Start With Simple Ingredients

So what do you need for this easy recipe? Let’s take a look at our ingredients list:

• Fresh Lemon Zest. Fresh lemons only! You’ll need TWO lemons’ worth of lemon zest for lemon brownies. The most concentrated lemon flavor is in the natural oils in the zest, so it packs a sunny punch into every bite.
• Sugar. Next up is granulated sugar (cane sugar). We love rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar to infuse it with the lemon flavor. Such a great trick for lemon recipes!
• Softened Butter. Then, you’ll need some butter to cream with the sugar. I love the texture it adds to these fudgy lemon brownies! (You can use salted butter or unsalted butter.)
• Eggs. Simple! They bind and add fudginess to the texture. So good!
• Lemon Juice. For another splash of bright lemon flavor. Be sure to use FRESH lemon juice here (rather than bottled, which can taste bitter and overly acidic). I love the tang of fresh lemon juice.
• Vanilla & Almond Extract. Just like in our Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, we’re adding a mix of vanilla extract and a little bit of almond extract. It might sound strange, but it really amplifies the lemon flavor! If you prefer, you can add 1-2 drops of lemon oil or lemon extract instead of the almond extract, but I really love it here. 
• Gluten-Free Flour. To keep things simple, I like using a gluten-free measure for measure flour. This one from King Arthur is our go-to. If you use a different 1:1 blend, be sure that it contains xanthan gum and know that your results may vary slightly.
• Cornstarch. Adding a little cornstarch to the mix keeps your lemon brownies from tasting floury or getting too dense. (You can use arrowroot if you prefer to avoid corn!)
• Salt. To balance the flavor. Simple, but essential!
• Our Easy Lemon Glaze. This simple sweet glaze is a mixture of powdered sugar, lemon juice, and a little butter. It’s the final flourish on our easy lemon brownie recipe. Such a lovely touch! 

How To Make Gluten-Free Lemon Brownies, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Prep Your Pan & Preheat The Oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a square 8×8″ baking pan with parchment paper (I like to have the parchment hanging over two of the sides so I can use them as handles to lift the brownies out of the pan later).
2. Combine Lemon Zest & Sugar. In a large bowl or a stand mixer, combine lemon zest & sugar. Use clean fingertips to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until it’s fragrant and yellow. You’re distributing the lemon oils to all those sugar grains which means more powerful lemon flavor in every bite!
3. Cream Sugar & Butter. Add softened butter to your lemon zest infused sugar and cream 2-3 minutes, until light, fluffy, and a bit lighter in color.
4. Add Eggs One At A Time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Scrape down the sides, then…
5. Add Lemon Juice, Vanilla & Almond Extract. Whisk or mix these in until smooth. The mixture may look a bit grainy or curdled at this point. Don’t stress!
6. Mix In Gluten-Free Flour Blend, Cornstarch & Salt. Now, you’re ready to add the dry ingredients! In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and fold them in with a flexible spatula or mix until JUST combined (try not to over-mix).

7. Pour Into Your Prepared Pan. Transfer the lemon brownie batter to your prepared pan and smooth it out into an even layer. (An offset spatula makes this easy!)
8. Bake & Cool. Pop your lemon brownies in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F. for 22-26 minutes, or until the venter is just set. Remember, that like brownies, you don’t want to over-bake them or they’ll lose their fudgy texture! Cool the brownies 20-30 minutes, then make your glaze.
9. Glaze The Brownies. In a small bowl or a liquid measuring cup, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and melted butter. Whisk until completely smooth, adding more powdered sugar if the glaze looks too thin, or more lemon juice if it looks too thick. Pour glaze over the cooled brownies and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Garnish with additional lemon zest & enjoy!
10. Store leftovers in an airtight container 1-2 days at room temperature 2-3 days in the refrigerator, or freeze up to 2 months. 

FAQ + Tips For The Best Lemon Brownies

How To Cut Lemon Brownies Neatly. No one wants to mess up a delicious dessert with messy cuts! I find brownies cut with clean, crisp lines after they’ve been chilled. Chill the brownies, then use a sharp knife to make clean cuts. (You can even run the knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and then cut the brownies for an even smoother cut!)

How To Store Lemon Brownies. Gluten-free lemon brownies keep best in the refrigerator. I store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or you can freeze them about 1 month.

Can I Make These Dairy-Free? I haven’t tested these dairy-free yet, but in my experience, most brownie recipes work well using dairy-free butter as a substitute.

Can I Use Meyer Lemons Instead? Absolutely! We made one of our test batches with Meyer lemons (a sort of hybrid of oranges & lemons) and they were scrumptious. So good!

Could I Make These With Orange or Lime? That sounds delicious! I haven’t tried it myself, but I think both versions would work, since we’re not worrying about leavening (and have fewer chemical reactions to worry about). If you give it a try with orange or lime, I’d LOVE to know how it goes!

Start With Simple Ingredients

One thing you’ll love about this gluten-free fruit pizza cookies recipe is how straightforward the ingredients are. Let’s take a look:

• Butter. You’ll need butter for the gluten-free lemon sugar cookies and the easy cream cheese frosting.
• Sugar. Next up is some granulated sugar. A must for making sugar cookies!
• Lemon Zest. I find that fresh lemon zest adds BRIGHT lemon flavor to the cookies. It’s kind of the secret ingredient here that takes the cookies to the next level.
• Eggs. Some room temperature eggs blend in beautifully.
• Vanilla & Lemon Extract. I love a mix of vanilla extract AND lemon extract in the cookies, but you can skip the lemon extract if you don’t have it.
• Baking Powder & Salt. For the perfect puff and a delicious balance of flavors.
• Gluten-Free Flour. We recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure gluten-free flour blend, but if you use another brand, be sure it contains xanthan gum. Make sure to measure the flour carefully to avoid packing extra flour into the measuring cup!
• Cream Cheese Frosting. We’re making a quick cream cheese frosting with butter, softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. It’s easy and works like a charm every time.
• Fresh Berries or Fruit. My favorite combination of fruit for these fruit pizza cookies is fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries, but you can also add kiwi, pineapple, mandarin oranges or halved grapes, if you like!
• Fresh Mint. For an extra pretty touch, I love to tuck a mint leaf into each mini fruit pizza. The pop of green is a gorgeous look for this beautiful dessert!

FAQ + Tips & Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza Cookies

CAN FRUIT PIZZA COOKIES BE MADE IN ADVANCE? Yes! The cookies can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Or, you can freeze the cookies (without frosting + berries) up to 1 month before decorating them. Let them thaw a touch before frosting and decorating for best results. Once decorated, the cookies will look their best when eaten within a few hours.

HOW TO STORE FRUIT PIZZA COOKIES. Before frosting, you can store the gluten-free lemon sugar cookies on a covered sheet pan or in an airtight container or bag with parchment paper between layers of cookies. Once frosted, store the cookies in a single layer in the refrigerator. (Covered, for best results!)

A TRICK FOR PERFECTLY ROUND COOKIES. If you’re making these fruit pizza cookies for an event or get-together or simply love the look of perfectly round cookies, you can make your cookies perfectly round by coaxing them into circles with a large circular cookie cutter. When the cookies are hot out of the oven, gently move the cookie cutter around the cookie in a circular motion to coax it into a circle.

More Fruity Dessert Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies

Gluten-Free Strawberry Cheesecake

Gluten-Free Lemon Tart

Knickerbocker Glory

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Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza Cookies

These mini gluten-free fruit pizzas are made from gluten-Free lemon sugar cookies, a light cream cheese frosting, and fresh berries. They're beautiful and easy!

Course Cookies

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword fruit pizza cookies, gluten free fruit pizza cookies, gluten free mini fruit pizzas, gluten free sugar cookie pizzas

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 28 -30 cookies

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

For The Gluten-Free Lemon Sugar Cookies:

• ¾ cup butter, softened to room temperature (1 1/2 sticks, 170 grams)
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
• 2 eggs (ideally room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon lemon extract optional
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour* (300 grams)

For The Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 12 oz. cream cheese, softened slightly (340 grams)
• ½ cup butter, softened slightly (113 grams/1 stick)
• 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar (150 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch salt (about 1/8 tsp.)

To Decorate: 

• Fresh strawberries blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries (OR kiwi, pineapple, mandarin oranges, halved grapes, etc.)
• Fresh mint leaves
• Powdered sugar 1/2 Tbsp. or so will do!

