Lemon is the ingredient with the golden touch. The clean, tart flavor of the citrus fruit has the unmatched ability to perk up just about any dish it's matched with—whether savory or sweet. However, the sunny flavor of lemons shines brightest in desserts, where its pleasing tartness is paired with sweet ingredients such as sugar and honey, as well as such luxurious add-ins like butter, cream and vanilla. Here we've whipped up five oh-so-good lemon desserts that showcase the invigorating flavor of the citrus fruit. Browse through our mouthwatering selection before whipping up your favorite. Then, dig in your fork—and prepare to be dazzled.
Lemon Dimples
Makes 40 cookies
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (Includes chilling dough)
Ingredients
1 1⁄2 sticks (3⁄4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting
1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 scant cup prepared lemon curd
Preparation
1. Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in egg, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla. On low speed, beat in baking 
2. Heat oven to 350°F. You’ll need baking sheets lined with nonstick foil, liners or parchment. Shape scant tablespoonsful of dough into balls; place 2 in. apart on prepared sheets. With index finger, make a deep indentation in center of each. Snip a tiny corner of ziptop bag and pipe lemon curd into dough indentations to fill completely (about 1 tsp per cookie).
3. Bake 15 minutes or until cookie edges just begin to lightly brown. Cool completely on baking
Per cookie: 93 cal, 1 g pro, 13 g car, 0 g fiber, 4 g fat (2 g sat fat), 20 mg chol, 20 mg sod
Lemon-Cornmeal Cake
Serves 20
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
Baking spray (cooking spray with flour)
2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp each baking soda and salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 3⁄4 cups sugar
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1⁄4 cup lemon juice
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt, stirred to loosen
Sugar Glaze
1 cup sugar
1⁄3 cup lemon juice
Preparation
1. Heat oven to 325°F. You’ll need a 10-cup decorative tube pan or a 12-cup Bundt pan coated with baking spray. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl beat butter, sugar, lemon zest and juice with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until blended. With mixer on low, alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk until batter is smooth. Scrape into prepared pan; level top with spatula.
3. Bake 55 to 65 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire
4. Meanwhile, make the sugar glaze: Whisk glaze ingredients in a small bowl just until combined (sugar will not be totally dissolved). Invert cake from pan onto rack; place rack over a baking sheet. Brush glaze all over hot cake until absorbed (sugar crystals will be evident). Cool completely. Transfer cake to a serving plate and cover. Let cake rest several hours, or overnight, before serving. Store cake covered at room temperature up to 4 days. Cut into thin slices to serve.
Tip: Use lime zest and juice for a zesty alternative.
Per serving: 282 cal, 4 g pro, 44 g car, 1 g fiber, 11 g fat (6 g sat fat), 67 mg chol, 173 mg sod
Mile-High Lemon Meringue Pudding Cups
Serves 6
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes (Plus 2 hr chilling)
Ingredients
1 1⁄2 cups sugar
1⁄4 cup cornstarch
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1⁄4 tsp salt
1 1⁄2 cups milk
4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated, at room temperature (you need only 2 egg whites for meringue topping)
1⁄2 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1⁄8 tsp cream of tartar
Preparation
1. Heat oven to 350°F. You’ll need 6 ovenproof glass mini–coffee mugs, ramekins or custard cups (½-cup capacity). Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. In food processor, combine 11⁄4 cups of the sugar, the cornstarch, lemon zest and salt; process until zest is finely ground and mixture is tinted very pale yellow. Transfer mixture to a medium saucepan. Whisk in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring gently until pudding thickens. Boil 1 minute, whisking, then remove from heat.
3. Whisk yolks in a small bowl until blended. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the hot pudding; return to saucepan and whisk in lemon juice. Bring mixture back to a boil, whisking constantly, and boil 1 minute longer. Remove from heat; whisk in butter until melted and incorporated. Spoon pudding into mugs; place a large sheet of foil over custards to keep warm.
4. Beat 2 egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1⁄4 cup sugar and continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
5. Transfer meringue to a 1-gallon ziptop bag. Gather meringue to one corner of the bag. Cut off ½-in. tip from that corner with scissors. Pipe meringue onto top of each hot pudding to cover completely, piping the meringue about 2 in. high (you’ll have extra meringue left; discard). Place puddings in oven 6 to 8 minutes, until meringue sets and lightly browns. Cool to room temperature, then chill 2 hours before serving.
Per serving: 316 cal, 5 g pro, 60 g car, 0 g fiber, 7 g fat (3 g sat fat), 151 mg chol, 146 mg sod
Lemon Tart with Strawberries
Serves 8
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
Tart Shell
1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
1⁄4 tsp salt
1 stick (1⁄2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg yolk mixed with
1 Tbsp water
Lemon Filling
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
5 large egg yolks
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1⁄2 cup lemon juice
Decoration: 12 strawberries, hulled and halved
Preparation
1. Tart Shell: In food processor, combine flour, sugar, rosemary and salt; pulse until rosemary is finely chopped. Add butter; pulse until coarse crumbs form. Pour yolk mixture over crumbs; process until dough forms a ball. Press onto bottom and sides of a 9-in. tart pan with removable bottom. Place in freezer 15 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 375°F. Line tart shell with nonstick foil, covering edge. Top foil with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 20 minutes. Remove tart from oven; remove foil and beans. Tear the same foil into strips and cover edge of tart shell; return to oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until bottom of tart is lightly golden brown. Cool on wire rack (leave foil on tart shell edge). Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
3. Lemon Filling: Whisk together filling ingredients in medium bowl until blended; pour into tart shell. Place on a baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes, or until filling is set. Let cool completely on rack. Refrigerate several hours until chilled.
4. To serve, remove tart from pan and place on serving plate. Arrange strawberry halves cut side down around edge of tart.
Per serving: 400 cal, 8 g pro, 50 g car, 1 g fiber, 20 g fat (11 g sat fat), 205 mg chol, 144 mg sod
Lemon-Raspberry Souffles
Serves 6
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (Includes cooling base)
Ingredients
4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated, at room temperature
8 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 tsp zest plus 1⁄3 cup juice from 2 large lemons
3 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting
1⁄2 pint fresh raspberries
1⁄4 tsp cream of tartar
Preparation
1. You’ll need 6 ramekins or custard cups (3⁄4-cup to 1-cup capacity). Whisk egg yolks, 4 Tbsp granulated sugar and the flour in a medium saucepan until blended. Heat milk in a 2-cup glass measure in microwave until it comes to a simmer. Whisk hot milk in a thin stream into yolk mixture until smooth.ook over medium-low heat, whisking slowly and constantly, until mixture starts to bubble and thickens, about 5 minutes. Scrape mixture into a large bowl; whisk in lemon zest and juice, and 3 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar until well blended. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of soufflé base and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 400°F. Butter and coat ramekins with 2 Tbsp granulated sugar; tap out excess. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet; add 6 to 8 raspberries to bottom of each.
3. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 2 Tbsp granulated sugar; continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Stir 1⁄4 of the egg white mixture into yolk mixture to loosen, then fold in remaining egg whites until just blended. Spoon soufflé mixture into prepared ramekins. Level tops.
4. Bake 15 minutes, or until puffed and tops are lightly browned. Immediately dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve hot.
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