5 Fresh and Zesty Lemon Dessert Recipes

If you love dessert but aren’t in the mood for chocolate, give these recipes a try. We’ve scoured the WL archives for tangy, refreshing and just-sugary-enough lemon tarts, cakes and pies to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Lemony Portuguese Tarts

Pastéis de nata (egg custard tarts) have a perfectly flaky crust and a creamy lemon filling that you won’t be able to get enough of. Good thing they taste great at any time of day. Brunch? Yup. Mid-day snack? Hand ’em over. After-dinner treat? We’ll take three.

Italian Nonna Ricotta Cake

This recipe from chef Shelley Adams shows that you don’t need a ton of ingredients to make a delicious cake. Lemon zest, ricotta cheese, grated apple, eggs and a few other pantry staples are all it takes to produce this light and airy dessert.

Citrus Possets

Bookmark this recipe for your summer parties! This chilled lemon pudding comes together in a pinch—and is easy to dress up for a special occasion. Top each individual posset with fresh berries, edible flowers and/or crumbled graham crackers and then listen as your guests go on and on and on about how good it is.

Zucchini, Lemon and Pistachio Cake

Want to have your vegetables and eat your cake, too? Try this sweet snack from recipe developer and food stylist, Lawren Moneta. Loaded with zucchini and pistachio, the cake itself has a moist-yet-crumbly texture—one that is delightfully complemented by drizzles of icing and lemon curd.

Lemon-Coconut Cream Pie

Lemon and coconut are a match made in dessert heaven—and this recipe from Julie Van Rosendaal is proof. It combines two classic diner pies in one, so that you don’t have to choose between a tart and sweet filling. Talk about getting the best of both worlds!