Lemon Pudding

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 02/19/23
Lemon pudding with blueberries.
Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings

The citrusy, fresh flavor of lemon adds a brightness to a whole range of dishes. Lemon is a tasty addition to everything sweet from cakes, cookies, pies, and puddings to French toast. Lemon flavor also works in savory dishes like green beans, broccoli, and asparagus to vegetable frittatas, pork dishes, chicken entrees, and pasta dishes. Lemon juice and zest is a classic addition to salad dressings, mayonnaise, and breadcrumbs to brighten their flavors.

This lemon pudding is a delicious treat. It brings out the sweet side of lemon. The lemon zest amps up the citrusy flavor to a more extreme level than just juice would do. The pudding is an easy and quick homemade dessert that's especially good as a springtime meal finale.

Serve this pudding for a Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Easter brunch. This recipe calls for the pudding to get spooned into individual serving bowls. If you have a smaller crowd, do this so each person can top their pudding with their own desired toppings. If you are bringing it to a party, one larger serving bowl works fine. Each guest can scoop out their serving and then top it as desired with whipped cream, berries, or eat as is.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1/3 cup cornstarch

  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon lemon oil, or lemon extract, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2.  In a medium saucepan, whisk the sugar and cornstarch together.

  3. Whisk in the milk until the mixture well-blended. 

  4. In a cup or small bowl, whisk the egg and second egg yolk until slightly beaten, then whisk the eggs into the milk mixture in the saucepan.

  5. Put the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened and bubbly.

  6. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, and lemon oil or extract, if you are using it.

  7. Put the pudding through a strainer and then spoon into individual serving bowls (or 1 larger bowl).

  8. Garnish each bowl with mint, lemon slices, blueberries, nonpareils, or whipped cream, as desired. 

  9. Enjoy!

More Lemon Desserts

  • If you like the bright and tart flavor of lemon desserts, there are so many to try. You can make lemon curd, which is a versatile spread. For a semi-homemade option, try easy lemon pudding cake or for a more complicated recipe, try Meyer lemon pastry cream. Meyer lemons are a cross between a regular lemon and a mandarin. They are thinner skinned and sweeter than regular lemons. Meyer lemons can be found at better grocery stores or specialty markets when they are in season, which is usually December through May.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
239 Calories
8g Fat
38g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 239
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 108mg 36%
Sodium 90mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 14%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 31g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 4mg 19%
Calcium 132mg 10%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 185mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)