Light, airy, and bursting with bright citrus flavor, this lemon mousse is a dreamy dessert for lemon lovers. It's made by folding together fluffy whipped egg whites, homemade lemon curd, and billowy whipped cream for a luscious, cloud-like texture. Refreshing, elegant, and make-ahead friendly, it's an easy lemon dessert that feels special enough for guests but simple enough for any spring or summer meal.
For fifty years, Amelia's restaurant on Balboa Island was a beloved Southern California landmark. Although now closed, their famous lemon mousse inspired this recipe. Making lemon mousse is simpler than it sounds: cook a bright lemon curd, whip the egg whites and cream, then gently fold everything together. Chill it for a few hours and it's ready to serve as a light, elegant make-ahead dessert.
↓ Recipe
Why You'll Love Lemon Mousse
- Light and airy - Billowy whipped cream and whipped egg whites give this lemon mousse its cloud-like texture.
- Bright lemon flavor - Homemade lemon curd gives it fresh, tangy citrus flavor without tasting heavy.
- Make-ahead friendly - Chill it a few hours before serving, making it perfect for entertaining.
- Elegant but easy - It looks and tastes special, but the steps are simple: cook, whip, fold, and chill.
For another tasty dessert mouse, try this white chocolate mousse.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Eggs: large, un-cracked eggs.
- Lemons: Fresh lemons, for the juice and zest.
- Cream: Buy heavy whipping cream (not just whipping cream).
- Sugar: Use either white sugar, superfine white sugar, natural unrefined sugar, or granular monk fruit/allulose blend ro reduce sugar.
Substitutions and Variations
- Reduce the sugar - Replace half of the sugar with a monk fruit/allulose blend, or use all monk fruit blend if preferred. This keeps the mousse lighter in sugar while still tasting bright and balanced.
- Orange mousse - Swap the lemon juice and zest for fresh orange juice and orange zest for a softer, sweeter citrus mousse.
- Lime mousse - Use fresh lime juice and lime zest instead of lemon for a tangier variation.
- Whipped cream garnish - For extra whipped cream on top, buy an additional ½ cup heavy cream and whip it separately with a little sugar or monk fruit blend.
For another terrific mousse flavor, try this white chocolate mousse. It's divine!
Chef's Note: Traditional lemon curd is usually finished with butter for richness and shine, but it's not needed here. The whipped cream adds richness, while the butter-free lemon custard keeps the mousse light, bright, and airy.
How to Make Lemon Mousse
Step 1: Make the lemon curd. Set up a double boiler. In a medium bowl, whip the egg yolks by hand with a whisk until thick and pale in color (and get a good arm workout).
Step 2: Whisk in the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Place the bowl on the saucepan of barley simmering water (double boiler set-up) and cook yolks, whisking continually. In a few minutes it transforms into a thick light curd. You will know when it is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and you can draw your finger through it and the line stays.
Step 3: Whip the egg whites until stiff and glossy. For hands-free preparation use a standing mixer with a wire whip attachment or a hand mixer with beaters. Clean the whip or beaters, then use them to whip the cream. See note below recipe.
Step 4: Lastly, whip your cream. The cream should be very cold, and use the clean beaters from whipping the egg whites.
Step 5: Finish the mousse. Combine all three parts by gently folding together with a flexible spatula (or gently whisk together). Cover and chill your mousse until serving time.
For another delicious lemon dessert, try this easy lemon posset. Just 3 ingredients!
Serving and Storage
Spoon lemon mousse into glasses and top with fresh berries. Stemmed wine glasses make a pretty presentation, but small dessert glasses or ramekins work too. Fresh raspberries are my favorite, but blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or pomegranate seeds all pair beautifully with the bright lemon flavor.
For an extra garnish, whip an additional ½ cup heavy cream with a little sugar or monk fruit blend, then spoon or pipe it on top just before serving.
Lemon mousse can be made a few hours ahead, or up to 1 day ahead. Keep it covered and refrigerated until ready to serve.
Recipe FAQs
For a dairy-free lemon mousse, try using stiffly whipped coconut cream or a non-dairy heavy cream alternative. I have not tested the current brands, so results may vary.
Yes. Lemon mousse is best made a few hours ahead and can be made up to 1 day in advance. Keep it covered and refrigerated until ready to serve.
Fold the lemon custard, whipped egg whites, and whipped cream together gently so you don't deflate the mousse. The goal is to keep as much air in the mixture as possible for a light, fluffy texture.
No. Lemon curd is a thick, tangy lemon custard usually made with egg yolks, lemon juice, sugar, and butter. Lemon mousse is lighter and fluffier because the lemon custard is folded with whipped egg whites and whipped cream.
More Lemon Recipes
Love lemon? Try this lemon almond cake, or lemon thyme brussels sprouts. Maybe you'd rather have lemon ice cream? It's divine.
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Mousse
Equipment
- Hand mixer with beaters or standing mixer with whisk attachment
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs separated
- ½ cup natural granulated sugar OR monk fruit blend, or ½ and ½
- 2 large lemons zested, juiced and juice strained
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream well chilled
Optional Garnishes
- ½ cup fresh berries or more
- fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup whipped heavy cream lightly sweetened
Instructions
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks while they are cold (it's a little easier) and set the whites aside to come to room temperature for better volume when you whip them.
- Set up a double boiler. Place a large saucepan on the stove top with a few inches of water in it. Bring the water almost to a boil and turn down to simmer. Choose a stainless steel or glass bowl that will fit on top yet partially inside the pan taking care that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the hot water.
- In the bowl, whip egg yolks with a whisk until thick and pale in color, then whisk in the sugar, 4 tablespoons of strained lemon juice and the lemon zest. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan of hot water and cook yolks, whisking until it sets, thickens, and forms a thick pudding or custard, 5-6 minutes. You will know when it it ready when the curd coats the back of a spoon. You'll be able to draw your finger through it and the line stays. Remove the bowl of lemon custard and set aside to cool. See note below for faster cooling
- While curd is cooling, whip egg whites to stiff, glossy peaks with a standing mixer fitted with a whip attachment or a hand mixer with beaters. Next, whip the cream in a separate bowl. When custard is cool, gently combine all three parts: custard, whipped egg whites and whipped cream. Chill until serving time.
To Serve
- Serve in stemmed wine glasses or regular glasses topped with berries and garnished with mint. If you want to top with extra sweetened whipped cream, that's another option.
Notes
Nutrition
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