"Lemon Pudding Fluff" Is the 15-Minute Dessert Everyone Will Love on Easter

When I was in high school, I’d raid my friend’s refrigerator every week for her mom’s famous icebox cake. There was nothing better than tasting a spoonful of fluffy cream and softened cookies. Now that my kids and their friends poke around in my refrigerator, I make sure it’s always stocked with no-bake desserts.

This spring I’m making a simple, spoonable sweet that is perfect for serving as an after-school treat or a family celebration: lemon fluff. It’s incredibly simple and fun to make with whipped cream, a box of lemon pudding mix, marshmallow crème, and crumbled shortbread cookies. The best part is that, unlike icebox cakes, there’s no wait time required — so you can dig right in.

Why You’ll Love It

• The lemon flavor is perfect for spring. The sun is finally shining again, so it’s the perfect time to serve a dessert that gives us that same bright feeling. With its light and citrus-y flavor, lemon fluff is just right.

• You can make it in minutes. A homemade dessert that’s perfect for spring doesn’t have to take hours to prepare. If you have just 15 minutes to spare, you can make this light and lemony dessert.

Key Ingredients in Lemon Fluff

• Heavy cream: Add powdered sugar to cold heavy cream and whip by hand or with a mixer.

• Instant lemon pudding mix: Lemon pudding gives this fluff its citrus-y flavor and pastel yellow color. Make sure to pick up instant pudding mix — not the cook-and-serve style. Instant lemon pudding thickens in minutes when mixed with cold dairy.

• Marshmallow crème: Adds sweet vanilla flavor to the fluff while helping to stabilize the whipped cream for serving.

• Shortbread cookies: Crumble buttery cookies into the fluff. Store-bought cookies like Lorna Dune or Pepperidge Farm Dublin work well, or you can make your own shortbread cookies. Crunchy lemon cookies can also be used instead to boost the citrus flavor.

More Fluff Recipes

• Banana Fluff

• Nutella Fluff

• Coffee Fluff

• Fresh Lime and Pineapple Fluff

Lemon Fluff Recipe

No-bake lemon fluff comes together in just 15 minutes.

Prep time 12 minutes

Makes about 3 cups

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant lemon pudding mix

• 1 3/4 cups cold heavy cream, divided

• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 medium lemon)

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 cup marshmallow crème, such as Marshmallow Fluff

• 1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed shortbread cookies (4 ounces), plus more for garnish

• Finely grated lemon zest, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Whisk 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant lemon pudding mix, 3/4 cup of the cold heavy cream, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice together in a large bowl until smooth. Let sit until thickened, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, beat the remaining 1 cup cold heavy cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt together in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed until soft peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup marshmallow crème and beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add the marshmallow mixture and 1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed shortbread cookies to the pudding and fold together with a flexible spatula until just combined.

4. Divide between 4 serving cups. Garnish with more crushed shortbread cookies and lemon zest if desired.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The lemon fluff can be made up to 2 hours ahead to the point where marshmallow mixture is folded into the pudding. Refrigerate in an airtight container. Fold in the shortbread cookies just before serving.

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. The cookies will soften upon storage.

Further Reading

Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study

We Asked 3 Chefs to Name the Best Ice Cream, and They All Said the Same Thing

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