Next Post
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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.
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.
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 1847 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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.
Hi there! Can I freeze this tart? Thanks
Hey Esther,
Yes, totally fine to do that! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
How long does the tart last in the refrigerator? I made it this morning but am thinking of serving it in a few days.
Hey Amy,
The tart will be good for a few days after setting. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Just made this yesterday and it was delicious. However, two things to note. First, it definitely takes more than an hour to set. For me it was about 2.5 and could really even have used longer. Also, the calorie count is WAY off. If you divide the tart by 8 (which I think is too large of pieces), this is going to be 500+ calories per piece. Cut into 12 pieces and you’ll get closer to the calories listed, but still higher.
Hey Kim,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed:) Sorry this took longer than expected and the calorie count is just an estimate based on our online calculator. xTieghan
Love this recipe! So fresh tasting and pretty! A friend had us over for dinner and I asked what I could bring. She said a dessert and this is what I brought. Loved it!! ?????
Hey Sharmaine,
Awesome! So great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks for making it! Have the best week! xTieghan
This is my new go-to dessert! So simple, perfect sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy. Everyone loves it, maybe too much! I haven’t gotten seconds on it yet!
Hey Michele,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend☀️ xTieghan
I made this yesterday to bring to a friends house and it was AWESOME! so creamy and delicious, not too sweet, just right. Took no time to make and I wish I could upload a picture because it was so beautiful???? I will definitely make this again. You are a genius!
Hey Jackie,
Wonderful! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Easy and delicious! The crust recipe alone is a amazing. I refrigerated for 4 hours and my consistency was a liiitle under set but nobody cared but me and everybody loved it. Hot tip – if you have extra crust fixings, bake them on a sheet for 5-10 min and spread them on top of the tart for a “crumble” effect. Adds great texture. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Hey Lucy,
Wonderful! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Hey! I’m literally making this as I type, haha! Do I need to stir while it boils?! I’m so excited to try this!
Hi Beth,
Nope, you can just let it boil. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you! xTieghan
Can the cream in this recipe be substituted for anything to make this vegan?
Hey Jenny,
You can make this with coconut cream, but please note it does not set quite as nicely as regular cream. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you! Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
just made this and it looks wonderful! When refrigerating the tart, it says “cover” … does that mean loosely and with what product? (some custard tarts recommend piercing plastic wrap and placing this directly on the surface of the tart?) I was also worried about moisture getting trapped if loose? Thanks for any clarification.
Hey Elizabeth,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed!! You can really cover with anything, plastic wrap, foil, and cake covers are all ideas. Have a great Tuesday. xxTieghan
I don’t tend to leave reviews, but I wanted to for this recipe after reading of challenges with setting. I got nervous to attempt due to the reviews…
I followed the recipe to a T and had zero troubles! I’m so glad I kept with it. The tart was easy, delicious and tastes/looks like 5* restaurant dessert – exactly what I was looking for! I made it the night before my event. This one is a crowd pleaser and keeper. Thank you!
Hey Anne,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I am making this for a friend’s birthday tomorrow, can I make it today and keep it in the fridge until tomorrow? Or is it best to make the day of?
Thanks so much!
Hey Arlin,
Totally fine to keep this in the fridge overnight. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you. Let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Wow! I made this tart yesterday and it was absolutely delicious! I have never been disappointed in a single one of your recipes and every one becomes a new favorite. I just served it naked, without the berries, and it was so yummy. Thanks, Tieghan!
Hey Donna,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! ☀️xTieghan
Wow! I made this tart yesterday and it was absolutely delicious! I have never been disappointed in a single one of your recipes and every one becomes a new favorite. I just served it naked, without the berries, and it was so yummy. Thanks, Tieghan!
Hey Donna,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! ☀️xTieghan
What if I don’t have a pie tart?
Hey Sarah,
You could use a tart pan or a pie pan for this recipe. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan