Meyer Lemon Pudding (super easy recipe!)

My Meyer Lemon Pudding is a glorious recipe for winter lemon season ~ the flavor is tart, the texture is silky, and it’s simple to make, with no fussy steps at all.  This pudding is pure lemon bliss, served warm or chilled.

Homemade Meyer lemon pudding is my dream dessert!

Tart lemon is a fresh new flavor profile for pudding, and I made sure this recipe really showcases that zingy citrus in the strongest possible way.  What’s even better is that the whole thing cooks up in less than 10 minutes.  You can use this recipe as a lemon pie filling too, it requires no further baking.

This lemon pudding recipe is as easy as a box mix.

Sometimes being a lazy cook pays off.  After some recipe testing I realized that this pudding could be made uber simple by putting all the ingredients into a saucepan and cooking it up over medium heat, just like you’d do with a box mix.  You’ll strain the finished pudding through a mesh sieve to catch any stray lumps, so the result is super silky.

The flavor and texture of this lemon pudding steals qualities from lemon curd, lemon custard, and lemon pie.

This pudding is cooked with both cornstarch and egg yolks, which make it thick and rich.  Heavy cream makes it, well, creamy.  And lots of fresh lemon juice and zest contributes that all important tang.  I like to add zest because that’s where the true lemon flavor resides, but then strain it out at the end so it doesn’t affect the silky texture.

You can use regular lemons instead of Meyer lemons for this pudding.

If you can’t locate Meyer lemons, definitely use the regular ones.  Meyer lemons are a variety with a thin, golden yellow skin, and a sweeter, less acidic flavor.  They’re becoming more available in regular supermarkets these days.

We topped our pudding with whipped cream and ate it straight from the fridge.  The longer the pudding chills, the firmer it sets. For a change, I think next time I may serve them warm. The pudding is plenty thick right from the pan, and the whole idea of creamy warm lemon pudding is pretty enticing.  (I may or may not have scraped the pan clean with my spoon and have this on good authority.)

My holiday taste testers all agreed that the lemon flavor is vivid and bright in this pudding.  I’m so happy about that, because it can be a challenge to bring out tangy lemon flavor in a creamy dessert.  I was chasing the same goal in my Fresh Lemon Ice Cream, from  way back in ’13.  I guess I’m obsessed with this concept, because my Fresh Lemon Truffles are another example of the same lemon/cream combination.  Come to think of it, my Lemon Cheesecake does the same thing!

In a word, go for this one, it’s a winner.

There’s plenty more lemon desserts on the blog ~

• Classic Lemon Cheesecake
• Lemon Layer Cake
• Warm Lemon Pudding Cake
• Fresh Lemon Ice Cream

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4.66 from 29 votes

Meyer Lemon Pudding

My Meyer Lemon Pudding is amazingly simple to make, with no fussy steps at all.  The pudding is tart, creamy, and pure lemon bliss, served warm or chilled.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Yield 4 servings

Equipment

• large mesh sieve for straining the pudding

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp corn starch
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup cream
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

• Set a large mesh strainer over a large heat proof bowl and set aside.
• Put all the ingredients into a medium saucepan and give it a good whisk to combine and break up the yolks. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, then stir again to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved. Don't worry about tiny lumps, they'll dissolve as the pudding cooks.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring almost constantly with a whisk at first, then switching to a silicone spoonula as it thickens. You want to avoid the pudding scorching on the bottom or sides of the pan, so modulate the heat and keep stirring.
• Just as the pudding comes to a boil, it should be thick and glossy. Remove from the burner just as the first large bubbles surface, don't let it continue to boil.
• Immediately pour the pudding through the strainer, pushing everything through with the back of your silicone spoonula. Only the zest and a few lumps will reamain.
• At this point you can serve warm, or chill for later. Chill the pudding in the large bowl, or spoon it into individual bowls or cups. If you decide to keep it in the large bowl, place a piece of plastic wrap over the surface before refrigerating to prevent a skin from forming.
• Serve the pudding with whipped cream, if you like.

Notes

Don't try to substitute milk or half and half for the heavy cream, you will get a curdled mixture.