When it comes to choosing a sweet treat or dessert, I would almost always choose anything lemon or berries over chocolate. This isn't to say I don't like chocolate, I just enjoy lemon and anything with berries more.
I started pulling up recipes for this column, and I have saved so many lemon recipes that it will take us all summer to make our way through making them all.
Be sure to go online and read all of the recipes that are shared in this column.
This No-Bake Lemon Icebox Cake is made with shortbread cookies, sweetened cream cheese filling with a touch of lemon zest. No oven needed!
Using an electric or stand mixer, mix together cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest until smooth.
Add in heavy cream and mix for about three minutes until thick and fluffy.
Dip each cookie into the lemon juice and layer into the bottom of an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking dish. Spread 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture onto the cookie layer.
Continue this process two more times (a layer of cookies followed by a layer of cream cheese mixture.) You will have three layers total.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and pop into the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours (or overnight).
Slice and serve with whipped cream.
Easy Lemon Dream Cake starts with a boxed cake mix swirled with lemon pie filling. All topped with a creamy, lemony whipped topping!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare cake mix as directed on the back of the box. Pour batter into baking dish.
Place spoonfuls of lemon pie filling all over the batter. Take a knife and swirl it all around to help evenly distribute it better.
Bake at 350 degrees (in center rack) for about 35 to 40 minutes until cake springs back to the touch and isn't jiggly in the center. Let cake cool completely before proceeding to the next step.
In a bowl, combine lemon flavored frosting with whipped topping. Mix until thoroughly combined. Spread frosting over cooled cake.
Note: Refrigerate until chilled and keep any leftovers refrigerated.
Source: www.thecountrycook.net/lemon-dream-cake/
A fluffy and delicious treat, this Lemon Cookie Salad is the perfect picnic food, sweet treat or quick dessert that a whips up in a matter of minutes.
In bowl mix together pudding and buttermilk until thickened. Fold in whipped topping.
Add cookies and coconut and stir until combined.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Source: www.tornadoughalli.com/lemon-cookie-salad/
Perfect, creamy Lemon Sour Cream Pie.
Cream Cheese Pie Crust:
Lemon Filling:
Topping:
Prepare the crust: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Beat shortening and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in flour and salt until dough forms. Place it in a 9-inch pie plate and press the pie dough into the pie plate and up the sides. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, or until the crust is golden or lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the half and half and lemon juice. Heat over medium until hot to touch. In a small bowl, use a fork to beat the egg yolks. Beat in a little bit of the hot liquid, then beat in a little bit more and a little bit more, until the eggs have warmed up. Slowly whisk the eggs into the hot mixture. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a full boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter and lemon zest and stir until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
Prepare the topping: In a medium bowl, use an electric hand mixer to whip the whipping cream to soft peaks, then beat in the sugar.
Assemble the pie: Whisk the sour cream into the warm filling mixture, then scrape the filling into the baked pie crust. Spread the whipped cream on top of the lemon layer. Sprinkle pieces of lemon peel on top, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Source: www.recipegirl.com/lemon-sour-cream-pie/#wprm-recipe-container-44187
These delectable soft lemon cookies are perfect for spring with a super easy four ingredient tangy lemon icing.
For the lemon cookies:
For the lemon icing:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; using stand or hand mixer on medium. Turn mixer to low. Add egg, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract; mix just until incorporated.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three parts. Mix on low just until incorporated.
Using 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop place dough on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned on the edges. Cool on cookie cooling racks.
In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, milk and lemon zest. Ice fully cooled cookies and place on cookie cooling racks to set.
Note:
Always preheat the oven for at least 20 minutes and cover the baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Whip the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about five minutes on medium using a mixer or stand mixer.
Load the cookies on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
These cookies spread so leave a couple of inches between them when baking.
Make the first batch a test run. Bake one or two cookies. This allows you to test baking time. If the dough spreads too much refrigerate for about 40 minutes and try again.
Use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest as fresh lemons are flavor packed and it makes quite the difference.
These cookies work well scooped with a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop but you can also roll them into about a one inch ball using your hands.
If possible ice the cookies the same day that you bake them as it helps keep the cookies soft.
If the icing is too thick add just 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice at a time to thin and if it is too thin add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time to thicken.
