These easy no-bake lemon jars were developed as a result of my husband hating that I keep the oven on all summer long, even on the hottest of days. So, I set out to come up with more no bake recipes that my kids will love to make, and eat.
My husband’s grandmother used to bring a dessert to family holidays that she dubbed the “French Dessert.” One day she and I were sitting on the couch next to one another and she giggled while telling me how the recipe was created. This beautiful woman had 8 children, and she said she always had dessert with dinner. But she didn’t always have ingredients to make something fancy. So she went in the cupboards and found a few ingredients that she threw together and it became the “French Dessert.”
I don’t remember exactly what she put in her famous dessert, but I figured I would pioneer something and see how it turned out.
I saved these cute little glass jars that our yogurt comes in, washed and sanitized them. Then I made a bottom crumb layer using Leibniz butter cookies, sugar and butter. Next, I mixed just a few ingredients together to make a lemon cream mixture. Finally, I topped with whipped cream and some more crumbs.
These would also be great with some raspberry coulis swirled throughout the lemon mixture. ? I can’t wait to make more no-bake desserts and play around with different flavors.
Enjoy!
XOXOXO Amanda
No-Bake Lemon Jars
Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy7
servings15
minutes10
minutes446
kcalIngredients
Butter cookies 15
Unsalted Butter 57g
(4 Tbsp)Sugar 1 Tbsp
Sweetened Condensed Milk 3/4 cup
Fresh Lemon Juice 1/3 cup
(about 2 medium sized lemons)Zest of 2 medium lemons
(about 2 Tbsp)Heavy Cream 1 cup
Powdered Sugar 1/2 cup
Mascarpone 8 oz
Yellow Food Coloring, optional
Heavy whipping cream 3/4 cup
Powdered Sugar 1/4 cup
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Crush the butter cookies to make crumbs.
- Melt butter in a small bowl. Add cookie crumbs and sugar and mix to combine.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and zest. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, start whipping heavy cream on medium-low speed. Slowly add powdered sugar and continue to whip until soft peaks form.
- Add mascarpone (and food coloring if using) and whisk for another 15 seconds.
- Add condensed milk mixture and whisk for another 15 seconds on high speed.
- Add about 2 tablespoons cookie crumbs to each of the jars.
- Spoon lemon cream mixture over the cookie crumbs, leaving about an inch of space at the top.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Whip heavy cream and powdered sugar together to form stiff peaks.
- Pipe whipped cream over the lemon cream mixture.
- Top with remaining cookie crumbs.
Notes
- This makes 7 small jars, but you could make these in any size jar you’d like.
- You can add more of the cookie crumbs halfway in the middle of the lemon layer for more crunch.