Make creamy lemon pudding with only three ingredients: lemon, heavy cream, and sugar. So easy to make and the perfect little sweet treat!
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This pudding is creamy and rich but so easy to make!
How long it takes: 15 minutes with an additional 3 hours to chill
Equipment you’ll need: saucepan
Servings: 2 (it’s easy to double the recipe)
I’m so excited to be sharing a recipe from my dear friend Mary’s newest cookbook today! This is Mary’s third cookbook (hello, wonder woman!) and it’s all DESSERTS! Her latest cookbook is titled The Weeknight Dessert Cookbook: 80 Irresistible Recipes with Only 5 to 15 Minutes of Prep and it’s packed with amazing recipes.
You might recognize Mary’s name because I’m a huge fan of hers and I’ve reviewed her first two cookbooks as well. I made blueberry crisp with coconut from her second book, The Weekday Lunches and Breakfasts Cookbook, and chocolate chip blondies from The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook, her first book.
I’ve made those blondies more times than I can count, and typically I make a double batch. They’re ridiculously easy to make and everyone absolutely loves them.
Click here to buy a copy of this awesome book. Also, Mary is one of the kindest, sweetest, and talented people I know so your money will be well spent.
This book covers a lot of territory, so you’ll find something for any occasion: one pan cakes, no bake treats, cookies, bars, fruit desserts, and pudding.
And Mary hasn’t let me down yet! She’s three for three with delicious desserts (and of course you can find countless more recipes on her website, Barefeet in the Kitchen).
Note
FYI to my followers with nut allergies: This book does contain a fair amount of recipes with nuts in them. However, almost all (if not every single one) of those recipes can easily be modified to be made without nuts.
About this 3 Ingredient Lemon Pudding
Like I mentioned, this pudding couldn’t be easier to make! It is made without eggs, without cornstarch, and without stress! Pudding can be really finicky, and this one is not.
The texture is very smooth and creamy, with a rich feel in your mouth. It’s different from lemon curd which doesn’t contain any cream. Since it’s eggless, you don’t have to worry about accidentally scrambling your eggs or ending up with clumps that have to be strained out.
I’m not a scientist but “something” basically happens with the cream and lemon so that the pudding thickens up to a beautifully smooth, thick consistency. It’s not the kind of pudding that will stick to your spoon if you turn it upside-down but it’s perfectly thick and satisfying.
What You’ll Need
- Heavy Cream: Look for heavy cream with 36% milkfat. It may be called heavy whipping cream. Half & half won’t do the trick here.
- Sugar: Regular white granulated sugar sweetens the pudding.
- Lemon: You’ll be using the both the zest and the juice from one lemon. Be sure to zest the lemon before you juice it. It’s much easier!
How To Make This Lemon Pudding
First things first! Wash the lemon well. Use a fine grater or microplane zester to remove some of the zest. You’ll need about a half teaspoon which doesn’t sound like much but it will add plenty of flavor.
Next, juice the lemon, making sure to remove any seeds that slip in. There should be more than enough juice in one lemon for this recipe unless you have an exceptionally small lemon. The recipe calls for three tablespoons. Set both the zest and the juice aside for now.
Next, choose a medium sized saucepan. Add the sugar and cream to the pan and whisk together until well-blended. Over high heat, bring this mixture to a boil, stirring pretty frequently.
Once it comes to a boil, let it boil for 2 minutes. You’ll want to stir it constantly while it’s boiling.
After the sugar/cream mixture has boiled two minutes, turn the heat down to medium. Add the lemon zest and juice, and continue stirring and cooking the mixture until it begins to thicken slightly, about two more minutes. It will still look pretty thin but that’s okay.
Pour the pudding into two serving dishes. This is a pretty generous portion of pudding. If you prefer, divide it into three or four dishes to make more servings.
Refrigerate the pudding for two to three hours. It will thicken more as it chills.
Serve the lemon pudding plain or with a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle it with additional lemon zest or add a lemon twist. We love to eat it with graham cracker or vanilla wafer dippers.
Lemons are so versatile and can be used in many recipes, from entrees to desserts to cocktails. We love lemon salmon with dill. It’s a easy way to prepare salmon and turns out great every time. Instant Pot lemon pasta is so good, too, along with lemon chicken orzo soup. For a fabulous dessert, try a layer cake with lemon filling and lemon cream cheese frosting or lemon sugar cookies. A couple of our favorite cocktails are a lemony French 75 and vodka lemonade.
Yes, you can buy a box mix of lemon pudding. The flavor won’t compare to homemade though and it contains preservations and artificial colors.
Make It Your Own
- Looking for a cooked lemon pudding? Try lemon cake filling, which can be eaten on its own as a delicious lemony dessert, or used as a cake filling.
- Garnish the pudding. Learn how to make a lemon twist (as pictured). It’s an easy garnish that works great for cocktails, too.
This pudding will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate promptly.
More Pudding Recipes
Lemon Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon finely minced lemon zest
Instructions
- Whisk together the cream and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, while stirring frequently. Allow the creamy mixture to boil over medium heat for about 2 minutes while stirring constantly.
- Add the lemon juice and zest. Reduce the heat and continue stirring over a low boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. The mixture should still be quite thin and pourable.
- Pour into serving bowls and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or until ready to serve. The pudding will set while it rests and cools in the fridge.
Notes
- The recipe is written for two generous servings. However, it multiplies easily to make as many servings as you might like.
- Recipe used with permission, from The Weeknight Dessert Cookbook by Mary Younkin.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Could not find any of that in my town or in any of the groceries in my town so I’m very happy that I found this recipe and I would love to have it. Thank you very much, Beverley.
You’re welcome!
This pudding is so light and smooth and delicious. And it is so easy to prepare!
So glad you liked it!
Hi there, I made this yesterday, as I live on my own it was very difficult not to eat it all in one go, thank you for this recipe. I am 66 and I am never going to stop making this, it was so so yummy.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for leaving a review!
This is called Lemon posset I believe, good recipe will try.
I think you’re right!
LOVE THIS EASY PUDDING RECIPE!
It’s amazing!!!! Thank you!
You’re very welcome! Thank you for leaving a review!
Thanks for sharing, I like this recipe.
Also it’s so delicious.
So glad to hear it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
I’m so happy that you’re enjoying the cookbooks! I love this lemon pudding too. Your photos are making me crave it again!
:) xoxo
sounds so good!
It really is!