Source: www.smalltownwoman.com/iced-lemon-cookies/
Lemon Drop Cake is easy to make but is for serious lemon lovers! Lemon cake mix poked with lemon sauce and topped with whipped lemon frosting. For the cake:
For the glaze:
For the frosting:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine cake ingredients (cake mix, lemon Jell-O, eggs, water, oil) until combined.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Oven times vary but cake should spring back to the touch when finished and if you stick a toothpick in the middle of the cake, it should come out clean.
While cake is baking, prepare glaze. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice and whisk until smooth. When cake is done, poke cake with a fork. Just poke all over the cake to make lots of holes.
Pour glaze onto the cake. Spread the glaze out so that it seeps down into the holes. The cake needs to cool completely before adding the frosting.
In a medium bowl combine whipped topping and lemon frosting. Stir well until completely combined. Then frost cooled cake.
Notes: The cake needs to be kept refrigerated (because of whipped topping) and covered. This cake tastes best after it has been in the fridge for a few hours (or even overnight).
The Famous Ritz Carlton Hotel Lemon Pound Cake has a fine crumb texture and bright lemon flavor. This classic lemon pound cake is supremely moist & tender. It's the perfect finale to dinner. Try serving this cake with the lemon dessert sauce recipe that follows this cake recipe.
Grease and sugar or flour a 10-inch tube pan or 12 cup Bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating until the yellow is incorporated before adding the next egg.
With the mixer on low, add dry ingredients alternating with the heavy cream and milk. (Add 1/3 dry ingredients, add heavy cream, add 1/3 dry ingredients, add milk, add last 1/3 dry ingredients. Mix in lemon juice and zest.
Spoon into prepared pan. Bake 55 to 65 minutes.
Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes before inverting on a serving tray. Cool completely before covering.
Easiest Lemon Dessert Sauce brightens any dish. Serve it warm over cakes, bread pudding, pancakes and ice cream. Try this sauce served over the lemon pound cake recipe above.
Bring lemon rind, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is thick. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon orange juice. Serve warm.
Refrigerate up to 1 week.
Source: www.callmepmc.com/easiest-lemon-dessert-sauce/
A classic Southern pie with a delicious and tangy, sweet lemon filling.
Pie crust:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Place the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Press it firmly onto the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Do not stretch the crust. Cut the excess off the overhang and tuck the rest under to form a decorative edge around the pie. Prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork and place it into the freezer for 20 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, cornmeal, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt. Whisk until well-combined. Then whisk in the melted butter. Let the mixture sit while the pie crust is baking (to soften up the cornmeal).
Bake the pie crust (from the freezer to the oven) for 8 minutes and then remove it from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Whisk the lemon filling to combine one more time, and then pour it into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the pie is lightly browned and the center jiggles a little when the pie is shaken. Watch the crust on the edges to make sure they are not browning too much.
Cool completely before cutting and serving.
This dessert recipe is so refreshing and delicious! This is a no bake dessert, and if you use a pre-made crust, it's totally no bake.
For the creamy pie:
For the pie crust:
Or you can use 1 graham cracker crust, 9-inch (making this a no bake dessert)
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
For the pie crust, in a medium mixing bowl, combined all ingredients and whisk together until well combined. Press graham cracker crumbs into deep dish pie dish and make sure to go up the sides. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
For the creamy pie, in a small mixing bowl, combined 5 ounce can of evaporated milk and pudding mix. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick).
In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Gradually beat in lemonade concentrate. Gradually beat in pudding mixture.
Spoon mixture into cooled graham cracker crust, or into a pre-made graham cracker pie crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Note: You might end up with more graham cracker crust mixture then what is needed based on how thick you like your crust.
This Easy Lemon Lava Cake recipe has a layer of warm pudding on the bottom and moist lemon cake on top. All sprinkled with powdered sugar!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour batter into baking dish.
In a separate bowl, combine dry pudding mixes with sugar, milk and water. Whisk briskly for 2 minutes until it begins to thicken.
Spoon pudding mixture over cake mix batter. Once it is on there, it is hard to spread out since it kind just ends up sinking into the batter.
Put a large baking sheet underneath your baking dish before sliding it in the oven. Bake for about 55 minutes to one hour.
It's a bit tricky to tell when it is done because the pudding layer in it always stays a bit jiggly. So, what you want to do is take a toothpick and insert it into the middle of the cake. If it only comes out with pudding, you are good. If you still see gooey cake batter on it, then you need to bake it for a bit longer.
When it's finished baking, allow it to cool for about 20 minutes. This will allow that pudding layer to thicken up a bit more.
Then serve with a bit of sprinkled powdered sugar on top.
Source: www.thecountrycook.net/warm-lemon-pudding-cake/
These Easy Lemon Crumble Bars only have 3 ingredients! No one will guess how easy this dessert recipe is to make. Cake mix, butter and lemon pie filling!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl, combine softened butter with dry cake mix. Mix until crumbly. Set aside 1/2 cup of this crumbly mixture for the topping. Take the rest of the crust mixture and press it into a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Spread it out evenly and then just go around and pack it down in there with your hands.
Spoon lemon pie filling onto crust.
Then take the 1/2 cup of crust mixture that you set aside earlier and sprinkle all over lemon pie filling.
Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes.
The crumble on top will just start to turn a very light golden brown. Slice up and serve.
Note: This crust slices up very nicely. I like to eat it while it is still a little warm but it was really good nice and cold from being stored in the refrigerator. This should be covered and stored in the fridge. I found if I just covered it and left it out that the crust would soften up a bit so put in the refrigerator if not eating it all the same day it's made.
Source: www.thecountrycook.net/easy-lemon-crumble-bars/
These Homemade Lemon Cupcakes are an easy homemade cupcake that have lemon in both the frosting and the cupcakes! Moist, flavorful and full of spring and summer flavors!
Cupcakes:
Buttercream frosting:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 count cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
Add in the eggs, lemon extract, lemon zest, milk, water and vegetable oil and beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter and bake for 18-20 minutes until slightly golden and tops spring back when touched. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
To make the buttercream frosting: in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter, lemon zest and lemon juice for about 2-3 minutes until lighter in color.
Add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until incorporated.
Optional: add in the heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached then beat for 2-3 minutes to fluff up.
Place frosting into a piping bag fitted with an open star (Wilton 1M) tip and pipe onto tops of cupcakes and top with sprinkles and lemon quarters if desired.
Note: I like to use lemon extract in the cupcakes as it gives it a more potent lemon flavor.
I use fresh lemon juice in the frosting to balance out the sweetness of the frosting but you can substitute with lemon extract if you prefer.
This recipe is easily doubled to serve more people.
I used 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar to get the right consistency. I did not need the heavy cream. It is optional depending on how thick or thin you prefer your frosting.
To decorate the tops I used a Wilton 1M tip.
Source: www.thecountrycook.net/homemade-lemon-cupcakes/
Lady Bird Johnson, born in Texas as Claudia Alta Taylor, was the First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969. Her husband was Lyndon B Johnson, the 36th President of the United States. This lemon cake was baked for the 1966 wedding of their daughter, Luci Baines Johnson, for the ceremony held at the White House.
For the Lemon Glaze:
Zest of one fresh lemon
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until light and lemon colored. Blend into the creamed mixture.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Resift 3 times. Add the sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk. Beat the batter thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, lemon rind and lemon juice. Beat for 2 minutes.
Bake in a greased Bundt pan in the oven for 1 hour or until the cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool 19 minutes before inverting on serving platter.
Combine glaze ingredients and pour over cooled cake.
This is the best recipe for lemon meringue! The sweetened condensed milk makes it incredibly productive. This may very well become your new favorite lemon meringue pie recipe.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest or extract, and egg yolks; stir until mixture thickens. Pour into cooled graham cracker crust or cooled pie crust.
In a medium bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually stir in sugar, beating on medium speed, one tablespoon at a time; beat 4 minutes longer or until sugar is dissolved and firm, shiny peaks form.
Spread meringue over pie, sealing carefully at the edge of crust to prevent shrinkage. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Let cool. Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Source: www.buzzinherald.com/magic-lemon-pie/
A quick and easy tasty Lemon Pound Cake made with fresh lemons and lemon zest and topped with a tangy two ingredient lemon glaze.
For the Lemon Glaze:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8- × 4- inch loaf pan.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Reduce the mixer speed to stir. Add the eggs one at a time mixing just until barely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater several times. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest mixing just until slightly incorporated.
Keeping the mixer on stir add the flour mixture and the sour cream alternating between the two.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 45-55 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 25-30 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto a cooling rack.
Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. Drizzle over the cake and let cool before slicing.
Have a great week, and until next time, happy coking.
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