Lemon dessert recipes you're going to love

What is it about lemon desserts that makes them so special? It must be the magical way that citrus tang cuts through the sweetness of a just-baked pastry, cake or pudding, or the intoxicating fragrance of freshly grated lemon zest. Whether baked as a lemon tart or whipped into a summer-ready sorbetto, these are the lemon desserts we love.

Lemon verbena custard slice with passionfruit

Lemon verbena custard slice with passionfruit

Lemon sorbetto

Lemon sorbetto

Flour and Stone’s lemon dream cake

Flour and Stone’s lemon dream cake

Lemon curd and almond bread and butter pudding

Lemon curd and almond bread and butter pudding

Lemon cheesecake slice with citrus jelly

Lemon cheesecake slice with citrus jelly

Over-the-top shot of a round white dish with a baked lemon pudding, with a spoonful taken out of the crust to reveal the molten lemon curd inside. — Photo: Ben Dearnley

Lemon delicious pudding

Lemon delicious pudding

The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery’s Meyer lemon shaker pie

The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery’s Meyer lemon shaker pie

Lemon curd sponge cake

Lemon curd sponge cake

Curtis Stone’s lemon curd crumble

Curtis Stone’s lemon curd crumble

Dutch baby with lemon butter and clotted cream recipe — Photo: Chris Court

Curtis Stone’s Dutch baby with lemon butter and clotted cream

Curtis Stone’s Dutch baby with lemon butter and clotted cream

Lemon-buttermilk tart

Lemon-buttermilk tart

Alistair Wise’s Twinkies

Alistair Wise’s Twinkies

Lychee and mango with lime-coconut syrup and lemon gelato

Lychee and mango with lime-coconut syrup and lemon gelato

Blackberry and lemon mini pavlovas

Blackberry and lemon mini pavlovas

A whole lemon tart on a black wire rack being dusted with icing sugar. — Photo: Rob Shaw

How to make a lemon tart

How to make a lemon tart

Jaclyn Koludrovic’s lemon polenta cakes with pistachio nuts and mascarpone

Jaclyn Koludrovic’s lemon polenta cakes with pistachio nuts and mascarpone

Alpha’s lemon ice-cream with strawberries, rose and shortbread

Alpha’s lemon ice-cream with strawberries, rose and shortbread

Lemon meringue pie

Lemon meringue pie

Flour and Stone’s trifle with madeleines, lemon curd and peaches

Flour and Stone’s trifle with madeleines, lemon curd and peaches

Brown butter cake with lemon curd and white chocolate cream

Brown butter cake with lemon curd and white chocolate cream

Lemon sherbet marshmallows

Lemon sherbet marshmallows

Yoghurt cake with lemon (Yiaourtopita)

Yoghurt cake with lemon (Yiaourtopita)

Baked lemon ricotta doughnuts

Baked lemon ricotta doughnuts

Classic lemon cream tartlets (Tartes au citron)

Classic lemon cream tartlets (Tartes au citron)

Lemon sour-cream cake with roast rhubarb

Lemon sour-cream cake with roast rhubarb

Greek pastry puffs with lemon curd

Greek pastry puffs with lemon curd

Jaci Koludrovic’s limoncello baba with vanilla cream

Jaci Koludrovic’s limoncello baba with vanilla cream

Lemon custard fritters

Lemon custard fritters

Yama Kitchen & Bar’s honey and ginger ice-cream and lemon curd doughnut sandwiches

Yama Kitchen & Bar’s honey and ginger ice-cream and lemon curd doughnut sandwiches

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.