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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.
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.
The flavors on this tart are amazing, but “no fuss” it is not. I have to say this was probably the fussiest tart I’ve made in awhile. It wouldn’t set. For the life of me. Fridge overnight and then in the freezer for another 3 hours. As soon as I started cutting it, a puddle. Other people have had the same problem. My thought is that I didn’t leave the filling on a high enough boil. I boiled for 5 minutes, but turned it down so it didn’t overcook. Should it have been a high boil for the full 5 minutes? Would that make a difference?
Hi Katie,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. Yes, the filling needs to boil for the full 5 minutes, which is why you need to use a large pot. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan
Very simple to make but so very yummy. I double the graham crackers instead of doing the pretzels. Maybe next time I’ll try with the pretzels though. Lots of flavor though in this easy to make dessert:)
Hey April,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try and sharing your review! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend!☀️ xx
So delicious! I followed recipe, used heavy whipping cream and no problems with it setting up. Also made a blueberry syrup that went great with it.
Took it to bunko nite with 7 women, who are all good cooks, and got great reviews and requests for recipe. Thanks!
Hey Nancy,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks for giving the recipe a try and your comment, love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Delicious and easy summer dessert! First time making it, let boil high and set well, took a little longer than 1 hr and moved it the top shelf of the refrigerator.
Hey Jenny,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for your review:) Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xx
Made this for a Memorial Day bbq. It was easy and delicious!
Hi Maria,
Fantastic!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT
I don’t know why I choose a new recipe when I have guests over but I do. Last night I made your no bake lemon tart and it was such a hit!! Delicious, creamy, lemony, my guests raved!
And so easy, this will definitely become a “go to” dessert. Thanks, now I know why my daughter has been following you for so long.
Hey Jane,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xxT
Delicious and so easy! This recipe is a keeper! Thank you ?
Hi Beth,
Awesome!! Thanks for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
This sounds delicious! I would like to make it for my parents but my dad has a honey allergy. Can I sub for something else like maple syrup or would the flavour be too much?
Hey Jane,
Maple syrup will also work well for you! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Tasted delicious but I made 2 and neither would set firm enough to slice ?. I used fresh lemon juice, should I have used bottled? Is it supposed to boil until it thickens or just a flat 5 minutes?
Hi Carol,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear it did not set. I also used fresh lemon juice. Did you use heavy cream? Once it comes to a boil, then boil for 5 minutes. Did you add the lemon juice after the boiling? Let me know! xx
Hi Tieghan! I can only find heavy whipping cream in my area. Do you think that would work or will that not set up due to the lower fat content?
P.S…you are my absolute favorite!!! Every recipe is amazing:)
Hey Shannon,
Thanks so much for your kind message:) That should be just fine to use, it might take a little longer to set. I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xT
Made this tart for a lunch with my Mom today. First tart I’ve ever made and it was absolutely delicious and beautiful! So easy to make and can’t wait to share it with others this summer.
Hey Christy,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT
This recipe was simple, straight-forward, and DELICIOUS! Made this as a dessert for “friends meeting the boyfriend” dinner and it was a hit all around! Topped with strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. I will be making this again!
Hi Kati,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!!☀️ xTieghan
I’ve never made a tart; had to borrow a pan! This was scrumptious and truly No Fuss! A huge hit at our Easter lunch 2022!
Hey Fran,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled to hear that it was a winner! Have the best week!? xT
Such a great recipe. Only issue I had was getting it to set in the fridge which I suspect was because my parents fridge is jam packed. ?
It did just fine setting in the freezer for about 45m.
Hey Christina,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled to hear that it was a winner! Have the best week!? xT
This is a go-to easy dessert for me!
Hey Katie,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xx
My tart pan is 11 inches. Can I increase the ingredients by half? Will it set properly?
Hey Sherry,
Yes, that should work well for you! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it!! xx