Our Lemon Mousse is made with only two ingredients and comes together in about 2 minutes. It’s the perfect easy desserts to impress your guests!
Are you so excited for this lemon mousse bowl of whipped sunshine?! I know I am! My eight year old declared it “the best thing you ever made yet, Mom!” and P.S. just like our quick chocolate mousse, they’re ridiculously easy to prepare. Why not make it a lemon filled day and prepare our lemon cookies too!
Lemon Mousse
Lemon Mousse- Only TWO Ingredients!
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Lemon Mousse Ingredients
- Lemon instant pudding mix – If you can’t find lemon pudding mix, you can use vanilla pudding mix with a few drops of lemon extract flavoring.
- Heavy whipping cream – This is also sometimes just called heavy cream and can typically be found in small cartons near the milk. This will be an even swap for the amount of milk called for on the box.
- Optional:
- Sprinkles – I love the pink sprinkles against the bright yellow mousse! White is also really pretty.
How do you make a quick lemon mousse? (Step-by-step)
⭐ First, add everything to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low for a few seconds until everything is combined.
⭐ Next, turn mixer speed to high and beat until mixture whips and becomes mousse-like and stiff enough to pipe.
⭐ Finally, spoon or pipe into bowls and garnish with sprinkles.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Frequently asked questions
What is Lemon Mousse
Lemon mousse is a sweet lemon flavored dessert, similar to a pudding but lighter as it has been whipped to incorporate air. It is delicious eaten on its own, or try it as a filling or topping in other recipes.
What do you do with Lemon Mousse?
You can do the obvious with your lemon mousse and eat it with a spoon, but we actually love to use this two ingredient mousse as a filling between cake layers.
It holds up beautifully and gives a decadence to the cake that you won’t get with regular icing. Try making a chocolate or vanilla version and using it in our chocolate overload cake!
Preparation
Lemon Mousse with Pudding Mix
You could actually make the lemon mousse with only two ingredients if you’re able to track down some instant lemon pudding. Good luck, though – I couldn’t find it anywhere!
Not to worry, though I actually really love the hint of vanilla our pudding added to the mousse.
Whip your Lemon Mousse with an Electric Mixer
You’re going to want to use an electric mixer to whip your lemon mousse and make it nice and light and airy. This mousse is simultaneously rich and decadent, while also being delicate.
Be careful when you’re mixing though, it will go from liquid to mouse very quickly. Seriously, like 45 seconds. Maybe.
It’s important to pay close attention – which is why I recommend a hand mixer versus an upright mixer, because if you go to far, you’ll end up making lemon butter. Which, while likely delicious, it’s not what we’re aiming for.
Use a Piping Bag for Lemon Mousse
You can absolutely just spoon this into dishes, but I decided to get fancy and put it in piping bags. If you don’t have piping bags but still want to go a little more sophisticated, just stuff it all in a ziploc bag and cut off the corner.
Easy peasy!
I served mine in little cups on their own, but this recipe could also be used as a cupcake topping or cake filling! Our favorite piping tip (and the one we used for the mousse pictured here) is the 1m star tip.
Decorate with Sprinkles
Ohhhhh, or use it as donut filling. Yum.
If you serve the lemon mousse individually, use small cups because this is a very rich dessert. Deeeeeliciously rich. And definitely don’t forget the sprinkles. Sprinkles are key.
Make it a full meal with these recipe suggestions!
This is a bright and wonderfully light dessert (while also being decadently rich, it’s a delicious conundrum) and goes so well with spring and summer inspired dishes like Vietnamese summer rolls, grilled honey sriracha chicken, or teriyaki chicken kabobs. And don’t forget a side of this potato salad recipe or dill cucumber salad!
More delicious lemon recipes
- Frosted Lemonade Recipe
- Easy Lemon Bars
- Creamy lemon pie recipe
- Strawberry Lemonade Punch
- Soft Lemon Cookies
- See all our recipes with lemon!
Other awesome recipes made with pudding
- Pumpkin pie pudding shots
- Cookie salad recipe
- Pineapple fluff
- Banana pudding poke cake
- See all our recipes made with instant pudding!
More quick desserts!
- Raspberry Cobbler
- Ganache
- Strawberry Poke Cake
- Two Ingredient Raspberry Dumplings
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Mug Cake
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- Two Ingredient Butterscotch Buttercream Fudge
- See all our easy dessert recipes!
