Get ready for the easiest dessert ever! These three ingredient lemon bars are incredibly simple to make and taste delicious – and still fit a dairy free diet. With a great blend of tart and sweet flavors, they’re perfect for a quick dessert this spring and summer!
Ingredients
You only need three ingredients to make this – the key is double checking to ensure the products you’re choosing are dairy free. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Lemon cake mix – Fun fact, many store-bought cake mixes are dairy free! For this, I used Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix, which at the time of publish did not contain dairy.
- Canned lemon pie filling – I used Duncan Hines Comstock Original Lemon Creme. Despite “creme” in the name, this also did not contain dairy at the time of publish.
- Powdered sugar – Any brand will do!
Step by Step Instructions
Full recipe amounts and instructions are in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos.
You’re going to start by combining the lemon cake mix and pie filling.
This will seem very thick – keep stirring until you’ve fully incorporated them together.
Pour this into a greased baking dish, and use the back of a spoon or a flexible spatula to spread it.
Now, pop that in the oven and bake it. When you pull it out, it’s normal for it to still be jiggly. The top should be set, but the inside will be somewhat moist.
Sprinkle the powdered sugar on and let them cool for a while. Then cut them into squares and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you prepare these dairy free lemon bars:
They do not since this is a simple three ingredient recipe – but they’re still delicious! The bottom of the bars will firm up a bit more thanks to the cake mix, while the center stays jiggly and creamy.
Because of the high moisture content, I recommend storing these in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Do not store at room temperature.
You can use angel food cake mix or yellow cake mix to make this; just be aware it won’t have as strong of a lemon flavor but will still be delicious.
Allergens in this recipe
*Disclaimer – Always double check ingredients to confirm a recipe meets your allergy needs. While I try to note potential allergens below, there is always the chance I may miss something or that manufacturer formulations may change.
As written and using the specific product choices at the time of publish, this recipe is dairy free and nut free. (Keep in mind this is based on ingredients; it does not ensure that the manufacturer produces products in a facility free from these allergens.)
Feel free to use another brand of lemon cake mix and lemon pie filling, but always be sure to check product labels though to ensure that particular product meets your needs.
This recipe does contain wheat (present in the cake mix) and eggs (present in the lemon filling). It also contains soybean oil (in the lemon filling) which may or may not be a concern for those with soy allergies.
More dairy free desserts
If you’re looking for more dairy free dessert ideas, try one of these delicious treats:
- Dairy free sugar cookie bars – One of my personal favorites! These are perfectly sweet and taste amazing topped with frosting. Great for birthdays.
- Vegan lemon cookies – If you’re looking for another lemon treat, these from-scratch vegan lemon cookies always come out delicious.
- Air fryer cherry hand pies – This is another very simple recipe that only uses a couple store-bought ingredients. It’s ideal for those days when you need to make something quickly.
- Dairy free smores cookies – No need for a campfire to get that awesome smores flavor – you can make these cookies instead!
If you get a chance to try these, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.
3 Ingredient Dairy Free Lemon Bars
These three ingredient dairy free lemon bars have a perfect blend of sweet and tart flavors – and are super easy to make!
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box lemon cake mix (double check to ensure dairy free)
- 21 ounce can lemon pie filling (double check to ensure dairy free)
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 baking dish.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix and lemon pie filling. This will be thick; that is normal. Continue stirring until well combined.
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Pour the mixture into the baking dish and spread flat with a spoon.
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Bake for 24-28 minutes, or until the top of the bars are set (the inside will still be moist).
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Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Let fully cool. Slice and enjoy. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition analysis (approximate per serving): 167 calories, 3 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 265 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 21 g sugar, 0.5 g protein, Vitamin D: 0%, Calcium: 2%, Iron: 3%, Potassium: 0%
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