20 Lemon Desserts That Are Delicious

This list would be incomplete without lemon bars, the quintessential lemon dessert. It features a thin, buttery, crumbly shortbread crust with a sweet and tangy lemon curd atop. The curd has an intense lemon flavor from the combination of lemon juice and zest, sugar, eggs, and butter.

The shortbread crust is baked until golden brown, and the filling is poured over a slightly cooled crust. A final dusting of powdered sugar adds an extra touch of sweetness and makes for a delightful presentation. These desserts are perfect for any occasion like an outdoor picnic, gameday potluck, dinner party, and bake sale. 

Lemon meringue pie is a popular lemon dessert. Flaky, buttery, and crispy pie crust is filled with rich, sweet, and tangy lemon curd, the heart of the tie. Everything is topped with swoops of fluffy toasted meringue. 

The textures and the flavors of the different layers meld together and make for a truly showstopping pie. A lemon meringue pie is served chilled or at room temperature and enjoyed with a dollop of whipped cream.

If you want to make one at home, a key tip is to let the pie chill in the fridge for at least three hours. This allows the filling to set properly and the flavors to develop. 

Baked or non-baked, a lemon cheesecake always hits the spot. A lemon cheesecake strikes the perfect balance of tang, sweetness, and luxurious richness without being overly rich, all with the most incredible bright citrus flavor of lemon. It definitely will not disappoint the lemon lovers.

It features a buttery graham cracker crust topped with a layer of luscious lemon curd infused with fresh lemon flavor. They also come with different additions, like fresh berries, a drizzle of white chocolate, or crumbled biscoff cookie crust.

A lemon cheesecake is the perfect dessert for holidays and birthday parties and excellent when you are craving a refreshing dessert in the summer.

A lemon pound cake is the sweet, summery, citrus-infused version of the classic pound cake. It has a burst of refreshing lemon flavor and dense crumb because of the butter. The additional fat makes the cake super moist yet incredibly tender and melt-in-your-mouth soft.

It is drizzled with lemon buttermilk glaze, which rounds out the flavor of the cake nicely and enhances the citrus flavor. It is the perfect pick-me-up with your afternoon tea and coffee. 

A lemon pound cake is usually served with fresh fruits like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or a seasonal fruit salad. They are also served with vanilla ice cream, a dollop of freshly whipped cream, or a simple dusting of powdered sugar.

A lemon sorbet is a refreshing, non-dairy frozen dessert traditionally served as a palate cleanser after a meal. It has a smooth texture similar to finely shaved ice and is light and airy because it is made with water, sugar, and lemon puree. It is not heavy like dairy-based desserts because it does not have cream or milk. 

Like most lemon desserts, this sorbet has a Zesty, sweet, and tart flavor. It is cooling and refreshing on a hot and humid day. You can easily make this at home as you do not need fancy equipment or ingredients. Everything you need for this dessert is probably in your pantry.

Cookies are a versatile dessert. You can make them in any shape, texture, and flavor, like a lemon cookie. These cookies capture the bright and tangy essence of lemon in a soft and chewy or crisp and crumbly cookie form because they are made using fresh juice and zest of lemons.

Additionally, the tanginess of the lemon in the cookies balances beautifully with the sugar in the cookies and makes for a pleasant dessert. The sweetness of the cookies may vary, but a perfect lemon cookie should not have so much sugar that it overpowers the lemon flavor. 

The cookie is finished off with a drizzle of lemon glaze atop, which brings out the lemon flavor of the cookies and adds a little sweet tang.

A lemon pudding is a silky smooth pudding with a bright lemon flavor. Some lemon puddings are smooth and rich, similar to custard. They are made with eggs, milk or cream, sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Others are light and airy, like a mousse, because whipped cream or beaten egg whites are used for the airy texture.

However, whichever version you consume, a lemon pudding is packed with bright, zingy flavors of lemon thanks to lemon juice and zest. This helps cut through the richness and sweetness of the dessert. They are often served during Easter dinners because that is when lemons are at their peak ripeness.

A no-brainer yet delicious dessert using lemons is a lemon cupcake. The ease of customization of cupcakes means that you can infuse it with a delightful citrus punch.

With every bite, you get a fluffy, moist, and tender crumb that melts in your mouth and a burst of tangy citrus flavor. These cupcakes have the perfect balance of sweetness and tang and do not have too much lemon that you will squint your eyes and pucker up your lips. 

If you are making these cupcakes, use freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest for the intense lemon flavor. You can add a teaspoon of lemon extract alongside the zest and juice. But do not put too much, as it can lead to an artificial lemon-flavored cupcake. 

Lemon tart is a delicious, fresh, and zingy dessert. It is a classic French dessert known as "tarte au citron" and is loved by many because of its perfectly balanced sweet and tart flavors.

It features a crumbly, buttery pastry tart crust filled with creamy and vibrant lemon curd. The lemon curd can be rich or light depending on the quantity of butter and lemon juice used. An additional lemon glaze drizzle or a powdered sugar dusting elevates the dessert. 

A classic version of this dessert features a bright yellow filling, while modern variations incorporate ingredients like blueberries or raspberries for a burst of color and additional flavor. It is best served with dollops of whipped cream and fresh berries.

Lemon scones are an all-day affair. You can have it for breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea, or whenever you are craving it. These delightful pastries have a crumbly golden-brown exterior, but they are tender and flaky inside. They are rich and buttery but balanced by the bright, zesty, and citrusy lemon flavor. 

