This Lemon Lush Dessert is light, fresh, and decadent. It’s made up of buttery shortbread crust that’s layered with a lemon cream cheese filling, homemade lemon pudding, and whipped cream. Just 20 minutes to prep!
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Is there really anything as incredible as lemon desserts? I honestly don’t think I can ever get enough of them. Whether it’s Lemon Blueberry Donuts, No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake, Greek Yogurt Lemon Bundt Cake, Lemon Cheesecake Bars, you name it…I am probably having seconds.
Thirds aren’t out of the question.
This Lemon Lush is the ultimate lemon dessert. It’s completely made-from-scratch with a buttery shortbread crust, a lemony cream cheese filling, homemade lemon pudding, and whipped cream. It’s bright, fresh, light, creamy, and absolutely incredible.
This dessert makes the perfect addition to summer BBQs, potlucks, parties, or just to have on-hand at home to steal a bite of every time you walk by the fridge. 😉
(If you love layered desserts, check out my Chocolate Lasagna next!)
Ingredients Needed:
This Lemon Lush is made up of a few different layers. Here’s what you’ll need:
Shortbread Crust
- Unsalted Butter: make sure the butter is cold and cubed into small pieces.
- Flour: fluffed and leveled to prevent a dry crust.
- Granulated Sugar: gives the shortbread crust a touch of sweetness.
Cream Cheese Layer
- Cream Cheese: be sure to bring the cream cheese to room temperature for a completely smooth texture.
- Powdered Sugar: sweetens the cream cheese filling and gives it more structure.
- Lemon Juice: use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
Lemon Pudding
- Whole Milk and Granulated Sugar: a sweet and creamy base for our lemon pudding.
- Eggs: adds richness and gives the pudding its classic creamy consistency.
- Cornstarch: helps thicken the pudding.
- Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice: gives the pudding an extra intense lemon flavor. Remember, freshly squeezed is the way to go!
- Vanilla Extract: adds flavor depth and warmth to contrast the brightness of the lemon.
- Yellow Food Coloring: food coloring is optional, but it does give the lemon pudding that bright yellow color.
Sweetened Whipped Cream
- Heavy Whipping Cream and Powdered Icing Sugar: whipped together to form our homemade whipped cream.
- Vanilla Extract: adds a touch of warmth and flavor depth.
How to Make Lemon Lush
This lemon dessert is made up of three simple layers, homemade whipped cream, and comes together with 20 minutes of prep!
- Prep the crust: In a bowl, combine flour, cubed butter, and sugar until crumbly. Transfer the mixture to a 9×13″ baking dish, press it into the bottom firmly, then bake until dry looking on top. Cool completely before adding the cream cheese layer.
- Make the cream cheese layer: Beat the cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth, then add in the powdered sugar and lemon juice.
- Make the lemon pudding layer: In a saucepan, whisk together milk, sugar, eggs, cornstarch, and lemon zest. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a low simmer. Cook and stir until thickened, then add in lemon juice, vanilla, and optional food coloring. Remove from the heat and strain into a bowl. Cool to room temperature.
- Assemble: Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust in the pan, then add on the lemon pudding layer. Spread evenly.
- Chill: Place the Lemon Lush into the fridge and chill until completely cold.
- Top it off: In a bowl, whip together the cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread over the top of the Lemon Lush, then serve or refrigerate until you’re ready to serve!
Lemon Lush FAQs
Lemon Lush is a layered dessert made up of a buttery shortbread crust, a lemon cream cheese filling, and a lemon pudding layer. It’s light, fruity, creamy, and delicious!
Leftovers must be stored in the fridge and will last covered with plastic wrap or foil for 3-4 days.
You can try, but freezing this Lemon Lush will likely affect the texture of the cream cheese and pudding layers. It’s definitely best enjoyed within a few days!
Tips, Tricks, & Notes for Lemon Lush
- Cool the crust completely. If the crust is hot when you add the cream cheese layer, it will become runny and melty.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. The flavor is just unmatched by the bottled stuff.
- Chill for at least 6 hours. Make sure you chill this lemon dessert in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours so it sets completely.
- Make ahead of time. This Lemon Lush lasts 3-4 days in the fridge so it’s great to make ahead of time!
