The ultimate guide to lemon desserts with tips and tricks for getting the zingiest lemon flavor ~ plus all my best lemon dessert recipes!
Lemon is a specialty of the house here in the Great Island kitchen. I’ve been developing lemon desserts for decades and I’ve got so many delicious recipes that showcase the uniquely delicious flavor profile of of everybody’s favorite tart fruit.
I’ve come up with special tips and techniques ~ like my ultra special lemon sugar! ~ for infusing as much lemony goodness as possible into cakes, cookies, pies, tarts, quick breads, and more. I’ve collected all my useful info here (along with lots of lemony recipes) in one convenient spot, so if you love lemon, start here, with everything you need to know about making the lemoniest lemon desserts.
Let’s dig in
- Types of lemons for lemon desserts
- Lemon Cookies and Shortbread Recipes
- Lemon Cakes
- Whole Lemons for the Lemoniest Lemon Desserts
- Lemon Pies and Tarts
- Lemon Muffins and Scones
- Lemon Quick Breads
- Creamy Lemon Desserts
- Lemon Bars and Snack Cakes
- Lemon Desserts with Lemon Sugar
- Lemon Extracts and Flavorings in Lemon Desserts
Types of lemons for lemon desserts
Common supermarket lemons
Eureka Lemons – The most common variety, with a bright yellow, thick, slightly bumpy skin and a tangy, acidic flavor. Available year-round.
Meyer Lemons – Meyers are the wonderful hybrid believed to be a cross between a citron and a mandarin/pomelo hybrid. A sweeter, less acidic lemon with a thinner rind, it’s bright yellow outside, with a darker inside trending toward orange. Meyers are a great choice for using in whole lemon recipes like my Lemon Olive Oil Cake or Whole Meyer Lemon Bars because the rind is not as bitter. Available in winter through early spring.
Lemon Cookies and Shortbread Recipes
Lemon cookies are wonderful to bake at home because they aren’t very common commercially. If you crave a bright citrusy cookie your best bet is to preheat your oven and choose one of the delicious lemon cookies below.
- Cookies by nature are low moisture, so we don’t normally use lemon juice in these recipes.
- It’s all about the zest! The primary driver of lemon flavor lies in the volatile essential oils concentrated in the outer colored layer of the lemon peel. These oils contain numerous compounds like limonene, responsible for the citrusy scent and flavor we all know and love.
- Any time you use lemon zest in a lemon dessert remember to wash and dry your lemon first.
Lemon Cakes
My favorite lemon desserts? That’s easy, they’ve got to be cakes. When we bake lemon cakes we can utilize both the juice and the zest for a full bodied lemon flavor. I like to double down on lemon flavor in the cake and in the frosting.
- When using both lemon juice and zest, always remember to zest your lemons first, before juicing!
- Plan to zest your lemons shortly before baking in a lemon dessert. Lemon zest will dry out quickly.
Whole Lemons for the Lemoniest Lemon Desserts
The idea comes to us from Italy, where lemons grow everywhere and it is common to bake lemon desserts with whole lemons, peel and all! I love the effect, but some don’t ~ here’s why:
Bitter taste receptors: We all have bitter taste receptors, but our sensitivity to bitter tastes varies quite a bit from person to person. People with more sensitive receptors might find even subtle bitterness like that of lemon peel unpleasant. This sensitivity can be partially genetic, influenced by variations in the TAS2R38 gene.
- Make sure to use organic fruit if at all possible when baking with whole lemons. You don’t want pesticide residues in your food.
- While you are using the whole lemon, you will not use the seeds, which are very bitter. So be sure to take the time to pick them out!
- Some recipes will have you boil your lemons to help remove some bitterness. But other recipes will have you puree fresh lemons, without boiling.
Lemon Pies and Tarts
Lemon pies and tarts are another way we can experience that super intense lemon flavor because, most often, the lemony filling itself is not baked. That fresh vivid flavor really shines through in these lemon desserts.
- Lemon pies and tarts are often served cold, and this helps to emphasize the refreshing quality of the lemon flavor.
Lemon Muffins and Scones
Lemon desserts for breakfast? What could be better than starting your day with the delicious wakeup call of fresh lemon?
- Lemon combines well with both vanilla and almond extracts, so feel free to experiment with adding a little of either to your lemon recipes.
Lemon Quick Breads
You’ll notice I employ a lemony glaze on all of these quick breads. Glazes help drive home the lemon flavor and provide that tart tang we crave.
- I make lemon glazes by mixing fresh lemon juice with powdered sugar until I achieve the consistency I’m looking for. There’s no need to dilute your glaze with milk or cream ~ just use lemon juice for the brightest flavor.
- For thicker glazes use more sugar, and to thin them down, add more lemon juice.
Creamy Lemon Desserts
In these creamy lemon recipes the lemon flavor is more subtle, with more of an emphasis on the mellower aromatic nature of lemon, rather than the sharp tang.
- Always use fresh lemon juice when you bake with lemon. While bottled lemon juice may seem convenient, you will not get the same fresh flavor from it.
Lemon Bars and Snack Cakes
When you need a quick lemon fix, these simple lemon bakes will serve you well. Double down with a glaze, or go minimal, without.
- Lemon zest is not only a pretty garnish, it will actually give a boost of bright lemon flavor. I like to use a microplane and zest my lemon directly over my cake, etc.
- Lemon zest is best when freshly grated, so consider adding it just before serving.
Lemon Desserts with Lemon Sugar
I developed my lemon sugar technique for infusing lemon rind into sugar to get the absolute most vibrant lemon flavor into my baking. Here’s a quick overview of how to make lemon sugar for baking:
- Remove the rind from your lemon with a vegetable peeler, in strips. Try to get mostly the yellow rind, and not the bitter white pith.
- Process the rind with sugar in a food processor until moist and pale yellow.
- Plan to use your lemon sugar right away; it does not keep well.
Lemon Extracts and Flavorings in Lemon Desserts
On occasion my lemon desserts get a little flavor boost from one of these products. They last a long time in your pantry, and a little goes a long way. I recommend a reputable company like Nielsen-Massey. Lemon flavorings aren’t all alike, and I find many of them unpleasant, but a good lemon extract can really make a difference in your lemon desserts.
Lemon extract is useful for boosting lemon flavor. It works along with fresh lemon for a more pronounced flavor. It is strong, so use sparingly. Begin with 1/4 teaspoon of extract per 1 cup of liquid in your recipe. Too much can result in a bitter note. Purchase it here.
One of my favorite products, lemon paste is a lemon flavoring with a thicker, more viscous texture and a softer, more complex lemon flavor compared to extract. Purchase it here.
Do you ever use “Preserved Lemon” for anything? If so is there a recommended brand?
I use preserved lemons rarely, usually as a condiment for middle eastern recipes. I have an easy recipe for them, here.
Sue, I have some great lemon recipes dating back generations but once again, you have new ideas that I look forward to including on future menus. Your recipes are wonderful and the photography is superb. Ellen Easton ~ RED WAGON PRESS
Thanks Ellen, we can never have too many lemon recipes 🙂
Lots to love here, Sue. Thank you. Just got fresh lemons yesterday so we can have lemon pasta tomorrow night. Can’t wait. I prefer lemon desserts over chocolate. I know, sacrilegious in most desert aficionados book. One favorite is lemon posset. With a few fresh berries. Long since gone wonderful little restaurant gave a star studded desert lineup with the last entry being “something lemon”. Always a hit with me.
Great minds think alike, I have lemon posset on my short to-do list!