Instructions

Start With The Gluten-Free Lemon Sugar Cookies:

• Combine Sugar, Lemon Zest, and Butter. In a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl), combine sugar and lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar until it’s well combined and fragrant. Add the softened butter and cream on medium speed 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. 
• Add Eggs & Vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate each egg before adding the next. Then, add the vanilla (and lemon extract, if using!), and mix to combine. 
• Add Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the edges of the mixing bowl and add baking powder, salt, and half of the flour. Stir until the flour is partially incorporated (this prevents the flour from POOFING out at you!). Pause and add the remaining flour and mix until just combined.
• Chill 20-30 Minutes. Cover the cookie dough and chill 20-30 minutes, while you preheat your oven.
• Preheat & Prep. Preheat the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 Tbsp.) to scoop 6 cookies onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, or until the tops are just set and the bottoms are golden. Note: the tops and edges of these cookies will NOT brown. If they have browned, your cookie will be crisp rather than soft. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining cookies. (Note: the longer the cookies chill, the less they spread, so remove the dough from the fridge a minute or two before you plan to scoop to keep all the cookies the same size.)
• Cool completely before frosting. Cookies can be made 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw before decorating. 

Next, Make The Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Cream Butter & Cream Cheese. When the cookies are cool, make your frosting. In a stand mixer or mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. 
• Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat to combine. If the frosting seems too loose, add more powdered sugar 1 Tbsp. at a time. If it seems too thick, you can thin it out with 1-2 tsp. milk at a time. 
• Spread or Pipe The Frosting. Spread the frosting onto the cooled cookies (a small offset spatula makes this easier!) or transfer the frosting to a piping bag** and pipe the frosting onto the cookies, leaving a small border around the edge where the cookie is still visible (like the crust of a pizza). 
• Decorate the frosted cookies with fresh fruit and mint leaves as desired. Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar for a pretty look. (use a sieve or sifter to dust the powdered sugar over the cookies). 
• Store decorated cookies covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days. 

Video

Notes

• *GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR. I highly recommend King Arthur Baking Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour for this recipe. My second favorite is Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour. 
• **PIPING TIP. I used a Wilton 1M open star piping tip for the cookies in the photos. 

Gather Your Ingredients

Our lemon tart is a slightly easier take on a classic tarte au citron. We just simplified it so it’s more accessible! So, what do you need to get started? Let’s take a look at our ingredients list:

You’ll Also Need a Tart Pan!

Lastly, you’ll need a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. We love this one. It’s easy to clean, easy to work with, and bakes evenly!

SHOP OUR PAN

How To Make a Gluten-Free Lemon Tart, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan with butter and set aside.
2. Make The Tart Crust. In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add gluten-free flour and salt. Mix until the flour mixture is evenly coated in the butter mixture. The mixture may look a bit dry and shaggy, but if it holds together when pinched, you’re good to go!
3. Bake The Crust. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass to pat the crust mixture out into the prepared pan and up the sides. (Make sure to also go around the border of the crust with a finger to pack it down into an even layer.) Gently prick the crust 4-5 times with a fork and bake in preheated oven15-18 minutes, or until just golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. Mix Up The Lemon Filling. In a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, fresh lemon juice, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Whisk until the lemon mixture is as smooth as possible. (There will still be flecks of zest, but you don’t want any unmixed egg!)
5. Bake. Pour the tart filling into the baked tart shell and gently smooth into an even layer. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until the filling looks just set, with a subtle wiggle in the center.
6. Cool, Then Chill. Let the tart chill at room temperature 45-60 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 3-4 hours, or until completely cold.
7. Decorate. Just before serving, decorate the tart with powdered sugar, fresh berries, whipped cream, lemon slices, edible flowers, or mint leaves, as desired.
8. Serve & Store. Cut into slices and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days or freeze up to 2 months.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Lemon Tart

Make-Ahead Tips. If you’re making this lemon tart ahead of time, it will keep well in the fridge overnight. You can also freeze the tart up to 2 months, though it will be slightly softer after thawing.

How To Get A Tart Out Of The Pan. Since we’re working with a tart tin that has a removable bottom, you can literally set it the chilled tart on top of a sturdy overturned glass or small bowl, then just gently wiggle the sides of the pan to loosen them from the tart. The exterior ring should slide right off!

Can I Use Lemon Curd Instead? My recipe is specifically scaled to work with this crust, so I recommend making it as written.

Can I Use Meyer Lemons? I’ve only used regular lemons in my test bakes, but meyer lemons *should* work here. Just keep in mind the tart will takes like meyer lemons! (The flavor is more like a cross between oranges and lemons than a true lemon flavor.)

More Gluten-Free Lemon Desserts To Try

Gluten-Free Lemon Bundt Cake

Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza Cookies

Gluten-Free Lemon Cheesecake

Lemon Ice Cream

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Gluten-Free Lemon Tart

Bright, beautiful & packed with fresh lemon flavor, this gluten-free lemon tart is the perfect elegant dessert for a special occasion. (Make sure to plan ahead as this tart needs to chill!)

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword gluten free tart

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Chill Time 5 hours hours

Total Time 5 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Servings

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Equipment

• 1 (9-inch) Tart Pan (with a removable bottom)

Ingredients

For The Shortbread Crust (See Notes For Alternatives!):

• ½ cup butter, softened (113 grams/1 stick)
• ¼ cup brown sugar (50 grams)
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (25 grams)
• 1 ⅓ cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour (160 grams)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For The Lemon Tart Filling:

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT regular condensed milk!)
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 large egg yolks (save egg whites for another recipe)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest (packed!)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

To Decorate The Tart (Choose just 1-2)

• Fresh Berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries)
• Whipped Cream
• Powdered Sugar
• Fresh Mint Leaves
• Edible Flowers
• Fresh or Candied Lemon Slices

Instructions

• Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan with butter and set aside.
• Make The Tart Crust. In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add gluten-free flour and salt. Mix until the flour mixture is evenly coated in the butter mixture. The mixture may look a bit dry and shaggy, but if it holds together when pinched, you're good to go!
• Bake The Crust. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass to pat the crust mixture out into the prepared pan and up the sides. (Make sure to also go around the border of the crust with a finger to pack it down into an even layer.) Gently prick the crust 4-5 times with a fork and bake in preheated oven15-18 minutes, or until just golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Mix Up The Lemon Filling. In a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, fresh lemon juice, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Whisk until the lemon mixture is as smooth as possible. (There will still be flecks of zest, but you don't want any unmixed egg!)
• Bake. Pour the tart filling into the baked tart shell and gently smooth into an even layer. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until the filling looks just set, with a subtle wiggle in the center.
• Cool, Then Chill. Let the tart chill at room temperature 45-60 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 3-4 hours, or until completely cold.
• Decorate. Just before serving, decorate the tart with powdered sugar, fresh berries, whipped cream, lemon slices, edible flowers, or mint leaves, as desired.
• Serve & Store. Cut into slices and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days or freeze up to 2 months.

Video

Notes

• Other Crust Options. If you prefer, you can make our gluten-free graham cracker crust or our gluten-free Oreo crust, made with gluten-free GOLDEN Oreos. (Do not use chocolate oreos!) 
• Gluten-Free Flour. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour blend. If you use another brand, make sure it contains xanthan gum! Weigh the flour for best results, or use the scoop and level method to spoon flour into the measuring cup to avoid packing extra flour into the crust. 

Gather Your Ingredients

This zucchini bread starts with simple ingredients + one little extra you’ll want to keep on hand. Let’s take a look:

How To Make Gluten-Free Lemon Zucchini Bread, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×4 loaf pan with parchment paper. Make sure you’ve squeezed any extra water out of the zucchini with paper towels.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, combine gluten-free flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk till evenly blended.
3. Rub Zest Into Sugar. In a large bowl, combine lemon zest and granulated sugar and rub the zest into the sugar until the mixture is fragrant and the sugar has a slight lemon tint to it.
4. Combine Wet Ingredients. Add oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon oil to the lemon sugar mixture and whisk to combine.
5. Add Dry Ingredients To Wet Ingredients and stir until just a few dry floury patches remain.

6. Mix In Zucchini. Add grated zucchini to the bowl and stir until the zucchini is evenly distributed. (Some people find this easier with a fork!)
7. Bake & Cool. Transfer the zucchini bread batter to the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. (no wet batter!) Let the zucchini bread cool in the pan for 8-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
8. Make The Lemon Glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 Tablespoon melted butter, 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth and evenly blended. Ideally the glaze should be opaque and pretty thick, but still pourable.
9. Pour Glaze Over Cooled Zucchini Bread and let the glaze set before slicing. Cut into thick slices and enjoy! Store leftover zucchini bread in an airtight container 2-3 days at room temperature.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Lemon Zucchini Bread

Use The Right Size Pan! I recommend this USA loaf pan. It’s a standard 1-pound loaf pan that measures 8.5 x 4.5. If you use a larger 9×5 pan, your bread will be flatter and thinner and will bake faster.

Make The Most Of That Zest! Be sure to ONLY get the yellow lemon zest, not the bitter white pith underneath. Really pack the zest into those Tablespoons to get the most lemon flavor into this bread.

Use Lemon OIL Not Lemon Extract. I find lemon extract can lean a bit chemical and artificial in taste, so we much prefer lemon oil when possible, for best results. Lemon oil is food grade lemon essential oil–the exact flavor we’re getting from the zest! It’s a very concentrated, strong FRESH lemon flavor that will take the lemon flavor in this zucchini bread recipe to the next level.

Prep Your Zucchini Properly! First time grating a zucchini? Here’s what you need to know! I prefer using a food processor to grate zucchini (FASTER!), but you can use the large holes of a box grater. Then, make sure to squeeze out any excess water with some clean paper towels or a clean kitchen towel before adding it to the batter. This helps prevent your bread from getting mushy or soggy.

More Zucchini Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Gluten-Free Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

SOFT Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread

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Gluten-Free Lemon Zucchini Bread

This easy Gluten-Free Lemon Zucchini Bread is soft, moist and delicious, topped with a tangy lemon glaze you’ll LOVE. It’s perfect with a cup of tea, or enjoyed as a light dessert or a satisfying sweet snack in the summer months.

Course Cake, Dessert, Quick Bread

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword gluten-free zucchini bread, lemon zucchini bread, zucchini bread, zucchini cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 1 Loaf (10-12 slices)

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

For The Lemon Zucchini Bread

• 1-1 ½ cups grated zucchini (Extra liquid squeezed out!)*
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon zest (from 2-3 lemons–really pack it in!)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
• ½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon lemon oil *
• 1 ⅓ cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour * (160 grams) weighed or scooped and leveled
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

For The Lemon Glaze

• 1 Tablespoon butter , melted
• 2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup powdered sugar (120 grams)

Instructions

First, Make The Zucchini Bread

• Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×4 loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Combine Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, combine gluten-free flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk till evenly blended.
• Rub Zest Into Sugar. In a large mixing bowl, combine lemon zest and granulated sugar and rub the zest into the sugar until the mixture is fragrant and the sugar has a slight lemon tint to it.
• Combine Wet Ingredients. Add oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon oil to the lemon sugar mixture and whisk to combine.
• Add Dry Ingredients To Wet Ingredients and stir until just a few dry floury patches remain.
• Mix In Zucchini. Add grated zucchini to the bowl and stir until the zucchini is evenly distributed. (Some people find this easier with a fork!)
• Bake & Cool. Transfer the zucchini bread batter to the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. (no wet batter!) Let the zucchini bread cool in the pan for 8-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Next, Make The Lemon Glaze:

• Combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 Tablespoon melted butter, 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth and evenly blended. Ideally the glaze should be opaque and pretty thick, but still pourable.
• Adjust Texture, As Needed. If the glaze is too thick, add more lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon at a time, if needed to thin the glaze out. If the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar 1 Tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
• Pour Glaze Over Cooled Zucchini Bread and let the glaze set before slicing.
• Serve & Store. Cut into thick slices and enjoy! Store leftover zucchini bread in an airtight container 2-3 days at room temperature.

Video

Notes

• Zucchini. You can use up to 1 1/2 cups of zucchini in this bread, but the more you use, the more you’ll taste it. Keep that in mind as you choose! I usually use 1 cup when serving my kids. 
• Gluten-Free Flour. We’re using King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour blend. If you use another 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum, or the bread won’t turn out properly. Do not substitute coconut flour, almond flour, or oat flour into this recipe.
• Lemon OIL. If you can find it, we recommend adding lemon oil rather than lemon extract, since it’s got the same fresh flavor as lemon zest. If all you can find is lemon extract, you’ll need double the amount.

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

Our Favorite Ice Cream Maker

We’ve owned this Cuisinart ice cream maker for more than 12 years and it’s still going strong. It takes up less space than some other models, and works well for most homemade ice cream recipes!

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How To Make Homemade Lemon Ice Cream, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. At LEAST 24 Hours Before, Freeze Ice Cream Maker. If needed, make sure to freeze the freezer bowl or insert for your ice cream machine in advance. Otherwise, the ice cream will not churn properly.
2. Combine Sugar & Lemon Zest in a medium saucepan and rub the zest into the sugar with clean fingers until fragrant and yellow. This helps infuse the sugar with lemon essential oils & intensifies the lemon flavor in this recipe.
3. Add Cream, Milk, Corn Syrup, and Salt to the lemon sugar mixture and stir to combine.
4. Steep. Bring this mixture almost to a simmer over medium-high heat, until the mixture is steaming and sounds like it’s about to bubble. (The sugar should be fully dissolved.) Remove the pan from the heat, stir in vanilla extract, and let it steep at least 30 minutes as it cools. Transfer to an airtight container or liquid measuring cup and cover.
5. Chill Ice Cream Mixture at least 4 hours, or until very cold. The flavor will continue to develop over the 4 hours.
6. STRAIN the ice cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the lemon zest (otherwise, it can get caught in the churning apparatus of the ice cream maker)

7. Churn Ice Cream according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. For me, that means placing the chilled insert into the ice cream maker, turning it on and pouring the cold ice cream mixture into the chilled insert. Cover and let it churn about 25-30 minutes, or until the texture of rich soft-serve ice cream.
8. Layer Ice Cream. Transfer half of the ice cream mixture into a freezer-safe container. Dollop half of the lemon curd across the surface and cover with the other half of the ice cream mixture. Dollop with the remaining lemon curd and use a butter knife to gently swirl the mixture in a few figure-8 motions. Try not to over swirl! 
9. Freeze. Cover the container well and freeze ice cream 4-6 hours, or until firm enough to scoop. (I recommend pressing a layer of plastic wrap onto the surface of the ice cream, then covering with a lid for extra insulation.)
10. Serve & Store. Scoop and enjoy! Leftover ice cream will keep up to 2 weeks in the freezer, though it will continue to harden with time.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Lemon Ice Cream

USE MY HOMEMADE LEMON CURD. I pinky promise it makes a WILD difference here to make your own lemon curd. Store-bought lemon curd will have a muted color and the flavor will not be anywhere near as lemony as our homemade lemon curd. It only takes about 20 minutes to make and it tastes SIGNIFICANTLY better than anything store-bought. 

AVOID METAL CONTAINERS! Lemon reacts with prolonged exposure to metal and can develop a strong unpleasant metallic flavor. I only recommend storing your ice cream in glass, plastic, or other freezer-safe containers, NOT a metal one.

Can I Add Lemon Juice? While fresh lemon juice is delicious, I don’t recommend it here since it has a tendency to separate the lemon ice cream base. If you DO want to add some, I recommend ONLY stirring in 2-3 Tablespoons RIGHT before churning ,for best results.

More Yummy Ice Cream Treats To Try

Gluten-Free Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Knickerbocker Glory

Classic Hot Fudge Sundae

Recipe Card

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Lemon Ice Cream With Lemon Curd Swirl

This easy lemon ice cream packs a double dose of lemon flavor! From the creamy lemon base to the pockets of zesty homemade lemon curd, it's a lemon delight from start to finish!

Course Dessert, Ice Cream

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword lemon curd ice cream, lemon ice cream, lemon swirl ice cream

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Chill Time 10 hours hours

Total Time 10 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 1 Quart Ice Cream

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Equipment

• 1 1-Quart Ice Cream Maker Make sure to freeze the bowl or insert, as needed!*

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon zest (2-3 lemons)
• 2 Tablespoons corn syrup (see notes)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt (less than 1/8 teaspoon)
• ½ cup Homemade Lemon Curd (DON'T use store-bought!)

Instructions

• At LEAST 24-48 Hours Before, Freeze Ice Cream Maker. If needed, make sure to freeze the bowl or insert for your ice cream maker in advance. Otherwise, the ice cream will not churn properly.
• Combine Sugar & Lemon Zest in a medium saucepan and rub the zest into the sugar with clean fingers until fragrant and yellow. This helps infuse the sugar with lemon essential oils & intensifies the lemon flavor in this recipe.
• Add Cream, Milk, Corn Syrup, and Salt to the lemon sugar mixture and stir to combine.
• Steep. Bring this mixture almost to a simmer over medium-high heat, until the mixture is steaming and sounds like it's about to bubble. (The sugar should be fully dissolved.) Remove the pan from the heat, stir in vanilla extract, and let it steep at least 30 minutes as it cools. Transfer to an airtight container or liquid measuring cup and cover.
• Chill Ice Cream Mixture at least 4 hours, or until very cold. The flavor will continue to develop over the 4 hours. (Don't rush here! If you don't fully chill this mixture, the ice cream will not churn properly!)
• STRAIN the ice cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the lemon zest (otherwise, it can get caught in the churning apparatus of the ice cream maker)
• Churn Ice Cream according to your ice cream maker's instructions. For me, that means placing the chilled insert into the ice cream maker, turning it on and pouring the cold ice cream mixture into the chilled insert. Cover and let it churn 20-30 minutes, or until the texture of rich soft-serve ice cream.
• Layer Ice Cream. Transfer half of the ice cream mixture into a freezer-safe container. Dollop 1/2 of lemon curd across the surface and cover with the other half of the ice cream mixture. Dollop with the remaining lemon curd and use a butter knife to gently swirl the mixture in a few figure-8 motions. Try not to over swirl!
• Freeze. Cover the container well and freeze ice cream 4-6 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.
• Serve & Store. Scoop and enjoy! Leftover lemon ice cream will keep up to 1 week in the freezer, though it will continue to harden with time.