The scones can be enjoyed plain or dressed up with a zingy lemon glaze, which enhances the flavor of the lemon. Some recipes feature add-ins like poppy seeds and toasted flaked almonds for extra crunch. Scones are more enjoyable with clotted cream (a thick, spreadable cream) and jams.

A lemon ice cream is a perfect way to embrace the warmth of spring weather. It has a smooth and creamy texture and is bursting with fresh citrus flavor. You can enjoy ready-made ones from the store or make them at home. 

Homemade lemon ice cream allows you to control the ingredients and adjust the level of sweetness and tartness to your preference. For the brightest lemon flavor, ensure you add lemon zest, not just the juice. The zest adds another layer of citrus flavor to the ice cream. 

Also, ensure you are using fresh lemon. Freshly squeezed lemon juice has a delicious lemon flavor compared to bottled lemon juice, which lacks the brightness and depth of fresh lemons.

Macarons come in a variety of flavors including lemon ones. These macarons are light, airy, and delicious. A lemony filling is sandwiched between sweet meringue cookies.

These cookies have a smooth and crisp outer shell with a slightly chewy interior. They have a tart lemon curd and a sweet lemon buttercream filling that is simply irresistible. 

The combination of the lemon meringue cookies and tangy lemon filling is a unique flavor combination that is both refreshing and satisfying.

Apart from the taste, these desserts are also pleasing to the eyes. The macarons are pastel yellow in color with a smooth finish, making them perfect to take center stage on any dessert table.

It is hard to resist a lemon bundt cake because there is so much lemon in this cake that lemon dessert lovers will go crazy for it. They are perfect for potlucks, summer BBQs, and a pretty spring tea party.

This ring-shaped cake is perfectly rich and buttery, with a fluffy texture. It is not overly sweet and allows the lemon flavor to shine. 

It is soaked in lemon syrup and drenched with a sticky, sweet, and tart lemon glaze that melts right in. It amplifies the citrus flavor and boosts the moisture of the cake.

A dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream elevates the cake, and if you are celebrating, a glass of sparkling wine or champagne pairs beautifully with the cake.

A lemon curd is the simplest lemon dessert out there.

It is a custard-like dessert spread or topping made from fresh lemons, sugar, eggs, and butter. It has a silky smooth texture from the eggs and a bright, sweet, and zingy flavor thanks to the balance between the lemon and sugar.

You can have a spoonful straight from the jar or top it on everything from scones and pancakes to cheesecake and ice cream. You can use it as a filling in crepes, pastries, tarts, or in between cake layers. You can also beat it using an electric mixer to make buttercream for cupcakes.

You will love every bite of a lemon poppy seed muffin. These muffins are soft and moist, with a slight crunch from the poppy seeds. They have a tangy lemon flavor with a subtle nuttiness from the poppy seeds. Topped with a simple, sweet, lemony glaze, you will love every bite of these muffins.

If you are making this at home, remember not to overmix your batter, as it can affect the texture. Overmixing can lead to tough and dense muffins, which is the last thing you want. The batter does not need to be smooth. A few lumps are perfectly fine.

Lemon gelato is a lighter and brighter alternative to traditional ice cream, bursting with citrusy flavor. It is made with a combination of milk and cream instead of all cream, giving it its distinct texture. Some lemon gelatos have egg yolks, which makes them rich and creamy. 

A simple lemon custard base is churned in an ice cream maker to get the perfect lemon gelato. It is the perfect combo of tangy sweetness and a creamy-cold texture that lemon lovers want in a cold dessert.

Another popular dessert with lemon is a lemon souffle. A traditional sweet souffle is served with fruit sauces of crème anglaise, while the savory versions center around bacon, vegetables, cheese, crab, ham, or herbs.

These savory ones are ideal for brunch or lunch alongside fresh bread and a salad. 

However, nothing is as light and airy as a lemon soufflé, sweet with the perfect amount of citrus flavor. They have an airy and cloud-like texture thanks to the egg whites beaten to stiff peaks.

Lemon crepes are essentially ultra-thin pancakes filled with lemon curd or buttercream. A crepe batter is much thinner and more liquid than a pancake batter and does not contain any leavening agents such as baking powder or baking soda. This is why crepe pancakes are much thinner. 

A lemon crepe has the zing of the lemons perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the sugar and the buttery richness of the crepe pancakes. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of powdered sugar is all the finishing touch you need.

A lemon trifle is a sweet, tart, light, and beautifully layered dessert. The layers start with angel food cake or ladyfinger soaked in a lemon-flavored syrup. It is then topped with lemon curd for richness and creaminess, fresh berries for a burst of color and sweetness, and whipped cream. 

All these layers are showcased in clear glass bowls, resulting in a stunning presentation. Optional garnishes of lemon zest sprinkle, fresh mint leaves, or sliced candied lemon peel add a touch of elegance.

Not all cakes need to be baked in the oven. Some are set in the fridge like a lemon icebox cake. It is deliciously sweet, refreshing, creamy, and light, which is how every lemon dessert should be.

This no-bake dessert is perfect for hot summer days. It features a lemon shortbread cookie or graham cracker crust, a layer of creamy lemon filling, and an optional garnish of whipped cream and fresh berries. They are usually served chilled or frozen and can be enjoyed year-round.