If you’re looking for the best way to close out a delicious summer barbeque, you can’t go wrong with this cold lemon lush! A baked pecan shortbread crust provides the base for a fluffy, refreshing dessert that clears the palate and satisfies the belly. Fluffy layers of cream cheese, lemon pudding, and Cool Whip bring the perfect amounts of tart and sweet together for a memorable dessert. And since it’s so easy to make, this recipe will be the one you turn to all summer long!
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What is Lemon Lush?
A lush is a chilled, layered dessert with a baked crust. This lemon lush features tart lemon pudding alongside cream cheese and Cool Whip for a tasty, refreshing treat.
Lush desserts tend to be four layers high, incorporating a few common ingredients. Generally speaking, the bottom layer is the most dense, with each layer upward becoming less so.
The crust, or bottom layer, is usually a simple baked shortbread, often made with flour and nuts. The crust brings a crunch to the dessert and offers a solid base for the other ingredients.
Atop the crust is typically a cream cheese-based layer. The cream cheese is whipped with sugar or other ingredients to sweeten it. This also allows the cream cheese mixture to become fluffier and more spreadable.
The third layer is usually pudding, fruit, or a mixture of the two. This gives the lush its signature flavor and is usually the thickest of the four layers.
The top layer is the lightest, often consisting of whipped cream, Cool Whip, or meringue. It can be garnished or left on its own. I like adding a simple twist of lemon to the center of mine.
Do You Have Any Tips Or Tricks?
When you’re making the crust, make sure the butter is really cold when you cut it into the flour. And don’t let the term “cut in” scare you. If you’ve never done this before, it’s just a matter of taking a butter knife in each and and literally cutting the butter over and over again as it rests in the flour.
You can also use two forks and mash the butter against the side of the bowl. My preferred method is to use a pastry blender. It fits neatly into your hand and has several well-spaced blades that make cutting in butter easy. They’re fairly inexpensive and are a great tool to have in your kitchen.
When it’s time to press that crust into the bottom of the pan, press hard! I use my fingertips to make sure it holds together well. If you don’t, it won’t hold up when you slice the dessert.
Can I Freeze This Dessert?
Absolutely!
That’s another thing I love about this dessert. When you’ve got a jam-packed schedule, you can make it ahead and freeze it until you need it. Your Lemon Lush will stay safe in the freezer for about a month. Be sure to use a tightly sealed container!
When you’re ready to use it, thaw it in the refrigerator for at least four hours. I try to take mine out the night before I need it to make sure it thaws completely. But if it doesn’t, it still tastes delicious as a frozen treat!
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Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
Cut butter into flour; mix in chopped pecans. Press into the bottom of a 9x13u0022 pan. Bake at 350F for about ten minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned. Cool.
- Mix together powdered sugar, cream cheese, and 1 cup of the Cool Whip. Spread over cooled crust.
- Mix both packages of lemon pudding mix and milk until slightly thickened. Spread over cream cheese mixture.
- Spread remaining Cool Whip over pudding mixture. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.
Grandma always said that a recipe is just a guideline. Feel free to adapt my recipes to suit your family’s needs. Be sure to comment below to let us all know how you made this recipe your own!
Looking for More Summertime Recipes?
- Pique their appetites with Easy Cucumber Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
- Serve Summer Spaghetti Salad for a side that everyone loves
- Chill out with Rocky Road Frozen Pudding Pie
Chilled Lemon Layered Lush Dessert
Course: DessertsDifficulty: Easy15
servings30
minutes10
minutes4
hoursThis lemon lush dessert is a refreshing treat on a hot day. And since it’s so easy to make, it’ll be your go-to recipe all summer long!
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz package Cool Whip, divided
2 pkgs instant lemon pudding
3 cups milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
Cut butter into flour; mix in chopped pecans. Press into the bottom of a 9×13″ pan. Bake at 350F for about ten minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned. Cool. - Mix together powdered sugar, cream cheese, and 1 cup of the Cool Whip. Spread over cooled crust.
- Mix both packages of lemon pudding mix and milk until slightly thickened. Spread over cream cheese mixture.
- Spread remaining Cool Whip over pudding mixture. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.
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