Lemon Lush is the ultimate keto lemon dessert! It features a buttery no bake crust with layers of cheesecake, sugar free lemon curd, and whipped cream. Simply divine!
I have been thinking about making a keto version of Lemon Lush for several years. And now that I have made it and tasted it, I wonder why on earth I waited so long. This is creamy, dreamy, lemon scented heaven!
And it’s an absolutely spectacular way to showcase keto lemon curd. Sandwiched between a layer of keto cheesecake and some whipped topping? Oh baby! It’s the dream dessert for lemon lovers.
You have to try this!
This is a recipe that goes by many names. I’ve seen it called Lemon Delight as well as Lemon Lasagna. And since it’s the lemon version of my keto sex in a pan, it could arguably go by that name as well.
Whatever you call it, this keto lemon dessert is the stuff of dreams. And while it has multiple layers and steps, it’s also easy to make. The hardest part is waiting for everything to set properly.
I had a lot of fun making this as a no-bake dessert by using HighKey Vanilla Wafers for the crust. I ground them up in my food processor and mixed them with melted butter. But you could use other cookies or you could make the crust from scratch. Check out the Expert Tips section for more ideas.
I originally intended for this Keto Lemon Lush to serve 16. But it turns out that it’s so low carb, you could easily cut it into 12 instead. And each piece would still only have 2.1g net carbs!
Ingredients you need
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- Keto cookies: I used the HighKey Vanilla Wafers for this crust but you can use any crisp keto cookies, either store-bought or homemade. See Expert Tips for more options.
- Cream cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is well softened before beating.
- Sweetener: I recommend Swerve Confectioners for the cheesecake and the whipped topping. Check out the Expert Tips for more sweetener options.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice will provide the best flavor.
- Lemon curd: Make a batch of my Sugar Free Lemon Curd for the ultimate tangy flavor.
- Whipping cream: Most lush recipes take pre-packaged whipped topping. But it’s so easy and so much tastier to make your own whipped cream!
- Pantry staples: Butter, vanilla extract.
Step by Step Directions
1. Crush the cookies: Place the vanilla wafers in a food processor and process until they resemble crumbs. You can also crush them in a ziplock bag.
2. Make the crust: Transfer the crumbs to an 8×8 inch pan and drizzle with the melted butter. Mix well to combine and then press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. Freeze will preparing the filling.
3. Prepare the cheesecake: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the sweetener and lemon juice until well combined. Add the cream a little at a time until a nice spreadable consistency is achieved. Spread over the chilled crust and return to the freezer.
4. Spread the curd: Prepare the lemon curd according to the directions, if you haven’t already. Spread over the cheesecake filling and return to the freezer.
5. Whip the cream: In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream with the sweetener and vanilla until it holds stiff peaks. Spread over the lemon layer and return to the freezer. Freeze at least 2 hours to help it set before cutting into servings.
Expert Tips
I recommend preparing the keto lemon curd in advance, to streamline the process. You can make it up to 2 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Many readers love it so much, they keep some on hand at all times!
Freezing the dessert at each step of the process helps firm each layer faster. 20 to 30 minutes should be sufficient between layers, and then 2 hours in the freezer after the dessert it complete.
Crust options: There are so many fun ways to make this crust. If you use pre-made keto cookies, make sure they are crisp rather than soft-baked. The Mini Lemon Cookies from HighKey would be perfect for this.
For homemade options, try Keto Graham Crackers or Butter Pecan Cookies. You could also simply make a shortbread from scratch and bake it, similar to these Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars.
Sweetener options: You can use a number of sweetener here but I do find that using allulose makes the cheesecake filling and the whipped topping very soft. They don’t firm up as well and the pieces come out a little messier. But it does work!
Since this is not a baked recipe, make sure you are using sweeteners that dissolve well. I recommend powdered sweeteners like Swerve Confectioners or concentrated liquid sweeteners like stevia extract.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lemons are a relatively low carb citrus fruit and can be used in keto recipes. Half a cup of fresh lemon juice has 10 g of carbs and 3g of fiber. But one rarely consumes half a cup of lemon juice in one sitting, so the carbs are much lower when spread out over a number of servings.
This delectable low carb lemon lush recipe has 3.7g of carbs and 1.6g of fiber per serving. That gives it a net carb count of 2.1g per slice.
You can store Lemon Lush in either the refrigerator or the freezer. In both cases, wrap it up tightly. It can last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 2 months. Let it thaw completely before serving.
