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This No Fuss Lemon Tart is that go-to dessert…super easy, yet delicious and pretty too. The filling is made with four base ingredients, heavy cream, honey, lemon, and vanilla extract. The crust is a mix of sweet graham crackers, salty pretzels, and just a touch of butter. When combined with the creamy lemon filling it makes for a mouthwatering tart that’s sweet, luscious, super creamy, and a touch salty. Top with an assortment of fresh berries for a tart that’s perfect for both spring and summer.
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Happy Friday! What a fun week it’s been here in LA. I have to say, I’m so excited about everything we have been working on. I’m also pretty glad I escaped all the snow in Colorado this week and swapped it for the California sunshine. It’s been a bit cooler than I might like, but I really shouldn’t complain! We’ve been running around the city all week filming some fun new videos. It’s been such a great change of scenery for me!
With Friday here I am beyond happy to be sharing this no fuss lemon tart. It’s a recipe I’ve been really excited to share since the day I made it, and for a few reasons.
First and foremost, this tart is delicious. It’s lightly sweetened, tangy, creamy and finished with sweet berries. The crust has a little (pretzel) twist and is lightly salted, providing a nice balance to the tang and sweetness.
Second, not only is this tart beyond simple to make (just 4 base ingredients in the filling), but it’s almost no bake. I say almost because the crust does need to bake, but trust me, the toasty flavor is so worth it!
And finally, this tart is so pretty, which some of you may not be that concerned with. But you all know me, I love anything that tastes just as pretty as it looks.
Traditionally lemon tarts are made with a ton of eggs, cream, and butter, but this tart is very different. It uses only cream, zero eggs, and is pretty low in the sugar content…no actual sugar, just honey.
Let me back up a bit though, and tell you about the crust. Most tarts call for an all graham cracker crust, but I wanted to do something different and add a little saltiness to the already sweet graham crackers. Instead of using all graham crackers I went for a mix of graham crackers and pretzels. It’s not what you might typically put together, but trust me when I say, this crust is a game changer. It’s sweet and just a touch salty too. The best combo.
While the crust is baking, work on the filling. It’s the simplest thing and you’re going to be shocked when I tell you the ingredients. All you need is heavy cream, honey, lemon, and vanilla. Yep, just four very simple ingredients, zero eggs, and almost zero effort.
All you need to do is bring the cream to a boil, boil 5 minutes, remove from the stove, add the lemon and vanilla…and that’s it! Be sure to use a large pot, bigger than you think you will need. Heavy cream really likes to boil over, so use the largest pot you have to be safe.
When testing this recipe I was concerned that the cream was not going to set up. But shockingly it set up within the first 30 minutes of chilling. Boiling the cream thickens it, and allows for it to set up just like it would if using eggs.
My favorite part though? I find this to be creamier than the usual lemon tart which is so much fancier and use eggs. It’s crazy to me, but I promise, this is one of the best lemon tarts. And the major bonus is that it’s so simple!!
If you happen to be someone who prefers dairy free, I tested this with both heavy cream and coconut cream (no water, just the cream). Both worked really well! If you are using coconut cream, make sure it is high quality and boil the coconut cream for a total of 10 minutes. Personally, I love the flavor of the coconut. But it does change the tart slightly, giving a little more of a tropical flavor. So use what you love most here!
Finally, finish the tart off with a handful of your favorite fresh berries. You’ll have the prettiest dessert that takes almost no effort at all. In the words of Ina Garten, “This looks fantastic. How easy was that?”.
PS. If you’re in need of more than one tart this Memorial Day weekend, try this no bake fruit tart filled with strawberries. It will be a nice compliment to this lemon tart.
If you make this no fuss lemon tart, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To Video:
No Fuss Lemon Tart.
Ingredients
- 8 full size graham cracker sheets, (about 1 cup once crushed into crumbs)
- 1 cup salted pretzel twists
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup honey
- 3 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest + 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups mixed fresh berries
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. To make the crust. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers and pretzels into semi-fine crumbs. Add the butter and 2 tablespoons honey and pulse until the mixture holds together when pinched and starts to look like dough. Press the dough into an 8 or 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom to form a flat, even crust. Transfer to the oven and bake until toasted, about 8 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, combine the heavy cream, remaining 1/3 cup honey, and lemon zest in a large pot, bigger than you think you'll need. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, boil 5 minutes and then remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Let cool 10 minutes. 4. Carefully pour the lemon cream into the baked crust. Cover and chill 1 hour or until set. Before serving, remove the tart from the pan and top with fresh berries.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Making this now and accidentally added the lemon juice to the pot and I’m cooking it in… Will it be OK?
Hi Britt,
It should be okay! Let me know how the tart turns out, I hope you love it!
My all time go to favorite summer dessert! I made it the first time Tieghan posted it and I am here in 2026 still making it. When I don’t want to stress about dessert.. this comes right to list as the 1st one! 🙂 I have a comment down there somewhere from 2019.. lol!
Lol thanks so much, Jaya!! I appreciate you making this recipe for so many years, so glad it is always a go to!!
Thanks again!
4 1/2 stars, really. It’s good and simple. Didn’t set in one hour, not by a long shot. And I would cook the crust for 15 minutes to get it more crispy, but otherwise a great recipe.
Hey Noel,
Awesome! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it and taking the time to leave feedback.
Have a great weekend!
Hey, to make the crust dairy free could I use coconut oil or what would you reccommend?
Hey Mary,
I think a dairy free butter would work nicely for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it!
Is the cup of pretzels based on crumbs or pre-crumbs?
Hi Sherri,
You will want to use 1 cup of whole pretzels, so the measurement is pre-crumbs.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Can you use coconut cream instead of heavy cream for dairy free option?
Hi Sarah,
Yes, that should also work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe, let me know if you make it!
The video showed you using a cookie, not graham crackers to make the crust. What kind of cookie – ginger?
Hi there,
You can follow the recipe as written and use graham cracker crumbs. You could also use pretzel crumbs if you wanted.
Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
So good
Hey Marshall,
Wonderful! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out well for you!
I looooooved this recipe! I made it extra easy on myself by using a store bought graham cracker crust and I used maple syrup in place of the honey because it’s what I had on hand. I topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream and it was a big hit at the dinner party I brought it to – not one bite left. This will be my new go to spring/summer dessert to bring to parties!
Hey Austin,
I’m grateful you tried this recipe and took the time to comment. Delighted it turned out!
Have a great day!
Could I sub maple syrup or agave for the honey so it’s baby friendly?
Hi Ashley,
Sure, that should work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
I would have given this 5 stars but the filling overflowed my tart pan. I used a 9 inch pan, otherwise the recipe is delicious. I was worried that it would be runny when I cut it , but it was not. I chilled it 8 hours before serving it. I topped it off with fresh strawberries and blueberries and whipped cream. I also served more fruit on the side.
Hey Monica,
Fantastic! I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you!
Have a great weekend!
How far in advance can the tart be made & refrigerated? Looks yummy!
Thanks so much, Debi! You could make this 1-2 days in advance before serving.
I hope you love this tart!
Haven’t tried it yet but want to, could it be done ahead and frozen?
Hi Shay,
Sure, that should work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe!
Can this be frozen for a week before serving?
Hey Pam,
Sure, that would work nicely for you. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Have a great weekend!
Haven’t made it yet, just wondering if you could add some lemon curd to the heavy cream
Hey Mary,
I’ve not tested this, but you could certainly give it a try! Let me know if you make this recipe, I hope you love it!