Video

Notes

• Corn Syrup. The structure of corn syrup helps prevent ice crystals from forming, which means your ice cream will be softer, easier to scoop, and more uniform in texture. You can substitute glucose syrup, or agave syrup in a pinch, but corn syrup will give you the best results. 
• Strain The Ice Cream before adding to the ice cream maker, or the lemon zest can have a tendency to gather together in a ball in the spinning insert/churning apparatus of the ice cream maker. 
• USE MY HOMEMADE LEMON CURD. I pinky promise it makes a WILD difference here. Store-bought lemon curd will have a muted color and the flavor will not be anywhere near as lemony as our homemade lemon curd. It only takes about 20 minutes to make and it tastes SIGNIFICANTLY better than anything store-bought. 
• Mix-Ins & Serving Tips To Try. For extra texture, you can sprinkle some gluten-free graham cracker crumbs or crushed meringues over the lemon curd when layering the ice cream! Or, serve with fresh raspberries and a coconut roll for pretty presentation. 

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

• Blueberries. You can make this blueberry lemonade recipe with fresh blueberries OR frozen blueberries, so it’s easy to make year-round. Do keep in mind that if you’re using frozen blueberries, they’ll take a bit longer to soften in the simple syrup.
• Sugar. Regular granulated sugar or organic cane sugar is my go-to for the blueberry simple syrup. It dissolves well and gives this lemonade a classic flavor. See the FAQ for alternatives, if you need them!
• Water. You’ll need a little water for the blueberry syrup, then some COLD water for the lemonade.
• Fresh Lemon Juice. Using fresh lemon juice is a MUST for making your own lemonade! Bottled lemon juice will be overly acidic and bitter, and will really throw off the flavor. It’s worth it to use fresh!
• Maybe Some Fresh Mint or Fresh Basil. Not *strictly* necessary, but I love adding a little fresh mint or fresh basil to the mix. It won’t taste herby by any means, but the notes from the mint or basil will really bring out the flavor of the blueberry. (We do this in our Strawberry Basil Lemonade and Raspberry Lemonade recipes and it works great!)
• Plenty of Ice Cubes. If it’s not ice cold blueberry lemonade, I don’t want it!

How To Make Blueberry Lemonade, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. First Make The Blueberry Syrup. Combine blueberries, sugar, and 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan. Add fresh mint or fresh basil, if using. Bring the mixture up to a simmer over medium heat and cook 8-10 minutes, or until the blueberries have softened.
2. Strain Out The Seeds. Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer to strain out the seeds and press down with a spatula or wooden spoon to extract as much pulp as you can through the strainer. (Discard any remaining pulp).
3. Cool Or Chill. Cool the blueberry syrup to room temperature (or chill up to 2 days, until you’re ready to make the lemonade).
4. Combine Syrup & Lemon Juice. In a large pitcher, combined the cooled & strained blueberry syrup and the fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine. This is your own homemade lemonade concentrate! (Refrigerate the lemonade concentrate mixture at this point if you’re making it in advance. Finish the rest of the steps right before serving.)
5. Stir In The Water & Ice Right Before Serving. Pour 3 cups of water or sparkling water into the pitcher and gently stir to combine. (Taste and add more sugar/sweetener as needed, depending on the tartness of your berries and lemons.) Then, add 3-4 cups of ice to the pitcher.
6. Serve & Store. Enjoy immediately. Leftover blueberry lemonade will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer.  

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Blueberry Lemonade

Can I Use Something Besides Sugar? The flavor will be slightly different, but yes, you can use a sugar substitute or alternative. There are a lot of simple syrup recipes out there you can experiment with. My favorite simple syrup substitute is agave syrup, which has a fairly neutral flavor. If you prefer to use an alternative sweetener, you can try this stevia simple syrup or this keto simple syrup that uses monkfruit. You’ll need about 1 cup or so of simple syrup to pair with the blueberries.

How Long Does Homemade Blueberry Lemonade Last? Since we’re working with fresh ingredients and aren’t adding any preservatives, this blueberry lemonade will only keep for about 3-4 days. I recommend drinking your homemade lemonade within 3-4 days. (Freeze it if you want it to last longer!)

Can You Freeze Blueberry Lemonade? You can! Because of the higher sugar content in fruit juice, it won’t freeze as completely solid as regular ice cubes, but you CAN freeze blueberry lemonade. Pour it into freezer safe jars (leaving at least 1-inch of room at the top to allow for expansion in the freezer), or pour it into ice cube trays and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and store up to 1 month.

Go Sparkling! For a bubbly twist, try swapping out the cold water in the lemonade from club soda or sparkling water! It adds just enough fizz to be fun.

More Homemade Lemonade Recipes To Try

Easy Raspberry Lemonade

Classic Homemade Lemonade

Easy Peach Lemonade

Recipe Card

Blueberry Lemonade

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 cups 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Bright, beautiful, and majorly refreshing, this 5-ingredient blueberry lemonade is the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day! 

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Ingredients

For The Blueberry Simple Syrup:

• 2 cups fresh blueberries*
• 1 cup granulated sugar*
• 1 cup water
• Optional: 1/4 cup fresh mint or fresh basil

For The Blueberry Lemonade:

• 1 batch blueberry simple syrup (above)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice*
• 3 cups cold water or sparkling water
• 3–4 cups ice
• Optional garnish: lemon slices, fresh blueberries, fresh mint or fresh basil

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Instructions

1. First Make The Blueberry Syrup. Combine blueberries, sugar, and 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan. Add fresh mint or fresh basil, if using. Bring the mixture up to a simmer over medium heat and cook 8-10 minutes, or until the blueberries have softened.
2. Strain Out The Seeds. Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer to strain out the seeds and press down with a spatula or wooden spoon to extract as much pulp as you can through the strainer. (Discard any remaining pulp).
3. Cool Or Chill. Cool the blueberry syrup to room temperature (or chill up to 2 days, until you’re ready to make the lemonade).
4. Combine Syrup & Lemon Juice. In a large pitcher, combined the cooled & strained blueberry syrup and the fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine. This is your own homemade lemonade concentrate! (Refrigerate the lemonade concentrate mixture at this point if you’re making it in advance. Finish the rest of the steps right before serving.)
5. Stir In The Water & Ice Right Before Serving. Pour 3 cups of water or sparkling water into the pitcher and gently stir to combine. (Taste and add more sugar/sweetener as needed, depending on the tartness of your berries and lemons.) Then, add 3-4 cups of ice to the pitcher.
6. Serve & Store. Enjoy immediately. Leftover blueberry lemonade will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer.  

Notes

• Blueberries. Frozen blueberries can absolutely be used in this recipe! It’ll just take a bit longer for them to soften in the simple syrup since they’re frozen.
• Sweetener. We genuinely love the flavor of using classic granulated sugar or cane sugar here. If you like, you can use agave syrup or a 1:1 sugar alternative, but your flavor will be different from ours.
• FRESH Lemon Juice! It’s crucial to use FRESH lemon juice here, not bottled juice. Bottled lemon juice will be overly acidic and bitter, and will really throw off the flavor of this lemonade. It’s worth it to use fresh!
• Try It In a Blender. Alternatively, you can place these ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree them before straining rather than simmering them on the stove. Then, strain the fresh raspberry puree and proceed as directed. This is a great option when you need something FAST, but the flavor won’t be as strong as when you make the syrup on the stove. (The cook time gives the syrup a better chance to infuse with flavor.) 

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Drink
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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Gather Your Ingredients

My favorite thing about this raspberry lemonade recipe (other than the flavor!) is that it’s made with simple ingredients. Let’s take a look!

