing!
4.20 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: gluten-free crumble bars, lemon crumble bars, vegan crumble bars
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 16 bars
Calories: 220kcal
Author: Rhian Williams
Ingredients
For the crumble:
- 30 g (⅛ cup) coconut oil (or sub coconut butter)
- 10 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other similar sweetener)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
- 150 g (1 cup) brown rice flour ** (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
- Pinch salt
For the lemon curd:
- 900 ml (3 ¾ cup) rice milk *** (see notes)
- 95 g (¾ cup) custard powder **** (or sub cornflour/cornstarch or arrowroot)
- 17 tablespoons lemon juice
- 8 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
For the crumble:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave
Add the maple syrup, milk, ground almonds, brown rice flour and salt and mix well – add an extra splash of milk if it’s looking too dry to combine
Divide the dough in half
Transfer one half of the dough into a square or rectangular baking tin lined with greased baking paper –I used a 23cm/9inch square baking tin
See AlsoFortune Cookie RecipeUse your fingers to push the mixture all the way to the edges, then use a spatula to press down on it until the surface is completely even
Bake in oven for 10 minutes
Place the remaining half of the dough in the fridge while you make the rest (this will help it firm up and make it easier to crumble over the top after)
For the lemon curd:
Measure out the milk in a jug or measuring container
Pour the milk into a pan, leaving behind a few tablespoons of milk in the jug
Heat up the milk in the pan
Add the custard powder to the remaining milk in the jug and mix well, ensuring it has dissolved completely
Once the milk in the pan is steaming, add approximately half of the hot milk to the bowl with the dissolved custard powder, mix well and transfer the custard powder mixture to the pan
Mix well and keep stirring on a low heat for around 5 minutes, until thickened
Add the lemon juice and maple syrup
Taste and add extra lemon juice or maple syrup if desired
To assemble:
Pour the lemon curd over the base until it’s completely evenly covered and make sure the surface is smooth
Use your fingers to crumble the rest of the dough mixture over the top until it is all used up and the lemon curd is completely covered
Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden brown
Leave to cool then keep in the fridge for at least 4 hours until it firms up (may take slightly longer depending on the type of custard powder you use, the temperature of your fridge etc)
Cut into squares once it’s completely firmed up
Tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days
Notes
*You can alternatively use almond flour
**You can use white rice flour or gluten-free flour but the texture is much better with brown rice flour.
***You can use any type of plant-based milk, though results do vary depending on which one you choose: cashew, oat or coconut milk make a super thick and creamy curd, whilst almond milk will be less creamy. I like to use rice milk as it creates a just-setlemon curd-like consistency which I love.
****If you can’t get hold of a shop-bought custard powder, you can substitute it with the same amount cornflour (cornstarch) or arrowroot, which will result in the same texture, though the colour will be considerably less yellow. To add yellow colour, I would suggest adding a tiny pinch of saffron, which I much prefer to turmeric as it has a much milder flavour.
Nutrition Facts
Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Crumble Bars
Amount Per Serving
Calories 220Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 42mg2%
Potassium 126mg4%
Carbohydrates 36g12%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 13IU0%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 66mg7%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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