More keto desserts you will love
Keto Lemon Dessert Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 4.5 ounces (127.57 g) keto vanilla wafers, see Expert Tips for alternatives
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter, melted
Cheesecake Layer
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (118.29 g) Swerve Confectioners, see Expert tips for alternatives
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) lemon juice
- 2 to 3 tbsp (2 tbsp) heavy whipping cream
Lemon Layer
- 1 recipe keto lemon curd
Whipped Topping
- 3/4 cup (177.44 ml) heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 3 tbsp Swerve Confectioners
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust
- Place the vanilla wafers in a food processor and process until they resemble crumbs. You can also crush them in a ziplock bag.
- Transfer to an 8×8 inch pan and drizzle with the melted butter. Mix well to combine and then press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. Freeze while preparing the filling.
Cheesecake Layer
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the sweetener and lemon juice until well combined.
- Add the cream a little at a time until a nice spreadable consistency is achieved. Spread over the chilled crust and return to the freezer.
Lemon Layer
- Prepare the lemon curd according to the directions, if you haven't already. Spread over the cheesecake filling and return to the freezer.
Whipped Topping
- In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream with the sweetener and vanilla until it holds stiff peaks. Spread over the lemon layer and return to the freezer.
- Freeze at least 2 hours to help it set before cutting into servings.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I made this (3x the recipe) for our church Easter Feast–clearly labeled KETO, SF, GF, pecan crust–hoping this would scare off non-keto people. Nope, every crumb gone. I didn’t get a bite! So, I’m making it again for tonight’s small group. There’s only 8 of us, so hopefully I get a slice. It’s such a crowd pleaser. Even my most finicky family gobbles it up.
I make a pecan crust: 2 c. nuts, 1/2 c. Baking Blend, 3 T. sweetener (Monkfruit blend today). Bake 10-12 min. 350 (burns quickly).
I sometimes top with a strawberry slurry.
Wonderful!
I’ve made this a couple times for myself and my husband but last night I needed to make a dessert for a baby shower at work. Knowing several coworkers are dieting, and a few are gluten intolerant, I decided to make this. Everyone loved it, and couldn’t tell it was sugar free!
It is a great dessert. Easy to make. I use the crust recipe from the lemon bars recipe as it is hard to find the keto cookies here
This was delicious! I followed the recipe for the top three layers exactly, but I only had liquid Allulose, so I used that.
Instead of spending money for cookies to crush up for the base, I used the tried and true recipe for the base of the pecan praline bars..it was perfect as always.
Great choice!
Just finished making this for our Easter gathering tomorrow.
It’s always delicious!
Lots of prep, but so worth the effort!
I made this today and it’s delicious! My first time making lemon curd and it was easier than I thought lol.
I made this yesterday with lemons from my yard. Best dessert ever!
I substituted sugar free cinnamon toast cereal for the wafers in the crust. It was delicious! Thanks for your recipes ❤️
Making this for the first time and wondering if it will completely fall apart as it thaws? Bringing to a restaurant to serve. Also best time to cut- frozen are thawed? Thank you!
I never froze mine… it doesn’t fall apart. I guess that’s up to you!
Hi – a little worried about the math on the nutrition as I am making these for my diabetic FIL. it says 3.7 grams of carbs for 1/12. That totals to 45 carbs in the whole dish. The wafers you suggest to use are 2oz a bag and you need 4.5 oz. Each bag has 28 oz of carbs. So with just 4oz this is already over what the recipe is saying is total carbs in the dish. Am I missing something? Thanks!
Yup, you are missing something… it’s in my nutritional disclaimer at the bottom of every post. You are counting the erythritol, which doesn’t have any impact on blood sugar (as a diabetic, I should know!). So they are already subtracted, as is the sweetener I use for this recipe.
oh very interesting ok. i am new to this and this is the first thing i’ve made like this. its all very confusing to me (and my FIL, who doesn’t seem to understand any of it). thanks for the info!
I know! That’s why I put the disclaimer there… it becomes second nature and you will find yourself automatically removing the erythritol grams in your head. That and allulose are the two that I find have ZERO carb impact (I test my blood sugar often and sometimes wear a CGM so I know what affects me and what doesn’t…).
I just made this lemon dessert. I get really hungry for lemon at this time of year. I mixed up your shortbread crust for the bottom because I don’t have those High-key vanilla wafers. Works for me! Thank you for so many great recipes. JANET
Fantastic.
Hi Carolyn,
This looks amazing!! If I wanted to double this for a party , would a 9×13 pan work well?
Thanks,
Patti
This is insanely fabulous! I brought this to a lunch party and it was the first dessert to disappear! For the crust I crumbed several keto cookies that I had on hand (from Carolyn’s butter pecan cookie recipe, but made them with macadamia nuts and sugar free chocolate chips), to which I added the butter and pressed into the bottom of the pan. I doubled the curd recipe (highly recommend). Sensational!