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Dessert Recipes

Lemon is one of the best things you can do to a dessert. The acid cuts through butter, sugar, and cream, and the zest carries the aroma that makes a lemon bar smell like a lemon bar. This collection covers cakes, bars, tarts, custards, sorbet, and no-bake options.

If a dessert has ever gone wrong for you, the guides below cover the usual culprits, from runny fillings to curd that will not behave.

A stack of pale golden round shortbread cookies dusted with sugar, with a small bowl of ground lemon myrtle spice beside them68 min
Dessertdessert

Australian-Style Lemon Myrtle Shortbread

A round golden olive oil cake topped with a thin glaze and fanned fresh blood orange slices, one slice cut to show a moist pale golden crumb55 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake

A sliced lemon drizzle loaf cake on a wire rack, with a crackly sugared lemon glaze on top and one slice cut to show the moist yellow crumb75 min
Dessertdessert

British-Style Lemon Drizzle Cake

Overhead shot of chewy lemon bars dusted with powdered sugar, stacked on parchment paper next to fresh lemon slices45 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Chewy Lemon Bars That'll Make Your Aunt Jealous

A glazed lemon pound cake loaf on a white plate, with a thin shimmering white glaze dripping down the sides, a slice cut to show the dense yellow crumb75 min
Sweet & Bakedvegetarian

Classic Lemon Pound Cake

A glass dish of pale yellow lemon mousse with a light, airy texture, topped with crushed cookie crumbs and a curl of lemon zest260 min
Dessertdessert

Danish-Style Lemon Mousse

Overhead shot of a French lemon tart with a glassy pale yellow lemon cream filling in a golden pastry shell, dusted lightly with powdered sugar, a slice cut to show the smooth filling115 min
Dessertdessert

French-Style Lemon Tart

Slice of Italian lemon ricotta cake with pale golden crumb, dusted with powdered sugar60 min
Dessertdessert

Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake

A whole key lime pie with a graham cracker crust, topped with swirled whipped cream and a few lime slices, one slice cut to show the pale yellow filling225 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Key Lime Pie

A tall, pale golden angel food cake on a cake stand with a light lemon glaze drizzled over the top, a slice cut to show the airy, spongy interior90 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Angel Food Cake

A stack of golden lemon blondie bars showing a dense, chewy interior, cut into squares on parchment paper35 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Blondies

A sliced lemon blueberry loaf cake with visible purple-blue berries throughout the crumb and glossy lemon glaze drizzled across the top65 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake

A lemon bundt cake on a cake stand with white glaze dripping down the ridges, dusted with lemon zest90 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Bundt Cake

A slice of lemon chess pie on a plate, showing a pale golden, glossy filling with a lightly cracked sugary top, the rest of the pie behind it63 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Chess Pie

A lemon crème brûlée in a white ramekin with a glossy, cracked caramelized sugar top, a spoon breaking through the crust220 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Crème Brûlée

A pile of lemon crinkle cookies with cracked, snow-white powdered sugar coating revealing pale yellow cookie beneath62 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Small lemon curd tartlets with glossy yellow filling in mini pastry shells, dusted with powdered sugar and a fresh mint leaf40 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Curd Tartlets

A loaf cake with glossy white lemon glaze dripping down the sides, a whisk and bowl of glaze beside it5 min
Condimentdessert

Lemon Glaze

A sliced lemon icebox cake showing distinct layers of pale lemon cream and softened graham crackers, garnished with fresh berries275 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Icebox Cake

Slice of lemon meringue pie on a plate showing bright yellow lemon filling topped with tall golden-browned meringue peaks, with the rest of the pie visible behind it170 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Meringue Pie

Six glass ramekins of pale yellow lemon posset topped with fresh raspberries and a mint leaf, on a marble counter202 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Posset

A stack of pale yellow lemon rice krispie treat squares on parchment paper, with visible lemon zest flecks throughout20 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Lemon Rice Krispie Treats

A slice of no-bake cheesecake with creamy pale yellow filling, crumbly graham cracker crust visible, dusted lightly with powdered sugar20 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake

A round orange cake with a thin orange glaze dripping down the sides, one slice cut to show a golden, moist crumb, fresh oranges beside it60 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Orange Cake

A round Spanish olive oil cake dusted with powdered sugar on a cake stand, one slice cut to show a dense golden crumb55 min
Dessertdessert

Spanish-Style Lemon Olive Oil Cake

A sliced lemon loaf coated in a thick, opaque white glaze that fully covers the top and drips slightly down the sides, dense pale yellow crumb visible in the cut slice95 min
Sweet & Bakeddessert

Starbucks-Inspired Iced Lemon Loaf

Guides to go with these recipes

An overhead spread of assorted lemon desserts, including bars, a slice of pound cake, and a tart, on a bright table

20+ Lemon Dessert Recipes to Bake This Summer

A pan of golden lemon bars fresh out of the oven with the filling set and slightly jiggly in the center

Why Is My Lemon Bar Filling Runny?

Questions about dessert recipes

Should I use fresh or bottled lemon juice in desserts?

Fresh gives a brighter, cleaner flavor and you also get the zest. Bottled juice works in a pinch for things that are baked, but it tastes flatter in custards, curds, and glazes.

How do I keep lemon curd from curdling?

Cook it over gentle heat, whisk constantly, and take it off the heat as soon as it coats the back of a spoon. Straining it afterward catches any small bits of cooked egg.

How long do lemon desserts keep?

Anything custard-based or made with cream should stay in the fridge and is best within three to four days. Drier baked goods like loaf cakes keep a bit longer, well wrapped.