Variations
- Add nuts. Feel free to give your dessert a bit of extra crunch with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Swap the crust. You can easily swap the shortbread crust out for a graham cracker crust or Golden Oreo crust.
- Use store-bought pudding. I’m all for homemade lemon pudding, but if you want to save a little bit of time, swap it out for store-bought lemon pudding or even lemon pie filling.
- Use Cool Whip. You can also save a little bit of time by using Cool Whip in place of the homemade whipped topping.
More Lemon Desserts You’ll Love
Lemon Lush Dessert
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (cold)
- 2 cups flour (fluffed and levelled – 260 grams)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
Cream Cheese Layer:
- 2 packages cream cheese (8 oz or 250 grams each) room temperature
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeeze lemon juice
Lemon Pudding
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2-3 lemons)
- ½ cup freshly squeeze lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- yellow food coloring
Sweetened Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the crust:
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cold butter (cubed) and sugar until crumbly (a pastry cutter or your hands work great for this!)
- Press firmly into a 9×13" baking dish and bake for 10-12 minutes, until just dry looking on top. Let cool completely before adding the cream cheese layer.
Cream Cheese Layer:
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and lemon juice and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. If needed, add additional lemon juice or milk so that the filling comes together.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled crust and refrigerate to chill.
Lemon Pudding Layer:
- In a large saucepan, whisk together milk, sugar, eggs, corn starch, and lemon zest until completely smooth.
- Place on the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to a low simmer.
- Reduce heat if necessary so that the pudding doesn't boil (a slow bubble is okay), and cook and stir until thickened.
- Stir in lemon juice and vanilla extract. Add a couple drops of yellow food coloring if desired.
- Remove from the heat and press through a strainer into a medium bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature before spreading over the cream cheese layer in the pan.
- Place pan in the fridge and chill until completely cold, at least 6 hours.
Whipped Cream
- In a medium bowl, whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Spread over chilled pudding layer and refrigerate dessert until ready to serve.
Notes
- Cool the crust completely. If the crust is hot when you add the cream cheese layer, it will become runny and melty.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. The flavor is just unmatched by the bottled stuff.
- Chill for at least 6 hours. Make sure you chill this lemon dessert in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours so it sets completely.
- Make ahead of time. This Lemon Lush lasts 3-4 days in the fridge so it’s great to make ahead of time!
Nutrition Information
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bakingdancer says
I made this and it tasted great but I had two problems.
1) I had a problem with the crust – it stuck to the bottom. This could have been my fault because I lightly sprayed the dish with oil.
2) The layers turned out to be more like a pudding – a very tasty one. I had it in the fridge over night, but I couldn’t get the nice clean cuts as shown in the image on your website,
I too found that it took more than 20 minutes, but baking is fun so I didn’t mind.
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks for the feedback!
Ethan S. says
Im a regular dude that loves sweets. I saw this and after dreaming about it for a month I couldn’t resist. It was pretty straight forward. I followed the directions and it cane out perfect. Amazing dessert. One of my top 5 favorites. Thank you.
Ethan
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Ethan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Shirley Young says
Made this yesterday to serve tonight at a friend’s house. It does take more time than 20 mins but if you are organized I’m sure it would require less time. ( I am not organized!)
Everything tastes good but my lemon pudding is graining. I did put it through the sieve. It’s ok just that I noticed it. Whipped cream hides a lot of flaws.
I was hoping for a more lemon curd like pudding. I’ll try it again. It taste good enough to serve others.
I’ve been reading what causes grainy pudding and an immersion blender was recommended.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Shirley! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Sheryl Rutherford says
Took longer than expected to make. Lots of steps. Had to bake crust for twice the amount of time out it would have been underdone. It’s okay but probably won’t make again.
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe Sheryl! It has worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would of been a hit for you too!
Susan says
Is powdered sugar icing sugar? Or can I just use regular sugar? I see later in the recipe you call for icing sugar.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Susan, powdered sugar is also known as icing sugar.
Holly says
Made this totally from scratch as it’s directed. It came out awesome!! I think I lost some of the pudding later mashing it through a strainer that had a little too small of holes. But it wasn’t really noticable. Everyone loved it!! Will definitely make again!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Holly! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Casey says
Great decadent lemon dessert. I was craving something lemon and this hit the spot. Added some toasted pecans sprinkles on top for a nice crunch. My lemon pudding went a little granular, any pointers? I wondered if it was like caramel and best not to stir while it thickens?
