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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.
I love the simplicity of this tart filling. Its perfect as written, but fun to play with. This time I kind of riffed off a North Carolina pie and went with lemon and lime juice and zest and made a flowery crust with macadamia nuts lavender sugar and saltines. I live at a high altitude so I always have to boil the cream for 10 minutes. This tart freezes so beautifully that its a cinch to freeze by the piece for a decadent treat down the road. Thank you so much for such a fun recipe!
Hi Maria,
Love to hear this!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your feedback! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! Have a great day! xT
I loved this tart! So simple and delicious. As others have said, it took longer to set. I waited overnight. Will definitely be making this again!
Hi Jenny,
Happy Sunday!!🍋☀️ I appreciate you trying this recipe out and your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! xT
This recipe is SO good! Refined sugar free and egg free. Game changer. Creamy but light and not too rich even after a generous slice. Love it.
Hi Belinda,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a hit! Have a great weekend😎
Hi, I was wondering where I can find the tart pan you used? I like the look of the outer ring.
Hi Drea,
Of course! Here is the link:
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/m/products/gobel-standard-nonstick-round-tart-pan/?pkey=s%7Ctart%20pan%7C25
Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
I love this recipe! I made it for a bridal shower and everyone loved it! Can you make these into mini tarts? For individual servings.
Hey Sonal,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback, I am thrilled that it turned out well for you! Sure, I bet the mini tarts would be great!☀️🍉
Hi, I tried making this for my wife and it seems very soupy. Was boiling the cream supposed to thicken it and form it? I poured it into my tart pan and it leaked all through the bottom, lol. Wondering if I didn’t boil it long enough or should have whisked more?
Thanks!
Hi Michael,
So sorry to hear you are having some issues. Did you let the cream boil for 10 minutes and then add the lemon juice and allow it to cool? Those steps are key! I hope this helps! xT
I’m confused because the recipe states boiling 5mins, then cool for 10. Is it boil for 5 or 10?
Hi Jen,
Sorry, that was my mistake, long day:) Yes, you boil for 5 minutes and then cool for 10 minutes! xx
Hi I boiled 5 minutes, let it cool 10 but it was VERY thin when I poured it in, is that ok?
Yes, that’s okay! I would try the freezer:)
This is fantastic, I did a 1/2 cup of coconut to the crust like the Lime tart. It was delicious!!!
Too bad every one ate every crumb. 🙂
Love to hear this Judi!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback:) Have a great week! xT
I could eat this everyday and never get tired of it! This recipe was very easy and fun to make! And ohhhh myyy was it SO good!! I will be thinking of this lemon tart until I make it again! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Hey Kiley,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for testing this recipe out, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Can I freeze this tart? x
Hey there,
Sure, that should be just fine for you to do! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Is it bad that I used all the honey for the crust before carefully reading through the recipe?? I still will use 1/3 cup for the filling but wondering if I should just start over?
Hi Amy,
The crust should be okay for you:) Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Made it for a work Christmas party and it was the highlight of the event! Delicious and easy. I substituted the crackers and pretzels for gluten free ones to make the tart gluten free.
Hey Malak,
Happy Holidays!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you!🎁🎅
Ohh goodness – the recipe was well till the end when I went to add my lemon juice, the whole thing curdled. I tried to save it but no avail 😩🤷🏼♀️
Hi Jessica,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, so sorry to hear you had some issues! Was there anything you adjusted? Did you add the lemon juice after boil and whisk well? Let me know how I can help! xT
Tried making this dairy free as I can’t have heavy cream, used coconut cream and a little bit of almond milk and unfortunately it did not set and did not turn out. Wasn’t able to eat it and it turned into a mushy swimming puddle sadly. But if you stick to the recipe to a T, I’m sure it’ll turn out fine.
Hi Allie,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it didn’t work for you! Next time, I would skip the almond milk:) xx
This tart is excellent and will work perfectly with Coconut Cream. Use only the thick part of the coconut cream without the clear liquid. I make this for my vegan granddaughter, with a vegan crust. I boil it for 10 minutes as I live at a higher altitude.
Hope this helps.
Thanks so much Barbara!!
This was delicious and so easy to make! I used a 9 inch pie pan and did a little extra crust to make the crust a bit thicker. So yummy! Like others stated it took longer than one hour to set. I would say about 2 -3 hours to fully set. I would suggest making it the night before if you are pressed with time. It was lemony and tart and so good and fresh after a meal. One thing to note is I would not cover the tart with saran or foil. The tart is still warm and doing that caused condensation to form and pool on top of the tart and make it wet. I noticed that around the 45 minute mark and took the foil off. Just let it sit in the fridge for 3 hours uncovered and your good to go.
Hey Ashley,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for sharing your review and making it! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! xxT
OH NO,
Did I ruin this I’ve made this before came out perfect. Today I’m making it and I added the lemon juice in the beginning ……… I hope its not a fail on my part. Will it still set up?? Any one have any suggestions.
Thank you,
Hi Annie,
It should be okay…let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Thank you for responding, I actually whisked a little corn starch reheated and cooled and it set up nicely. Haven’t served it yet it is for tonight’s dinner with neighbors. Love all you recipes I’m a huge fan?
Awesome:) Thanks for your kind message Annie?
I love this recipe! I’ve made it 4 times and it comes out great every time, and I get so many compliments on it. Before putting it in the fridge to set, I sprinkle lemon rind on top all over and it looks so pretty. After it’s set, I garnish with fresh berries. Also, it tastes great when put in the freezer too!! It has a such a nice texture.
TIP: I have an 11 inch tart pound and what I’ve found is that if you are using that size, you should double the crust recipe. But I did not need to double the liquid part.
*pan not pound
Hi Bessie,
Happy Sunday!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Thanks for sharing what works well for you!! xT