• Fresh Lemon Juice. You MUST use freshly squeezed lemon juice for homemade lemonade! Bottled lemon juice tends to run bitter and acidic tasting, so for the best tasting lemonade stick with fresh lemon juice.
• Raspberries. You can use frozen raspberries OR fresh raspberries to make raspberry lemonade from scratch. They’ll both work beautifully! If I’m using frozen berries, I like to thaw them for a bit in advance, if I can, since they’ll be easier to work with.
• Sugar. Next up is granulated sugar (white sugar or cane sugar). It dissolves easily and helps make the raspberry syrup for this fresh lemonade recipe.
• Water. Then comes some water. You’ll use some to make the raspberry syrup, then pour the rest into the pitcher to make the lemonade.
• Ice. This is important! I make my raspberry lemonade a bit on the stronger side so that I can add plenty of ice. As it melts, it won’t water down the lemonade!
• Pretty Garnishes. I love adding garnishes to lemonade to play up the natural flavors and elements in the drink! For raspberry lemonade I usually reach for extra raspberries, fresh mint leaves, and lemon slices, or lemon wedges. Feel free to add edible flowers, pretty ice cubes, or other fresh berries!

PRO TIPS FOR SQUEEZING LEMONS: It’s easier to squeeze lemons when they’re room temperature rather than chilled. Roll room temperature lemons on the counter firmly with the palm of your hand, slice them in half, then use your hands or one of these citrus squeezers to get all the juice out that you can! (This $8 gadget gets ALL kinds of use at our house for mocktails, beverages, and cooking. 100% worth it!)

How To Make Raspberry Lemonade From Scratch, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

Start With The Raspberry Syrup

1. Combine The Ingredients. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, and 2 cups of raspberries. Stir and simmer on medium heat for 5-10 minutes, breaking up the raspberries and stirring to dissolve the sugar completely.
2. Strain Out The Seeds. Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer to strain out the seeds and press down with a spatula or wooden spoon to extract as much pulp as you can through the strainer. (Discard any seeds or remaining pulp).
3. Cool Or Chill. Cool the raspberry syrup to room temperature (or chill up to 2 days, until you’re ready to make the lemonade).
4. (Or, Make It In A Blender Instead!) Alternatively, you can place these ingredients in a blender and blend them before straining rather than simmering them on the stove.

Then, Make The Lemonade

1. Combine Syrup & Lemon Juice. In a large pitcher, combined the cooled & strained raspberry syrup and the fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine. (Refrigerate the lemonade at this point if you’re making it in advance. Finish the rest of the steps right before serving.)
2. Add Ice. Then, add 3-4 cups of ice to the pitcher.
3. Stir In The Water. Pour 3 cups of water or sparkling water into the pitcher and gently stir to combine.
4. Garnish with additional raspberries, fresh mint leaves, lemon slices, and more.
5. Serve & Store. Enjoy immediately. Leftover raspberry lemonade will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer.

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Homemade Raspberry Lemonade

Can I Use Something Besides Sugar For Lemonade? The flavor will be slightly different, but yes, you can use a sugar substitute or alternative. There are a lot of simple syrup recipes out there you can experiment with. My favorite simple syrup substitute is agave syrup, which has a fairly neutral flavor. If you prefer to use an alternative sweetener, you can try this stevia simple syrup or this keto simple syrup that uses monkfruit. You’ll need about 1 cup or so of simple syrup to pair with the raspberries.

How Long Does Homemade Lemonade Last? Since we’re working with fresh ingredients and aren’t adding any preservatives, homemade lemonade can go bad within 3-4 days. I recommend drinking your homemade lemonade within 3-4 days. (Freeze it if you want it to last longer!)

Can You Freeze Homemade Lemonade? You can! Because of the higher sugar content in fruit juice, it won’t freeze as completely solid as regular ice cubes, but you CAN freeze homemade lemonade. Pour it into freezer safe jars (leaving at least 1-inch of room at the top to allow for expansion in the freezer), or pour it into ice cube trays and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and store up to 1 month.

Is Lemonade Gluten-Free? You bet it is! Part of the beauty of making lemonade at home is that the ingredients list is so simple, it’s easy to tell. It’s just lemon juice (gluten-free), raspberries (gluten-free), water (gluten-free), sugar (gluten-free), and then maybe a little fresh mint (also gluten-free)!

More Homemade Lemonade Recipes To Try

Strawberry Basil Lemonade

Classic Homemade Lemonade

Fresh Peach Lemonade

Blueberry Lemonade

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Easy Raspberry Lemonade

This easy 4-ingredient raspberry lemonade recipe is a perfect pink drink for any celebration! Don’t miss our favorite variations in the notes below. 

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword easy raspberry lemonade, homemade raspberry lemonade, raspberry lemonade from scratch, raspberry lemonade recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8 cups lemonade

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

For The Raspberry Syrup:

• 2 cups raspberries fresh or frozen
• 1 cup sugar (200 grams)
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup loosely packed mint leaves optional

To Make The Raspberry Lemonade:

• 1 batch about 1 3/4 cup raspberry simple syrup (above)
• 3-4 cups Ice
• 1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice about 7–9 lemons
• 3 cups cold water or sparkling water*

Optional Garnishes:

• Slices lemons or lemon wedges
• Fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries
• Fresh mint leaves or basil leaves
• Other ideas: Pretty ice cubes edible flowers, or other kinds of fresh berries

Instructions

Start By Making The Raspberry Syrup:

• Combine The Ingredients. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, and 2 cups of raspberries. Stir and simmer on medium heat for 5-10 minutes, breaking up the raspberries and stirring to dissolve the sugar completely.
• Strain Out The Seeds. Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer to strain out the seeds and press down with a spatula or wooden spoon to extract as much pulp as you can through the strainer. (Discard any seeds or remaining pulp).
• Cool Or Chill. Cool the raspberry syrup to room temperature (or chill up to 2 days, until you’re ready to make the lemonade).
• (Or, Make It In A Blender Instead!) Alternatively, you can place these ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree them before straining rather than simmering them on the stove. Then, strain the fresh raspberry puree and proceed as directed. 

Then, Make The Lemonade:

• Combine Syrup & Lemon Juice. In a large pitcher, combined the cooled & strained raspberry syrup and the fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine. This is your own homemade lemonade concentrate! (Refrigerate the lemonade concentrate mixture at this point if you’re making it in advance. Finish the rest of the steps right before serving.)
• Add Ice. Then, add 3-4 cups of ice to the pitcher.
• Stir In The Water. Pour 3 cups of water or sparkling water into the pitcher and gently stir to combine. (Taste and add more sugar/sweetener as needed, depending on the tartness of your berries and lemons.)
• Garnish with additional raspberries, fresh mint leaves, lemon slices, and more.
• Serve & Store. Enjoy immediately. Leftover raspberry lemonade will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer.  

Video

Notes

Variations To Try:

• GET HERBY! Try adding fresh mint or fresh basil (yes, really!) to your raspberry syrup. We use this trick in our Strawberry Lemonade recipe, and it’s delicious!
• MAKE PRETTY ICE CUBES. Freeze whole raspberries, mint leaves, or mixed berries in your ice cubes for a pretty look.
• GO LIME INSTEAD. Or, swap the lemon juice for lime juice and turn this into raspberry limeade.
• MAKE IT FRECKLED. Make “freckled” raspberry lemonade by leaving in 1/3-1/2 of the raspberry pulp. It’s got a more rustic, homemade appearance and tastes delicious. (You can also just muddle in a handful or two of fresh raspberries after straining the syrup.)
• ADD PEACH. In the summer when peaches are at their peak, try dicing a peeled, pitted peach and adding it along with the raspberries for a raspberry-peach lemonade. SO GOOD.
• TRY GINGER! Or, add another layer of flavor nuance by adding fresh ginger to the simple syrup. It adds a little warmth and depth that’s lovely with the cool, refreshing flavors in this drink! 

Recipe originally published January 2023. Updated with new photos & tips and republished March 2025.

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

It’s easy to get confused about which blue drink recipe is which! While the Blue Hawaiian Mocktail is a combination of curaçao, lemon or lime juice, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut, the Blue Lagoon is a lemonade-based mocktail. Let’s take a look at the ingredients:

• Blue Curaçao Syrup. It adds its signature vibrant blue color to the blue lagoon drink, and other blue mocktails like the Blue Hawaiian Mocktail! Beyond its distinctive bright blue color, Blue Curacao syrup is sweet, with notes of orange and delicious citrus flavor. Perfect for this easy summer drink!
• Fresh Lemon Juice. Then, we turn up the lemon flavor even more with an extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It’s great for cutting through the sweetness in this drink!
• Lemonade. We’re huge fans of homemade lemonade, but you can absolutely make this mocktail recipe with your favorite store-bought lemonade! Light, regular, low-sugar, keto, whatever!
• Lemon-Lime Soda. Next up is some fizz! I recommend something bubbly, like Sprite, but Olipop is a great lower-sugar option, too.
• Lots of Ice Cubes. As I always say, if it’s not an ice-cold mocktail, I don’t want it!