Alanna says
Great lemon dessert. Not overly lemony and was told it was the best lemon dessert ever. I served it with the whip cream on the side and dolloped it as we served. I’ve had if with real whip cream and also cool whip, I definitely recommend real whip cream! So much better with it. It did take me a longer time to make than anticipated, but worth it. Thanks for another winner!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Alanna! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Esther says
Can I make the first two layers the night before and finish the last two the next morning?!
Looks delicious!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Esther, you could since you have to put it in the refrigerator and let it chill after the second layer. Also remember you’ll still need to cool it another 6 hours after the lemon layer. Hope you enjoy it!
Abby says
I really wanted to give this five stars because everything except the shortbread base was amazing. I followed the instructions to the letter. The crust was hard as a rock. It was not over baked, my oven temperature was double checked,etc. I was so extra cautious because this is an expensive dessert and it was for our Easter dinner dessert. I was reduced to scraping everything except the base into a bowl and serving it as a pudding. I would make it again, but would use a graham cracker crust. The shortbread base was inedible. The rest of the dessert was just incredibly tasty
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe Abby. The amounts and ingredients have worked well for myself (and others) have enjoyed it, so I wished it would of been a hit for you too.
Victoria W says
I liked the cream cheese layer and the lemon pudding layer, but found the shortbread crust too sweet and dense. I think a graham cracker crust or saltine crust would be better. I used less lemon zest than the recipe called for so that I could skip pressing it through a strainer. The prep and cooking time still took me a lot longer than 40 minutes! 🙂 Overall, pretty good. My family liked it.
Deena says
Hello, if I make this in a white ceramic dish, like pictured, how easy is it to serve it? does it come out quite easily and looking neat still? Thanks x
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Deena, I’m not sure that I could guarantee how neat it would look compared to mine. I’ve made the dessert multiple times, so I’ve had practice. I would make sure you have a sharp knife and a flat spatula to help you remove it. Hope you enjoy it!
Nadine says
Can I use a boxed lemon pudding mix?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Nadine! Yes, you likely could but I have never tried it. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Donna says
Can this be frozen?
The Recipe Rebel says
You can try, but freezing this Lemon Lush will likely affect the texture of the cream cheese and pudding layers. It’s definitely best enjoyed within a few days!
Teresa says
I made it as an after dinner dessert. To save time I used crushed Oreo lemon thins, cream cheese as recipe, 2 cans of lemon pie filling and cool whip. My family loved it. I will make it again
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Teresa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Sharon Hulet says
If I use crush Oreo thins, do I include the flour and butter to make the crust? Or just the butter and cookies? This recipe looks so delicious.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sharon, you’ll need the butter to hold the Oreos together. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Barb says
Much longer than 20 minutes when you add in the cooking and chill times. Plan 1/2 a day, but worth it.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Barb! The 20 minutes is prep time, 20 minutes includes the cooking time, and the chill time is 6 hours, but it’s all listed separately in the recipe card. Glad you enjoyed it!
Cathy says
I made this for our Easter dinner for the first time and will be making it again. Everyone really enjoyed it. It was absolutely delicious and will be so refreshing in the summer.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Cathy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Charlotte says
this was great! I made it over the Easter weekend, and my family loved it. For me personally, I would have preferred it with a graham cracker crust. I found the shortbread crust a little dry, but everyone else loved it. The cream cheese and lemon pudding layers were so good. Instructions were easy to follow, and it turned out exactly like the picture.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Charlotte! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Jane says
Wondering how you get the 20 mins prep time? Each layer is almost 20 mins each!
I am looking forward to tasting.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jane, it only took me that long to prep it. Hope you enjoy it!
Claudia says
Oh my goodness, I can hardly wait to make this wonderful devine looking dessert. I just know it will be five stars. I love anything lemony and I love cheesecake, so this looks like a win win for me. Will post after I make it. I may just make it for my group of crafting ladies when we meet next month. They will go nuts for this. Thanks a whole lot and Happy Easter to you and your family…
The Recipe Rebel says
Hope you enjoy it Claudia! Happy Easter!
Stephanie says
Hi Ashley,
Can I make this in a spring form pan?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Stephanie! I’ve only tested the recipe as is and can’t advise on using a spring form pan. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!