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A Lemon Lush Dessert is a no bake dream dessert with tons of lemon flavor and Golden Oreos! I absolutely love no bake dessert lush recipes like this one. Layers of cookies, pudding, and whipped topping: the best easy dessert ever, especially for a potluck!
What is Lemon Lush Dessert?
I’m in love with lemon, are you? Good, because I have another lemon dessert for you: a No-Bake Lemon Dessert Lush!
I’m kind of in love with no-bake desserts. They’re so easy to make and they don’t heat up your kitchen. And they’re so good!
I’ve heard this recipe called so many things: Heavenly dessert, no bake dessert, no bake lush, lasagna…there are so many different names I never know what to call it. I settled on Lemon Dessert Lasagna because that describes it well: layers of lemon and cookies that make the perfect lasagna recipe, in my book.
Why this is the BEST Lemon Lush Recipe
There are lots of no bake lemon desserts out there – google them and you’ll get a page of all of them that look the same. How is this one different and why is it the best?
- I use lemon curd to give you that fresh lemon flavor you crave in desserts.
- Instead of regular graham crackers for a crust, I’m using Golden Oreos. The flavor of the Oreos with the lemon is such a great combination.
Table of Contents
Ingredients in Lemon Icebox Cake
- Golden Oreos: This is what we will use for the crust. You can use any kind of sandwich cookie or even a shortbread cookie
- Butter: You’ll need unsalted butter to mix with the cookies.
- Instant Pudding: Make sure to get instant. You can use vanilla or lemon flavor, or even cheesecake flavor.
- Milk: You’ll need milk to make your pudding, use nonfat or regular.
- Lemon Curd: I love adding lemon curd to make this SUPER lemony! You can buy it or make my homemade lemon curd.
- Whipped Topping: Cool Whip is what I use to fluff the pudding and top the recipe. If you want to use homemade whipped cream you can, but the lush won’t last as long.
How to Make Lemon Lush
1. First, the crust. Crushed Golden Oreos are mixed with melted butter and placed into a 9×9″ baking dish. This isn’t a traditional crust – it’s not solid. It’s crumbly, but once the layers are added and it’s chilled it sets up nicely.
2. Pudding Layer: You add 1 cup of milk to a small box of instant pudding, which is less than is called for on the box. Once it sets, you mix it with some of the whipped topping (aka Cool Whip).
3. Lemon Curd Layer: I mixed the lemon curd with some more whipped topping to make it spread easier and go a little further.
4. Topping: The top is spread with more Cool Whip and sprinkled with more Golden Oreos. They’re also spread between the layers too.
5. Chill: This dessert needs to be chilled at least 2 hours to set before serving.
Variations
- Pudding: You can use lemon, vanilla, cheesecake, or coconut pudding. Just make sure to use instant pudding mix; you can also use sugar-free pudding.
- Crust: Substitute Lemon Oreos or shortbread cookies if you prefer.
- Use 3 cups of freshly whipped cream in place of the whipped topping.
- Whipped Topping: You can use regular, creamy, fat-free, low-fat or sugar-free.
FAQ
Chill this at least 2 hours before serving.
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if made with cool whip. It will only last about 1-2 days if made with freshly whipped cream.
Yes, substitute 3 cups whipped cream.
Yes, use sugar-free cookies, whipped topping, and pudding.
No – instant pudding only sets properly with cows milk. Do not substitute nondairy milk.
Other Layered Desserts
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No Bake Golden Oreo Lemon Dessert
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 36 Golden Oreos , divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 1 3.4 ounce box INSTANT lemon, coconut, cheesecake or vanilla pudding
- 1 cup nonfat milk
- 12 ounces whipped topping (approximately 1 ½ 8-ounce containers)
- 1 cup lemon curd jarred or homemade or you can use lemon pie filling
Instructions
- Place 20 cookies in a gallon sized sandwich bag. Seal the bag except for one corner so air can escape and roll with a rolling pin to coarsely crush the cookies. Pour melted butter into bag and press with your hands to distribute. Place in the bottom of a 9×9” pan. Note: this is not a crust in the traditional sense. It’s loose and not compacted.
- Add pudding mix and milk to a medium sized bowl. Whisk until smooth and let sit for 2 minutes. Fold in a heaping 1 cup of whipped topping. Carefully spread over cookies in pan.
- Crush remaining cookies in a new gallon sized sandwich bag. Sprinkle half over pudding. Reserve the rest for the topping.
- Mix lemon curd gently with 1 even cup of whipped topping. Spread over pudding.
- Spread remaining whipped topping over the curd mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cookies. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Recipe Nutrition
If you love lemon, click here to see the complete list of Lemon Recipes! Or be sure to check out my favorites below. And be sure to try Melissa’s Lemon Lovers Trifle, or this Frozen Lemon Dessert or Lemon Meltaways!
**Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!**
No Bake Lemon Dessert is a lemon icebox cake lush recipe with a Golden Oreo crust, pudding, cool whip, and lemon curd. It’s a dream dessert that’s creamy and SO easy to make!
The flavor of this dessert is its saving grace. The first step with the vanilla pudding whisked with milk resulted in a thick, almost play dough consistency glop of a mess. It took another 20 minutes and my husband’s whisking arm plus 1-1/2 more cups of milk to get the mixture smooth and loose enough to fold in the Cool Whip. But once we got past that point, it was smooth sailing from there.
Now that we’ve done this once following the recipe exactly (except for the tweaks mentioned to keep it successful) we’re already planning our next modified version. Thanks for getting us headed in the right direction!
This was soooo good. Easy to make. Next time I think I will add blueberries, but the taste of lemon was great. Instead of pudding mix and milk I bought lemon pie filling.
I made this with lemon Oreos and can lemon pie filling. Husband and the kids couldn’t stop eating it! Perfect for summer hot weather! So smooth yet fresh and yummy all at the same time. Best most simplest to make recipe
I made this exactly as written and doubled the recipe. It was fantastic!
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