How To Make A Virgin Blue Lagoon Drink, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!

1. Start With Ice. Fill a 14-16 ounce glass with ice cubes. 
2. Combine blue curaçao syrup, fresh lemon juice, and lemonade. Stir with a straw or cocktail stirrer until just combined. 
3. Top Off The Drink with lemon lime soda and gently stir to combine. (Try not to stir out the bubbles!) 
4. Garnish with fresh pineapple, a maraschino cherry, or lemon slices!

PRO TIP: It’s common to serve a Blue Lagoon in a hurricane glass, but any 14-16 ounce glass will work! (Highball glass, collins glass, tumbler, etc.)

More Fun Mocktail Recipes To Try

Citrus Orange Mocktail

Blue Hawaiian Mocktail

Mint Limeade (Virgin Mojito!)

Recipe Card

Virgin Blue Lagoon Mocktail

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• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 Drink 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This easy mocktail recipe is gets its bright blue color and refreshing flavor from fresh lemonade, blue curaçao syrup, and more! It’s the perfect drink to cool off with on hot summer days and makes a fun drink for baby showers and birthday parties.

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Ingredients

For The Blue Lagoon:

• 1 ounce Blue Curaçao Syrup* (2 Tablespoons)
• 1 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice (2 Tablespoons)
• 4 ounces Lemonade (1/2 cup)
• 2–4 ounces Lemon-Lime Soda, like Sprite or Olipop (1/4–1/2 cup)

To Garnish:

• Pineapple slices
• Maraschino cherries
• Fresh lemon slices or lemon wedge

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Instructions

1. Start With Ice. Fill a 14-16 ounce glass with ice cubes.
2. Combine blue curaçao syrup, fresh lemon juice, and lemonade. Stir with a straw or cocktail stirrer until just combined.
3. Top Off The Drink with lemon lime soda and gently stir to combine. (Try not to stir out the bubbles!)
4. Garnish with fresh pineapple, a maraschino cherry, or lemon slices!

Notes

• Use Curacao SYRUP not Liqueur! To keep this a non-alcoholic mocktail recipe, be sure to ONLY use Blue Curacao syrup, like Monin, or Torani. Avoid Blue Curacao liqueur, which contains alcohol.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Drink
• Method: No-Cook
• Cuisine: American

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Simple Ingredients To Get Started

This easy lemonade recipe only calls for 3 main ingredients (+ice). Let’s take a look:

• FRESH Lemon Juice. Let me just be clear: you need to use freshly squeezed lemon juice to make this homemade lemonade recipe. Bottled lemon juice WILL NOT taste the way you want it to. Only use fresh lemons for the best flavor. I promise, it’s worth it.
• Sugar. Our old-fashioned lemonade recipe uses a quick simple-syrup method, so you’ll need regular granulated sugar to make the simple syrup.
• Water. First, you’ll add some water to the simple syrup, then you’ll finish the lemonade with cold water. Easy!
• Lots of Ice Cubes. I don’t count this as an ingredient, per se, but I do think it’s a must! There’s just nothing like an ice-cold glass of lemonade on a hot day!

How To Make Lemonade From Scratch, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Make The Simple Syrup. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from the heat and let simple syrup mixture cool slightly.
2. Combine. In a big pitcher, combine lemon juice, cooled simple syrup, and 3 cups of water. (If using sparkling water, wait to add it until right before serving to maintain the bubbles.) Stir to combine until the mixture is well blended. (At this point, the lemonade will taste strong since you haven’t added the ice yet. We prefer to dilute the lemonade with ice instead of additional water and THEN ice. That way, the melting ice doesn’t dilute the flavor too much later!)
3. Finish With Ice. Top the lemonade off with ice and any desired garnishes and enjoy!
4. Serve ice cold with pretty garnishes and store leftover homemade lemonade in the refrigerator 3-4 days. (Or freeze up to 1 month.) 

Don’t feel like turning on the stove? You can dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice, then add 4 cups of cold water. I prefer the simple syrup method because the sugar dissolves so well and it makes the lemonade smoother, but you can absolutely just stir-stir-stir to dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice. (Leave no sugar crystals behind!)

More Classic Summer Drinks To Try

Blackberry Limeade

Easy Peach Lemonade

Raspberry Lemonade

Recipe Card: Homemade Lemonade

Classic Homemade Lemonade

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This easy homemade lemonade recipe tastes like summertime and childhood! It’s a bright, refreshing summer drink that’s perfect on a hot day. 

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Ingredients

For The Lemonade:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (8–10 medium lemons or 6–8 large lemons)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 cups cold water
• 3–4 cups ice

Optional Garnish:

• Lemon slices, lemon wedges, fresh mint leaves, fresh basil leaves, fresh berries, curled lemon peel, etc. 

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Instructions

1. Make The Simple Syrup. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from the heat and let simple syrup cool slightly.
2. Combine. In a large pitcher, combine fresh lemon juice, cooled simple syrup, and 3 cups of water. (If using sparkling water, wait to add it until right before serving to maintain the bubbles.) Stir to combine until the mixture is well blended. (At this point, the lemonade will taste strong since you haven’t added the ice yet. We prefer to dilute the lemonade with ice instead of additional water and THEN ice. That way, the melting ice doesn’t dilute the flavor too much later!)
3. Finish With Ice. Top the lemonade off with ice and any desired garnishes and enjoy! (Let your tastebuds be your guide and feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your personal taste–dilute it with water if it’s too strong, add more sugar if it’s too tart, etc.)
4. Serve ice cold with pretty garnishes and store leftover lemonade in the refrigerator 3-4 days. (Or freeze up to 1 month.) 

Notes

• Don’t feel like turning on the stove? You can dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice, then add 4 cups of water. I prefer the simple syrup method because the sugar dissolves so well and it makes the lemonade smoother, but you can absolutely just stir-stir-stir to dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice. 
• Infuse The Syrup! For a delicious twist, you can infuse the simple syrup with 1 cup of fresh mint or fresh basil, or 2 cups of fresh fruit (like berries, peaches, or nectarines!). Add it with the sugar and let the mixture steep 20-30 minutes before straining. Add strained syrup to the pitcher and proceed as usual. 
• Make It In Advance! If you’d like to get ahead on your prep, you can actually make your own lemonade concentrate by JUST making the simple syrup & combining it with the lemon juice. This can freeze up to 1 month in advance or store in the fridge 1-2 days ahead of time. Then, just pour in the cold water and ice and you’re ready to go! 

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Drink
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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How To Make Lemon Curd Cookies, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!

First, Make The Lemon Curd

1. Set Up A Double Boiler. Add 2 inches of water to a small saucepan and set out a glass heatproof bowl that fits on top of the saucepan without touching the water. Bring the water in the saucepan to a simmer over medium-high heat.
2. Combine. In the heatproof bowl, combine sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and eggs. Whisk to combine well, then set the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water. Whisk, dropping in the cubes of butter. (They’ll look a little clunky or separated at first, but will smooth out as the mixture heats up)
3. Cook lemon curd 20-25 minutes, or until it reaches 170 degrees F and it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. (If you run a finger down the back of the spoon, it should leave a clear trail, and the lemon curd should be thicken enough to stick to the spoon)
4. Strain the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve into a glass bowl or container.
5. Stir in vanilla extract & cool to room temperature.
6. Cover & Chill. Press plastic wrap or food wrap down onto the surface of the lemon curd (this prevents a film or “skin” from forming) and chill at least 2-3 hours, or until totally chilled. Lemon curd will keep 1 week in the refrigerator or frozen for 2-3 months, so you can make it in advance, if needed.

Then, Make The Cookie Dough

1. Combine Sugar & Lemon Zest in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Rub the sugar and zest together with your fingers for 30-60 seconds, until the sugar is fragrant with the aroma of lemon and the sugar is evenly coated in zest.
2. Add Melted Butter and mix to combine using the paddle attachment or a spatula.
3. Mix In Eggs, one at a time, until the dough is smooth.
4. Add Lemon Juice, Vanilla & Almond Extract and mix to combine.
5. Add Dry ingredients. Mix in the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt and stir just until the dough is combined. At this point, the dough will be soft, more like a thick brownie batter than a scoop-able dough. This is normal!
6. Chill Cookie Dough 2 Hours to allow it to firm up to a scoop-able texture. (This also prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven–don’t skip this step!)

