My Lemon Posset dessert recipe looks so elegant with a bright lemony flavor, and it’s the easiest recipe with just three ingredients: lemon juice, cream, and sugar that form a smooth and spoonable custard. I love to serve this in lemon cups or ramekins for a perfect springtime presentation, and it’s a great make-ahead dessert!
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Lemon Posset Video
Watch me use 3 simple ingredients to make lemon posset – a sophisticated lemon dessert fit for royalty. You’ll also see how easy it is to prepare the lemon cups.
Easy Lemon Posset Recipe
When I first tasted lemon posset, I fell in love. Even though it’s so simple, this recipe becomes a sophisticated dessert that makes you feel like royalty, which is a perfect description! Like my Eton Mess and Banoffee Pie, it’s a classic British dessert that was rumored to be one of Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite desserts, and even served at her wedding. I love bringing this dessert to parties and events because the presentation is adorable, served in lemon peels.
If it’s good enough for the Queen, it’s good enough for me! I just love the cheery color of the custard served in lemon cups. The smooth custard is similar to Panna Cotta, but the lemon juice sets up the cream without the use of gelatin or eggs. It’s a no-bake dessert with just 5 minutes on the stove.
Ingredients for Lemon Posset
Grab these three ingredients and a saucepan to make lemon posset in super cute individual-serving cups. To dress these up, once the posset is set, I like to top with fresh berries, mint leaves, slices of lemon, or homemade whipped cream.
- Heavy whipping cream – this reacts with the lemon juice to create the creamy custard—don’t substitute with anything lower fat, since it will only set up with 36-40% milk fat.
- Sugar – adds the perfect sweetness to offset the acidic lemon juice, and it dissolves perfectly when heated.
- Lemon juice – skip the bottled juice here since the flavor is dull and may not set up correctly. Bonus—you use the lemon peels to serve the custard. I like to get a big bag of inexpensive lemons at Costco, which work perfectly.
Can I Use a Different Citrus Juice?
For a twist on this lemon posset, try swapping the citrus for lime juice, half lemon and half orange juice, or even blood orange juice (increase the juice by 1 Tbsp). Be sure you have 5 Tablespoons so the custard will set.
How to Make Lemon Cups
To prep the lemon peels, cut them in half lengthwise and spoon out the inside juice and membrane. Reserve the juice for the recipe by mashing the pulp and straining it through a sieve.
How to Make Lemon Posset
To make the custard, you’ll need just 5 minutes of active cook time. It’s quick, so be sure your lemon halves or ramekins are ready before beginning. This recipe makes about 10-12 lemon halves or 6 ramekins.
- Boil – heat the cream and sugar in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture comes to a boil. Adjust the heat to keep the mixture from boiling over and keep at a medium boil for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. This reduces the cream slightly, resulting in a better set.
- Add the lemon – take the saucepan off the heat and whisk the lemon juice into the cream mixture, then set the pan aside for 15 minutes to cool. Pour it through a fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup with a spout. This creates the super smooth texture!
- Fill the ramekins or lemon halves with about 3/4” of the lemon custard. If it’s thicker than that, it may not set properly.
- Refrigerate – put the cups into the fridge for 2 hours or until set. If you want to store it for longer in the refrigerator, cover with plastic wrap once it’s set so it doesn’t absorb any refrigerator smells. Garnish to your heart’s delight just before serving.
Why didn’t my lemon posset set?
Be sure to use heavy whipping cream, not light cream or milk. Also, be sure to boil the cream and sugar mixture for 5 minutes to reduce the cream to the right consistency. If the custard didn’t set, add another tablespoon of lemon juice and then boil for 2 minutes, cool, and chill.
Can I make dairy-free lemon posset?
If you swap the heavy cream with canned full-fat coconut cream, it won’t set correctly, but you can still serve it as a thick pudding or in a parfait.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- To Refrigerate: Once the possets have chilled for about 2 hours and are set, cover with plastic wrap and store for up to 3 days. Between friends, I have enjoyed leftovers refrigerated for up to a week while testing scores of these, but they do start to get a bit of liquid condensation at the top that needs to be drained off with longer storage.
- Freezing: I wouldn’t recommend freezing since the custard can turn grainy or icy.
How to Serve Lemon Posset
While I love the simplicity of serving lemon posset in a lemon cup or ramekin, here are more ways to enjoy it:
- In premade crusts, like my Lemon Tartlets, or use it as the filling for a Fruit Tart with a Sweet Tart Crust.
- Layered in a parfait with granola, crushed graham crackers or shortbread cookies.
