Lemon Delight

This Lemon Delight dessert is creamy and decadent with delicious lemon flavor. It’s simple for anyone to assemble and uses pantry-staple ingredients for a sweet treat that everyone will be asking for over and over.  

One of our favorite desserts in the summertime is this Lemon Delight. It’s something I would request as a kid for my grandmother to make because of its impressive layers and super special taste. Ever since, I’ve been making her recipe for years; our family requests it for backyard barbecues and park picnics.

Lemon Delight can also be called lemon lush or layered lemon dessert and is a great sweet treat to share with a crowd since it can be prepped in advance and uses simple, affordable ingredients. Now, my daughter even loves to make this treat for her friends, it’s a true family favorite recipe.

If you love a creamy dessert we also recommend to try our Lemon Coconut Cake or No-Bake Lemon Pie.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• A crowd pleasing recipe for all the lemon dessert lovers. This is the perfect lemon dessert that’s rich and creamy with tons of delicious citrus flavor.
• Easy to make in advance for a party or gathering. We love to bring this to picnics, barbecues, and tailgates. It’s also elegant enough to serve at a dinner party.
• A great dessert for beginner bakers to try. This is a foolproof no fuss sweet treat that anyone can make successfully!

Ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Printable Recipe Card Below

Crust

• Self-rising flour: Has the leavening agent already in it. If you don’t have this at home combine 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour with 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Salted butter: The fat that binds everything together.
• Pecans: Adds a nutty crunch to every bite.

Layers

• Cream cheese: Adds creaminess and a rich flavor.
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the filling and adds texture.
• Cool Whip: Light and fluffy, it adds an airy sweetness that complements the creamy filling. You can also use fresh whipped cream.
• Milk: Used to thin or thicken the filling to the right consistency.
• Instant lemon pudding mix: Adds great lemon flavor and helps to create the perfect texture.
• Garnish: Candied lemon slices, crushed or whole lemon Oreos, or toasted pecans. You can garnish as much or as little as desired, but these are some of our favorite options.

Tools You’ll Need

• Handheld Electric Mixer or Wire Whisk
• Spatula
• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cups
• 13”x9” Baking Pan

How to Make Lemon Delight

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a bowl, mix together self-rising flour, butter, and pecans. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish in an even layer. Bake 20-22 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

3. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Once combined well, add half of the Cool Whip. Mix on low speed until blended. Spread evenly onto the cooled crust. 

4. In the same medium bowl, whip together the instant lemon pudding mixes and milk until thickened but still pourable. Spread the pudding layer evenly over the cream cheese layer. 

5. Dollop the remaining whipped topping on top of the lemon layer and spread evenly. 
6. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish as desired.

Expert Tips

• Be sure to let the crust cool completely before topping with the filling. If the crust is still warm, the filling will melt and not be able to set.
• You’ll want the cream cheese to be softened. The softened cream cheese will mix more easily with the powdered sugar and Cool whip.
• Use fresh whipped cream. If you’d rather use fresh whipped cream, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer whip 2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract on high speed until stiff peaks form. 
• Chill the entire dessert for at least two hours before serving. This helps the layers to set so you get a beautiful slice when you serve the lemon delight.

Storage and Make Ahead

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. We don’t recommend freezing this dessert as it will change the texture once thawed.

This lemon lush dessert is best to make in advance which is another reason why we love it! The layers need to set in the fridge for at least 2 hours, so we usually make it the morning before we plan to serve.

FAQs

More Delicious Dessert Recipes

• Almond Pound Cake
• Pineapple Fluff
• Gooey Butter Cookies
• Strawberry Pretzel Salad