Creamy Lemon Mousse

5 from 5 votes
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Light and fluffy Creamy Lemon Mousse that is sweet, slightly tart, and much easier to make than you’d think! No gelatin or strange ingredients required!

lemon mousse in a cup with whipped cream

 

Lemon desserts just scream summer to me. They are sweet, tart, and always refreshing. Even a heavier dessert like No Bake Lemon Cheesecake is a bright and fresh dessert to have on a hot day.

I am usually a choco-holic to the core, but something about lemon desserts just gets me excited. Lemon Bars are one of my favorite things to make during the summer to take to any get together. And depending on the season, you can even add berries to make Strawberry Lemon Bars for a fun twist!

This Lemon Mousse is easy to make using just a few every day ingredients. There is no gelatin or raw eggs (you actually fully cook them unlike some other mousse recipes) to worry about.

a spoonful of lemon mousse

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Mousse Recipe

  • Easy – If you can stir ingredients together, you can make this. It takes a little time to slowly heat the mixture, but all you do is stir while this happens. Can’t get much easier!
  • No Strange Ingredients – just eggs, sugar, lemon juice and heavy cream. No gelatin, nothing extra to make the mousse thick and delicious.
  • Crowd Pleaser – this is one that everyone raves about. It is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Then you add the whipped cream on top and it is a show stopper for a formal dinner party or even put in small cups for a potluck.

What You’ll Need

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.

  • Eggs – you will need whole eggs as well as egg yolks
  • Granulated Sugar – I used Imperial Sugar for this recipe
  • Lemon Juice – fresh squeezed is best
  • Heavy Cream
  • Powdered Sugar – I used Imperial Sugar for this recipe
lemon mousse ingredients

How To Make Creamy Lemon Mousse

  • Whisk. In a heat safe bowl whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice until it is really well combined.
  • Heat. Place heat safe bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring constantly as the mixture starts to thicken. You will know it is done when it coats the back of a spoon, you run your finger across it, and it is does not blend together.
  • Chill. Pour mixture into a separate bowl and let it cool for about 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down directly over the lemon mixture. Chill for about 2 hours.
  • Mix. After 2 hours beat heavy cream to stiff peaks, add in the powdered sugar until well combined. Add to the chilled lemon mixture and gently fold together until combined.
  • Set Up. Spoon mixture into cups and place in the fridge for about 4 hours to completely set up before serving.
lemon mousse on the back of a spoon not spreading

Recipe Tips & Tricks

  • Don’t heat your lemon mixture over too high of heat. Have the water just be at a simmer or you will scramble the eggs, and not have a smooth and creamy mousse.
  • Be sure to stir constantly. I know it takes awhile, but trust me it is worth it! You don’t want to have hot spots in your mousse or the eggs will scramble and ruin the texture of the mousse.
  • Chill! Yes, you need to let the mousse chill before adding the whipped cream or it will just melt. And it will be relatively thin after you add the whipped cream, so chilling is necessary.
  • Top with whipped cream and berries for a delicious dessert that will impress just about anyone!
  • Switch up the flavor! Use lime juice or even grapefruit juice to put a fun twist on things.
adding whipped cream to chilled lemon mousse mixture
folding together lemon mousse and whipped cream

Making Ahead

This is definitely one of those desserts you want to make ahead. It takes enough time chilling, you can assemble everything the day before and let it chill overnight. When you are ready to serve top with whipped cream if desired.

The whipped cream on top can melt slightly as it sits, so just wait to top it until you are ready to serve. Blueberries and raspberries make a great addition for a pop of color and go so well with lemon!

lemon mousse in cups topped with whipped cream and raspberries

More Lemon Dessert Recipes

cropped close up lemon mousse topped with whipped cream
5 from 5 votes

Lemon Mousse

By Erin
Light and fluffy Creamy Lemon Mousse that is sweet, slightly tart, and much easier to make than you'd think! No gelatin or strange ingredients required!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Additional Time: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a large heat-safe bowl whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice.  Place over a  pot of simmering water and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring constantly.  Lemon mixture will thicken and coat the back of a spoon.  When it is done, you can run your finger over the back of the spoon, and the mixture will not run. 
  • Pour into a separate bowl and let cool for 15 minutes.  Cover directly on the surface with plastic wrap.  Place in fridge for 2 hours or until chilled. 
  • In an electric mixer, whisk heavy cream until soft peaks.  Add powdered sugar and mix until stiff peaks form.  Fold into the chilled lemon mixture. 
  • Spoon into cups and place in to refrigerator for 2 hours or until ready to serve.  Top with whipped cream and berries if desired.

Notes

I used Imperial Sugar for this recipe

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 189mg | Sodium: 42mg | Sugar: 33g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Erin
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Additional Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dessert Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 326
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About Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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12 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made the Creamy Lemon Mousse for dessert last night, and it was a hit! The mousse was light, airy, and had just the right amount of tangy lemon flavor. Perfect for a refreshing summer treat!