Assemble & Bake The Cookies

1. Preheat & Prep. When your lemon curd and cookie dough are chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. (This way you can alternate pans with each batch) Place the granulated sugar in a shallow bowl and the powdered sugar in separate a shallow bowl.
2. Scoop & Roll. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop 2-Tablespoon balls of cookie dough. Roll each ball smooth, then drop into the granulated sugar. Roll to coat, then roll in powdered sugar to coat completely (you can use your fingertips to press the powdered sugar onto the cookie a bit, if needed). Place 6 cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet and return remaining dough to the fridge.
3. Indent. Use the back of a 1/2-Tablespoon measuring spoon to indent the cookies in the center of each cookie dough ball, carefully pressing to only reach about halfway down (you don’t want to press the spoon all the way through the cookie dough ball!)
4. Fill. Measure 1 teaspoon of lemon curd into the well of each cookie dough ball. (It will spread into an even layer as the cookies bake.)
5. Bake & Cool. Bake cookies 10-12 minutes per batch in the preheated oven, until cookies have spread, the powdered sugar has crackled, and cookies look just set around the edges. Let the cookies cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Repeat this process with remaining cookie dough, alternating cookie sheets with each batch, until all cookies are baked.
6. Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or store in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days. You can also freeze cookies for 2 months. (I prefer these cookies chilled, like lemon bars!)

More Gluten-Free Lemon Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Lemon Bundt Cake

Gluten-Free Lemon Cheesecake

Gluten-Free Lemon Brownies

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Gluten-Free Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Soft, lemon crinkle cookies filled with a dollop of tangy lemon curd for a double dose of lemon goodness! (aka the ultimate lemon cookie recipe!)

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Ingredients

For The Lemon Curd:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into small cubes (4 Tablespoons/57 grams)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Cookies

• 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (225 grams)
• 2 Tablespoons lemon zest (from 2–3 lemons)
• 3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly (1 1/2 sticks/170 grams)
• 3 large eggs
• 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour* (360 grams)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• For Rolling: 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
• For Rolling: 1 cup powdered sugar (120 grams)

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Instructions

First, Make The Lemon Curd:

1. Set Up A Double Boiler. Add 2 inches of water to a small saucepan and set out a glass heatproof bowl that fits on top of the saucepan without touching the water. Bring the water in the saucepan to a simmer over medium-high heat.
2. Combine. In the heatproof bowl, combine sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and eggs. Whisk to combine well, then set the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water. Whisk, dropping in the cubes of butter. (They’ll look a little clunky or separated at first, but will smooth out as the mixture heats up)
3. Cook lemon curd 20-25 minutes, or until it reaches 170 degrees F and it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. (If you run a finger down the back of the spoon, it should leave a clear trail, and the lemon curd should be thicken enough to stick to the spoon)
4. Strain the lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer into a glass bowl or container.
5. Stir in vanilla extract & cool to room temperature.
6. Cover & Chill. Press plastic wrap or food wrap down onto the surface of the lemon curd (this prevents a film or “skin” from forming) and chill at least 2-3 hours, or until totally chilled. Lemon curd will keep 1 week in the refrigerator or frozen for 2-3 months, so you can make it in advance, if needed.

Then, Make The Cookie Dough:

1. Combine Sugar & Lemon Zest in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Rub the sugar and zest together with your fingers for 30-60 seconds, until the sugar is fragrant with the aroma of lemon and the sugar is evenly coated in zest.
2. Add Melted Butter and mix to combine.
3. Mix In Eggs, one at a time, until the dough is smooth.
4. Add Lemon Juice, Vanilla & Almond Extract and mix to combine.
5. Add Dry ingredients. Mix in the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt and stir just until the dough is combined. At this point, the dough will be soft, more like a thick brownie batter than a scoop-able dough. This is normal!
6. Chill Cookie Dough 2 Hours to allow it to firm up to a scoop-able texture. (This also prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven–don’t skip this step!)

Assemble & Bake The Cookies

1. Preheat & Prep. When your lemon curd and cookie dough are chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Set out two sheet pans and line with parchment paper. (This way you can alternate pans with each batch so you don’t put cool dough on a hot baking sheet,) Place the granulated sugar in a shallow bowl and the powdered sugar in separate a shallow bowl.
2. Scoop & Roll. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop 2-Tablespoon balls of cookie dough. Roll the each ball smooth between your palms, then drop into the granulated sugar. Roll to coat, then roll in powdered sugar to coat completely (you can use your fingertips to press the powdered sugar onto the cookie a bit, if needed). Place 6 cookie dough balls on the first cookie sheet and return the remaining dough to the fridge.
3. Indent. Use the back of a 1/2-Tablespoon measuring spoon to indent the cookies in the center of each dough ball, carefully pressing to only reach about halfway down (you don’t want to press the spoon all the way through the cookie dough ball!)
4. Fill. Measure 1 teaspoon scoops of lemon curd into the well of each cookie dough ball. (It will spread into an even layer as the cookies bake.)
5. Bake & Cool. Bake the cookies 10-12 minutes per batch, until the cookies have spread, the powdered sugar has crackled, and the cookies look just set around the edges. (Mine are done at 10 minutes.) Let the cookies cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Repeat this process with the remaining cookie dough, alternating cookie sheets with each batch, until all cookies are baked.
6. Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days. You can also freeze cookies for 2 months. (I prefer these cookies chilled, like lemon bars!) Leftover lemon curd will keep up to 1 week in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer. 

Notes

• Gluten-Free Flour. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure For Measure Gluten-Free Flour blend for these cookies. If you use another brand, make sure it contains xanthan gum. It’s VERY important to measure the flour carefully so the cookies don’t end up dry & they spread properly. We highly recommend using the weight measurements on a kitchen scale for the best accuracy, but at minimum, you need to use the scoop and level method (aka don’t use your measuring cup to scoop flour!) 
• For Pretty Crinkles: Make sure to chill the dough the full 2 hours & keep the dough in the fridge in between batches. Roll in granulated sugar first, then when you roll the balls in powdered sugar, be generous and use your fingers as needed to sort of pack the powdered sugar onto the cookie dough. It sticks better this way! 
• Lemon Curd. I recommend using our lemon curd recipe above rather than using store-bought. It’s an extra step but makes a huge difference in color, texture, and taste. 
• Butter. Salted butter is my suggestion for this recipe, but you can absolutely use unsalted butter, if you prefer. I recommend adding an extra pinch of salt if you use unsalted butter. 

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 75 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

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How To Make Lemon Cheesecake, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

For The Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Cheesecake Crust:

1. Preheat & Prep. Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. (I love to use pre-cut parchment rounds) 
2. Crush Graham Crackers. Add gluten-free graham crackers to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until you’ve crushed the crackers to fine crumbs with no big lumps. (Don’t have a food processor? You can do this in a large zip-loc bag with a rolling pin.)
3. Add Butter. Next, add sugar and melted butter to graham cracker crumbs and pulse or stir to combine, until all crumbs are coated with butter and the sugar is evenly distributed.
4. Pat Out Crust. Pour the crust mixture out into your prepared springform pan and use your fingers or the back of a measuring cup or drinking glass to pat the crumbs out into an even layer along the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Note: the crust will not go all the way up the sides of the pan. Just about 1 inch up the sides! 
5. Bake & Cool. Place the crust in the preheated oven and bake 10-12 minutes or until fragrant. Set the crust to the side to cool while you make the filling.
6. Prep Pan For A Hot Water Bath. If Using A Hot Water Bath (Recommended), wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with foil. To fully waterproof the pan (*highly recommended*), place the springform pan into a slow cooker liner bag or an oven bag/turkey bag. Pull the bag up the sides of the springform pan, then gather the excess to one side and knot tightly to keep the bag secure to the sides. 

For The Cheesecake Batter

1. BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: Make sure cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are all brought to room temperature or the filling will not mix correctly. Do not skip this step! 
2. Maintain Oven Temperature of 325 degrees F. Make sure you have an oven rack arranged in the center of the oven. 
3. Prepare For Water Bath. Start bringing a small pot of water to a boil while you make the cheesecake. Set out a large roasting pan for a traditional water bath or a 9×13 pan for a modified hot water bath (SEE NOTES) 
4. Combine Cream Cheese & Sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer. Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together on medium-low speed 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and well blended. 
5. Add Sour Cream, Cornstarch, Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice & Vanilla to the cream cheese mixture and mix on LOW speed until just barely combined. (Keep in mind that you don’t want to add any extra air to the cheesecake, so mixing by hand or on low speed at this point is very helpful!)
6. Add Eggs One At A Time on LOW Speed, until just barely mixed. Gently tap the bowl against the counter to help remove any air bubbles. 
7. Pour Filling On Top Of The Crust and smooth surface with a spatula. 
8. Create Hot Water Bath. Carefully pour 3/4 to 1-inch of boiling water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Carefully lower the prepared & wrapped springform pan into the water so the water comes about 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan. (See notes for modified hot water bath instructions)
9. Bake. Transfer pan to the oven and bake cheesecake 60-70 minutes or until the edges are just set and the center gently wobbles (like Jello or gelatin). If the center still seems sloshy and liquid, add 3-5 minutes to the bake time and check again. (Err on the side of under-baking rather than over-baking)
10. Cool 1-Hour In The Oven. When the cheesecake is finished baking, turn OFF the oven heat and crack the oven door open 2-3 inches. Let the cheesecake cool IN the oven for 1 full hour. (To help prevent cracks, you can run a thin knife around the edges of the springform pan before letting it cool.) Remove springform pan from the hot water bath and the slow cooker liner/oven bag. 
11. Chill Cheesecake Uncovered in The Fridge AT LEAST 4-6 Hours (up to overnight) before decorating. 