- Drizzled with Strawberry Sauce for a lemony strawberry cream dessert
- Topped or rolled into Crepes
- Poured over my mini Pavlovas
Lemons are one of my favorite ingredients in Spring. I love serving lemon desserts, like my Classic Lemon Bars, Lemon Cheesecake, and Lemon Curd, since the flavor is so refreshing, and Lemon Posset is in my top list of favorite lemon recipes. You’ll love how sophisticated these look – make them and you’ll impress everyone!
Lemon Posset
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream*
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 5 Tbsp lemon juice, from about 3 lemons*
- Lemon slice or berries, optional for serving
Instructions
- Boil – In a small saucepan, heat the cream and sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so it doesn’t boil over and keep it at a medium boil for 5 minutes.
- Add lemon – Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, then set aside to cool for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a large measuring cup with a pouring lip.
- Fill – Divide the mixture between 6 ramekins or between 10-12 lemon halves* if you prefer to serve it that way. Fill your serving cups about 3/4” full so it sets up properly.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until fully set, then top with whipped cream if desired, along with a lemon slice or berries for garnish.
Notes
*Use real lemon juice, not concentrate. *How to Make Lemon Cups: If you want to serve out of lemon peels, cut 5 to 6 lemons in half lengthwise and spoon out the inside juice and membrane. Reserve the juice for the recipe by mashing the pulp and straining it through a sieve. Make-ahead & Storage: Once the possets have set (after about 2 hours), cover with plastic wrap, so they don’t absorb food odors, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Easy Party Desserts
Lemon Posset is one of the easiest party desserts to make and serve. If you want more crowd-pleasing dessert recipes, you’ll love these:
- Mini Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Creme Brûlée
- No-bake Mini Cheesecakes
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Tiramisu
- Flan Recipe
Made them for Mother’s Day & everybody loved them.
I candied the lemon halves by boiling and blanching 3 times, a touch of vanilla extract and a touch of rum extract, covered with sugar and made crème brûlée versions. Delicious!
That sounds delicious, Norm!
I made this recipe last weekend and it was sooooooo delicious!! It’s easy and fast to make! It’s creamy, rich and decadent! I will be using this recipe often! I made some in the Lemon skin and a couple in little glass jars and decorated with blueberries and mint leave. So elegant and yummy!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Magda!
Fabulous! Excellent! We have this for dessert every day after lunch since I made it earlier this week. In the lemon shells, it’s a perfect portion. The recipe made 12 full lemon halves and two small custard cups of posset. I used a tomato shark to remove the lemon pulp. You are absolutely correct – go to Costco for perfect lemons at a very reasonable price. We live in Florida and grocery stores sell lemons between 79 cents and $1.00 each. Costco’s lemons are better, larger, fresher and substantially less expensive. I hope you won’t mind a personal comment – your site has pictures of you and your husband in Europe enjoying a much-needed vacation. The tailoring of his jacket is incredible – he looks great. And I am really enjoying your cookbook. Thank you for being there for home cooks like us who enjoy good cooking.
Would it work to substitute honey for the sugar? And if so, how much honey?
HI Cathy, I haven’t tested that substitution so I’m not sure how the extra liquid in the mixture from the honey would set or if it would set properly. If you experiment with this, please let me know how it goes since others might wonder the same thing.
Can you use a sugar substitute like powdered monk fruit or does the sugar need to be used to create the consistency?
Hi Angela, I haven’t tested that substitution, but in theory it should work. Let me know if you test it out.
Can this be made with a sugar substitute like Swerve?
Hi Cheryl, I haven’t tested that and I don’t personal have experience with Swerve as a sweetener. I think it could work but just haven’t tested it to say for sure.
I appreciate your many gf posts as I have not been able to eat gluten for years. The thing I miss most, as a Florida baby, is seafood batter fried. Do you have any ideas on this method of cooking fish, shrimp, and chicken gf?
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my gluten free posts – and this Lemon Posset is definitely one of those! I don’t have any batter fried fish recipes currently but I will add it to my list. In the mean time, the closest thing I have is my coconut shrimp and you could easily swap the flour for 1:1 GF flour and use GF bread crumbs.
Thank you! I’ll try the coconut shrimp.
Way to sweet, even my children said its too sweet. :/
Hi Lana, normally this is lightly sweet and is very balanced with the lemon juice. I also don’t appreciate overly sweet desserts. Did you possibly use Meyer lemons which are less tart, or more sugar than what is called for? Either of these changes would create a sweeter lemon posset but as it’s written, it’s not overly sweet.
This is the perfect dessert!! No baking, 3 ingredients, so versatile & completely yummy!!! My husband devoured this stuff!! Elegant too!