Suggested Tools
- KitchenAid 5-Speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer – I have the blue one! I love my giant stand mixer (love, love, love) but if we’re being totally honest, this electric handmixer is the real workhorse in our home! We even bought a second set of beaters because one is always dirty!
- Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 6 – Just the handiest dandiest set of mixing bowls you’ll ever own. My mom still has hers from when she was married 40 years ago. These bad boys are hardcore.
- Disposable Clear Serving Cups, Small – I like to use clear cups for serving this lemon mousse because it’s just so pretty, I want to be able to see the whole thing!
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How to Make Lemon Mousse
Lemon Mousse
Ingredients
- 1 package instant pudding (lemon or vanilla) 5 ounces
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream*
- 1 - 3 teaspoons lemon extract, to taste ONLY if using vanilla pudding
- optional sprinkles, yellow food coloring (if using vanilla)
Instructions
- Add everything to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low for a few seconds until everything is combined.
- Turn mixer speed to high and beat until mixture whips and becomes mousse-like and stiff enough to pipe.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Lemon Mousse- Only TWO Ingredients!
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03.24.16
Anonymous says
Looks deliciously cool. Always on the lookout for easy recipes for my grandson to fix.
Carol says
delicious!
Amanda Finks says
Love how easy this tasty lemon mousse is!
Sues says
This is a GORGEOUS color!! And I love the addition of sprinkles <3
Rebekah says
For this recipe can you substitute the instant pudding for cooked? Would it have any effect on how the mousse turns out?
April says
I would not substitute in this recipe since you won’t be cooking it. Sorry!
Nathalia souza says
I am able to eat this in the cafe, at lunch and at dinner without any problems .. hahaha .. it looks delicious .. The problem is that it is not everyone who knows how to make a good lemon mousse .. Congratulations on the article .. I will try do next weekend
Pat Byrne says
If you use the instant lemon pudding do you still use the lemon extract?
April says
Skip the extract if you use lemon pudding 🙂
Sandi says
Can fresh lemon juice and/or lemon zest be substituted for the lemon extract? Would it be the same measurements? Thanks.
April says
Lemon juice and zest are going to act differently than extract. I would stick with the extract for this lemon mousse recipe. Hope that helps! 🙂
Jan says
Thought I bought lemon but nope one was the other one was vanilla . I used lemon juice and it was fine
Megan says
How long will this mousse last in the fridge?
April says
i’ve never tried to keep it more than about 24 hours 🙂
Susan Schoonover says
You can find Instant Lemon Pudding at Kroger I use it al the time delicious. Jello also makes
lemon pudding.
April says
perfect, thank you!
Adrienne says
Can you substitute vegan milks for the whipping cream?
April Woods says
No, I’m sorry. It would probably make a yummy pudding, but it wouldn’t whip up into a mousse. 🙂
Delia says
This dessert sounds so refreshing! I would like to serve the mousse on either mini sponge cakes or cookie crust bottoms. Which, if either, would you recommend?
Thanks 😊
Marie Lawson says
I’m using grams. Googled it and didn’t help. Could you help me please?
Thank you.
Marie
April Woods says
Hi Marie – just swap the amount of milk called for on the instant pudding box for heavy whipping cream 🙂
Karen says
Can this be frozen?
April Woods says
I would not freeze this recipe.
Sandra Wood says
This was awful, I had to throw it away ! Apparently the recipe should have called for the “smaller” size pudding mix.
April Woods says
I’m not sure what you mean, the recipe states with great specificity which pudding mix to use and you can watch us make it in the video as well. If you grab the wrong size pudding box, it’s just an even swap for the liquid called for on the box and heavy whipping cream. Make sure you’re using instant pudding and not traditional cooked pudding.
Sandra Wood says
I used the 5 oz. instant pudding as listed & followed directions exactly. But the mousse set up so hard & fast it could not be piped & cooled into a hard mass. Trying to figure out what happened, I looked at your Chocolate mousse recipe & that one calls for a “3.9 oz.” pudding mix. That is why I questioned the “5 oz.” size in this recipe.
April Woods says
I’m so sorry, you’re absolutely correct. The recipe should call for 3 cups whipping cream (or the smaller box of pudding would also work). I apologize and have amended the recipe card. I’m not sure how that typo went unnoticed.