Gluten Free Frosted Lemon Cookie Bars (Dairy Free)

A square frosted lemon bar with creamy white frosting sits on parchment paper, with a lemon wedge in the background.

Gluten Free Frosted Lemon Cookie Bars (Dairy Free)

Our delicious gluten free frosted lemon cookie bars are perfectly tangy and sweet, and are great for spring events and holidays. These fudgy cookie bars are also dairy free, egg free, and vegan as well!

Gluten free, vegan

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Keyword frosted lemon bars, lemon cookie bars

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

cooling time 1

Total Time 1 45

Servings bars

Calories 362kcal

Author Sarah Jane Parker

Ingredients

Lemon Cookie Bars

½ cup dairy free/vegan butter, softened (we recommend the Country Crock Plant Butter sticks)*
1 cup unbleached cane sugar
1 tablespoon ground golden flaxseed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1 medium lemon
1 cup King Arthur gluten free all-purpose baking mix*
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup Authentic Foods superfine sorghum flour OR brown rice flour
3 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon rice or oat milk or other dairy free milk

Lemon frosting

¼ cup dairy free soy free butter, softened
1½ cups powdered sugar
1½ teaspoons dairy free milk of choice (such as oat milk or coconut milk)
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh zest of ½ lemon
Dash salt

Instructions

Lemon cookie bars

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line an 8x8-inch square glass baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
Wash and zest your lemon and then juice it, straining out any seeds. Measure out the amount of lemon juice you'll need and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the dairy free butter, sugar, golden flaxseed, vanilla, and lemon zest until mixed and creamy.
½ cup dairy free/vegan butter, softened, 1 cup unbleached cane sugar, 1 tablespoon ground golden flaxseed, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, zest of 1 medium lemon
Add the all-purpose gluten-free baking mix, the salt, and the baking soda to the butter mixture and mix again until blended.
1 cup King Arthur gluten free all-purpose baking mix*, 1/4 teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
Add the sorghum flour, lemon juice, the dairy-free milk, and mix again until a thick cookie dough forms.
¾ cup Authentic Foods superfine sorghum flour, 3 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon rice or oat milk
Spread and press the cookie dough into the prepared baking dish. Using an offset spatula here works well, making sure to press the dough into the corners of the pan.
Bake for 30-33 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely before frosting.

Lemon frosting

Add the dairy free butter to a medium-sized bowl and beat with a hand mixer until creamy.
1/4 cup dairy free soy free butter, softened
Add in the powdered sugar, lemon juice, dairy free milk, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt, and beat together until well mixed and creamy.
1½ cups powdered sugar, 1½ teaspoons dairy free milk of choice, 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Fresh zest of ½ lemon, Dash salt
Spread over the cooled lemon cookie bars and sprinkle some additional lemon zest on top. Cut into squares and serve.
Store any leftover bars in an airtight container or bag for 3-4 days.

Notes

*Gluten free baking mix already has baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, and baking powder in it already. If you are using a gluten free all purpose flour that has xanthan gum in it but doesn't have baking soda, salt, etc. you can add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt to this recipe.

Nutrition