Make The Lemon Curd Topping

1. Set Up A Double Boiler. Add 2 inches of water to a small saucepan and set out a glass heatproof bowl that fits on top of the saucepan without touching the water. Bring the water in the saucepan to a simmer over medium-high heat.
2. Combine. In the heatproof bowl, combine sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and eggs. Whisk to combine well, then set the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water. Whisk, dropping in the cubes of butter. (They’ll look a little clunky or separated at first, but will smooth out as the mixture heats up)
3. Cook lemon curd 20-25 minutes, or until it reaches 170 degrees F and it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. (If you run a finger down the back of the spoon, it should leave a clear trail, and the lemon curd should be thicken enough to stick to the spoon)
4. Strain the lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer into a glass bowl or container.
5. Stir in vanilla extract & cool to room temperature.
6. Cover & Chill. Press plastic wrap or food wrap down onto the surface of the lemon curd (this prevents a film or “skin” from forming) and chill at least 2-3 hours, or until totally chilled. Lemon curd will keep 1 week in the refrigerator or frozen for 2-3 months, so you can make it in advance, if needed.

Decorate The Cheesecake

1. Top With Lemon Curd. Spread 1 cup lemon curd on top of the cheesecake and smooth into an even layer (an offset spatula makes this easy!). I like to leave a small 1/4-inch border around the edge of the cheesecake. 
2. Prepare Stabilized Whipped Cream. In a glass or metal bowl or a stand mixer, beat heavy cream on medium speed until it starts to get fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip on high heat until stiff peaks form. (The whipped cream should hold its shape on your spatula even when you rotate it around.)
3. Pipe Whipped Cream Swirls. Add whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I used an Ateco 849 closed star tip) and pipe small swirls of whipped cream around the border. 
4. Decorate With Lemon. If desired, tuck fresh lemon slices in between the swirls of whipped cream, sprinkle with lemon zest or garnish each slice (or each dessert plate) with a little extra lemon, candied lemon, or raspberries. 

Simple Ingredients To Start

If you’re wondering, “what is lemon curd made of?,” I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how simple the ingredients are for gluten-free lemon curd! Let’s take a look at the 5 basic ingredients you’ll need:

• Fresh Lemon Zest & Fresh Lemon Juice. You’ll need both the lemon zest (yellow lemon peel) and the fresh lemon juice for making lemon curd. Lemon zest contains the lemon essential oils, which have an intense lemon flavor that makes a big impact. Then, lemon juice provides body and even more lemon flavor! When possible, we recommend organic lemons so you have less wax to contend with.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar (white sugar) strikes the perfect balance of sweetness and helps create the silky smooth texture we’re aiming for.
• Eggs. Some lemon curd recipes use egg yolks some recipes use whole eggs (egg whites + yolks) and some recipes use a mix. Our simple recipe uses 4 whole eggs to keep things easy. Use fresh eggs for best results!
• Butter. Then, butter adds a velvety richness that mimics the effect of cream. I love using salted butter here so I don’t need to add salt later, but you can absolutely use unsalted butter, if you prefer.
• Vanilla, Maybe. Not 100% necessary, but I love adding a tiny splash of vanilla extract at the end.

How To Make Homemade Lemon Curd, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!

1. Start The Double Boiler. Add 2-3 inches of water to a medium saucepan and bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. You’ll also need a heatproof bowl that can rest on top of the saucepan WITHOUT touching the simmering water below. 
2. Combine. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and cubed butter to the heatproof bowl and place over the saucepan of simmering water.
3. Stir To Thicken. Stir continuously for 20-25 minutes, or until the lemon curd has thickened and reaches 170 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. It should easily coat the back of a spoon at this point. (Keep in mind: you want to stir the whole time to avoid getting any clumps or scrambled egg bits.) 

4. Strain the lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer into a glass bowl or jar to remove any lumps and stir in vanilla extract. 
5. Cover & Chill. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap or food wrap and press the plastic wrap onto the surface of the lemon curd. (This prevents a film/”skin” from forming on top.) Chill 3-4 hours or until completely chilled through. It will continue to thicken as it cools. 
6. Serve & Store. Enjoy after chilling and store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months. (Thaw frozen lemon curd in the fridge before using.) 

Yummy Ways To Use Lemon Curd

So what do you eat lemon curd with? SO MANY GREAT THINGS!

• On Biscuits or Scones. Lemon curd is a classic, delicious topping for tea scones or biscuits, along with other accompaniments like clotted cream and jam. We love it on these Gluten-Free Biscuits!
• For Cheesecake! Homemade lemon curd is a luscious topping for cheesecake! We love it on our Gluten-Free Lemon Cheesecake, and it’s so good on so many lemon desserts, like…
• In Cookies. Try it instead of jam in Lemon Thumbprint Cookies for a fun, sunny take on a classic. These soft lemon cookies are AMAZING. 
• In Whipped Cream. You can flavor your own yogurt or whipped cream by adding a little lemon curd!
• In Ice Cream Or Yogurt! You can flavor your own yogurt or top your ice cream with gluten-free lemon curd. It’s delicious swirled into homemade ice cream!
• In Lemon Mousse. Fold lemon curd into whipped cream & layer with more lemon curd and some graham cracker crumbs for an easy treat!
• Pies & Tarts. A version of this homemade lemon curd recipe is actually the common lemon filling for lemon meringue pie or lemon tarts! 
• As Cake Filling. This easy spread is a classic filling for layer cakes, especially paired with fluffy buttercream or fresh fruit!
• With Waffles or Pancakes. It’s amazing on fluffy gluten-free Belgian waffles with fresh berries!
• In Crepes or French Toast. Add a dollop of creamy lemon curd and a dusting of powdered sugar to crepes or French toast. It’s delicious!

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Lemon Curd

More Recipes For Lemon Lovers

Gluten-Free Lemon Bundt Cake

Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza Cookies

Gluten-Free Lemon Brownies

Recipe Card

Easy Homemade Lemon Curd

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

You’ll be AMAZED by how easy it is to make gluten-free lemon curd from scratch! The flavor is sunny, vibrant, and fresh–SO much better than store-bought!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar (200 grams)
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (pack the zest in a bit!)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (120 ml)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into small cubes (4 Tablespoons/57 grams)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Start The Double Boiler. Add 2-3 inches of water to a medium saucepan and bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. You’ll also need a heatproof bowl that can rest on top of the saucepan WITHOUT touching the simmering water below.
2. Combine. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and cubed butter to the heatproof bowl and place over the saucepan of simmering water.
3. Stir To Thicken. Stir continuously for 20-25 minutes, or until the lemon curd has thickened and reaches 170 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. It should easily coat the back of a spoon at this point. (Keep in mind: you want to stir the whole time to avoid getting any clumps or scrambled egg bits.)
4. Strain the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve into a glass bowl or jar to remove any lumps and stir in vanilla extract.
5. Cover & Chill. Cover the lemon curd with a piece of plastic wrap or food wrap and press the plastic wrap onto the surface of the lemon curd. (This prevents a film/”skin” from forming on top.) Chill the lemon curd 3-4 hours or until completely chilled through. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
6. Serve & Store. Enjoy after chilling and store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months. (Thaw frozen lemon curd in the fridge before using.)

Notes

• ONLY Fresh Lemon Juice. You do NOT want to use bottled lemon juice for this recipe. It ruins the flavor. You’ll need 4-6 lemons to get 1 cup of lemon juice.
• ZEST FIRST. For ease, zest the lemon before juicing it. Make sure to ONLY get the bright yellow zest, not the bitter white pith underneath.
• BUTTER. I like using salted butter so I don’t need to add salt later, but if you use unsalted butter, you’ll likely want to add a hefty pinch of salt to the curd as it cooks so the flavors are balanced.
• VARIATION. For a citrus twist, you can make this using Meyer lemons, which have a flavor between orange & lemon.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Condiment
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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