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Gooey Lemon Bars

Ooey, gooey delicious! These dangerously delectable treats come together quickly to create a lemon lover’s dream dessert. If you don’t love lemon, this probably isn’t the dish for you – I purposely created these with a serious kick because I can’t be bothered with a paltry “hint of lemon” when it comes to lemony desserts. Incidentally, these are one of my daughter’s all-time favorite treats. She’s requested them over cake for quite a few birthday parties over the years! There’s something unbeatable about the combination of lemony tartness with just the right amount of sweetness.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword vegan air fryer, vegan lemon bars
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Yield 6 servings
Author Tess Challis

Ingredients

For the crust

  • ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup refined coconut oil melted

For the filling

  • ½ cup organic sugar
  • 1 packed tablespoon lemon zest
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup unsweetened, plain applesauce
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons arrowroot (or cornstarch)
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • Cooking oil spray (sunflower, safflower, or refined coconut)

Instructions

To make the crust

  1. In a small bowl, stir the flour, powdered sugar, and oil together just until well combined. Place in the fridge.

To make the filling

  1. In a medium bowl, add the sugar, lemon zest and juice, salt, applesauce, arrowroot, and baking powder. Stir well.

To assemble the bars

  1. Spray a 6-inch round, 2-inch deep baking pan lightly with oil. Remove the crust mixture from the fridge and gently press it into the bottom of the pan to from a crust. Place in the air fryer and bake at 347⁰F for 5 minutes, or until it become slightly firm to touch.

  2. Remove and spread the lemon filling over the crust. Bake at 347⁰F for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned. Remove and allow to cool for an hour or more in the fridge. Once firm and cooled, cut into pieces and serve. You might use a fork to get each piece out, as the pan is a little small for traditional spatulas.

Recipe Notes

Excerpt from The Essential Vegan Air Fryer Cookbook, by Tess Challis, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2019 by Callisto Media, Inc. All rights reserved.