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Lemon Posset is a cross between a lush pudding and a silky lemon curd. This amazing English specialty is made with just three simple ingredients. It’s also best made ahead making it great for entertaining.
Luscious Lemon Posset
Lemon posset is a dream come true for lemon lovers. It’s tart, tangy, rich and luscious. The silky melt-in-your-mouth consistency is absolutely memorable.
Make ahead lemon desserts are perfect all year long
We love making Lemon Posset when we need something special that’s not fussy or difficult to make.
I’ve read about possets over the years but never really tried one, until now. I was fascinated with this recipe posted in the March & April 2016 edition of Cook’s Illustrated Magazine.
Three things really stuck with me about this recipe:
- Lemon posset is made with only three ingredients: lemon juice and zest, heavy cream and sugar.
- It’s almost magic and made without thickeners like cornstarch and egg yolks.
- Finally, I was fascinated with their foolproof technique for measuring a reduced sauce with a ruler.
This posset achieves a perfect texture by being reduced to exactly two cups. Nobody wants to stop and pour the posset into a measuring cup halfway through cooking. Sounds messy right?
You’re going to love this … pour exactly two cups of water into the saucepan you plan to use for the posset. Take a ruler, wooden skewer or chopstick and put it in the water. Mark the level of the water on the ruler.
While cooking the posset, place the ruler down into the pudding and when it reduces to your mark, it’s done! Isn’t that perfect? Love that kitchen tip!
How to make this easy Lemon Posset recipe
- In a medium saucepan combine the cream sugar and lemon zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook to dissolve the sugar.
- Cook the posset until the mixture reduces to exactly two cups. Remove from the heat and add lemon juice. Stir until blended then set aside for 20 minutes.
- Strain the posset through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard the lemon zest.
- Finally, divide the mixture between 6 individual bowls or serving glasses. Refrigerate uncovered until set, about 3 hours. Once fully chilled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days before serving.
- To serve unwrap and allow the posset to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh berries and serve.
This recipe makes two cups of pudding
Don’t be tempted to serve Lemon Posset to just two or three people. This recipe makes two cups, or enough for six 1/3 cup servings, or four 1/2 cup servings.
Lemon Posset is silky and rich and super lemony. It’s best served with fresh fruit to balance out the sweetness and add a zing of flavor. Blueberries or raspberries pair very well with the lemon.
Making Lemon Posset ahead
Make this recipe for Lemon Posset up to two days in advance and refrigerate until needed. That makes this recipe perfect for dinner parties and events and your guests are going to love it!
Serve in stemware, cups, ramekins, tiny bowls or parfait glasses for a beautiful presentation. Add shortbread cookies to the individual plates too if desired.
Lemon Posset
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream (16oz)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (135g)
- zest of 1 lemon
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice (2 or 3 lemons depending on size and juiciness)
- Blueberries or raspberries for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium (deep) saucepan, combine the cream, sugar and lemon zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, to dissolve the sugar. Don't walk away from the mixture as it can easily boil over. If it gets close to the top, remove the pan briefly from the heat to slow the boil.
- Cook until the mixture reduces to exactly two cups. (SEE NOTE) Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Set the saucepan aside to cool until a skin forms on top, about 20 minutes. Strain the posset through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard the lemon zest.
- Divide the mixture between 6 individual bowls or serving glasses. Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, about 3 hours. Once fully chilled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- To serve, unwrap and allow the dessert to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fruit blueberries or raspberries and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, March & April 2016 Magazine
Nutrition
We love lemon here at SRFD, and if you do too, you’ll want to check out our Pink Lemonade, and this super easy Lemon Poppy Seed Bread recipe.
Lemon Crumble Breakfast Cake is one of our most popular recipes ever and our Tangy Lemon Bars are fantastic.
Lemon is not just for dessert. You should also try this Whole Lemon and Thyme Salad Dressing.
And finally, don’t miss our super easy Homemade Lemon Curd and this Lemon Angel Pie.
Here are a few more lemon recipes you might also enjoy!
Lemon Curd Ice Cream
A bright and creamy lemon ice cream with a thick swirl of tangy lemon curd.
View this Recipe
Lemon Curd Cake
Loaded with bright lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, this delicious and tender cake is a favorite with our lemon loving peeps.
View this Recipe
Lemon Ricotta Cake
An amazing cake with a crispy, sweet top crust and tender, light and lemony crumb. Easy to make and freezes beautifully!
View this Recipe
Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
A New York-styled lemon cheesecake with a sweet graham cracker crust, melt in your mouth filling and a nice zing from the tangy lemon curd topping.
View this RecipeOriginally post September 2017, updated July 2024
Janelle
This is so elegant and delicious! I made it a couple times for a tea for 60 people in 2 oz shooters topped with one blueberry. It was a hit! My family loves it also! Thanks for this amazing recipe! ❤️
Tricia Buice
Oh WOW Janelle! Lemon Posset for 60 people. You are amazing. Thank you so much for giving it a try and for taking the time to comment. Enjoy!
Tamara
Hi, would this recipe work with full fat coconut milk? It sounds delicious and easy, but we are a dairy-free household. Thank you!
Tricia Buice
Hi Tamara. What a great question! I haven’t tested it with coconut milk but I think it’s worth a try. Let us know if you do and how it turns out! Thanks
Peggy Grooms
Love this recipe. I’ve been making it for almost 10 years. I buy cheesecake filling and top it with the posset. Family absolutely loves it.
Tricia Buice
I LOVE that idea Peggy. What a great dessert for any occasion. Thanks for the inspiration and for commenting.
Lorah
Easy peasy lemon squeezy! This dessert will stay in my rotation. It was simple to make, didn’t take too long, and with simple ingredients. Our guests loved it; yes it’s a small serving size, but it tastes rich in flavour and mouth feel, so you don’t need a lot anyway.
I didn’t measure when it reduced, I eye balled it. It took me about 25 minutes to reduce and I watched it colour; it turned to a lovely butter yellow. It ended up being the perfect consistency, like a thick pudding.
Tricia Buice
So glad you enjoyed this easy dessert Lorah. Thanks for commenting!
MKC
This is so delicious! I made it with stevia instead of sugar and I can’t imagine it was any better using sugar.
Tricia Buice
Thank you Mary Kay! So glad you enjoyed it and that it worked well with a sugar substitute. Bravo!
Beverly
Made this with whipping cream, as that’s what I had on hand. Just peeled the lemon rind instead of grating the zest. Used a diet sugar substitute and turned out outstanding! Tangy, light and so refreshing! I will be making this again and again!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Beverly! So glad this worked with the sugar substitute. We all appreciate your feedback!
Ceres
Hi Tricia,
Many thanks for your luscious lemon desserts — the thought alone sends me drooling! I made your lemon sponge pudding over the weekend and out of the 8 ramekins, I managed to eat only one — you can guess who gobbled the rest of it! For this this posset, I think it would be a waste to discard the lemon peel since it’s one of the secrets of the lemon flavor we crave so much. So how about grating it finely and then making sugar lemon out of it? That’s possible by mixing your sugar with the zest in a small food processor and giving it a short spin until the zest infuses the sugar. Or simply use your fingers, or even small spice pestle and mortar. I’m sure you won’t even see the zest bits, but the taste will be unmistakably lemony!
Many thanks again from another lemon lover,
Ceres
Tricia Buice
Thank you Ceres! Lemon sugar is a great idea for leftover lemon peel. I use this method all the time in my lemon desserts, especially cakes and cookies. We adore lemon too! Thanks for commenting and for following along.