Our Lemon Dessert Sauce is a little bit of heaven in a jar! Sweet, lemony, tangy and creamy, what more could we ask of a lemon sauce? Made with fresh lemons, this creamy sauce is rich and custard-like with a good balance of sweet-tart flavor. It’s everything you love in a lemon curd but with a thinner, pourable consistency.

Creamy lemon dessert sauce — lemon custard sauce

Reward yourself and stir up a batch of this delicious lemon dessert sauce and keep a stand-by supply in the fridge for a quick dessert.

This is a great lemon sauce for cheesecake or to top your morning yogurt and lemon poppyseed scones.

❤️ Here is Why This Recipe Works

This sweet lemon sauce recipe is quick and easy to make. It is a sauce that you can pull together in an emergency to transform a ho-hum vanilla ice cream into an elegant dessert.
Fresh lemon flavor: The sauce has a bright zingy flavor that isn’t overpowered by too much sugar.
Thick but pourable. Unlike our thick lemon curd, this lemon custard sauce is thin enough to pour over ice cream, fruit, or slices of cheesecake, yet it is still thick enough to coat each bite.

Lemon Dessert Sauce and blueberries — Creamy Dessert Sauce

The Ingredients

Here is a list of the simple ingredients you will need for this sweet lemon dessert sauce. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

Eggs. Use whole eggs in this sauce. If you want a richer, thicker sauce, make our egg yolks lemon curd.
Sugar. Regular granulated sugar.
Salt. A small amount of salt balances the sweetness and brings out the citrusy flavor of the lemon.
Lemons. Use the zest and the juice from fresh lemons.
Butter. The butter gives the sauce a rich flavor.

Pitcher of lemon juice and lemons — Lemons and lemon juice

How to Make It

Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect when making lemon sauce for cheesecake or any other dessert. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

Cook the sauce over medium-low heat in a small saucepan until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the butter.
Pour the sauce through a fine metal strainer and discard any lumps that get left behind.
Press plastic wrap over the top of the sauce and refrigerate until chilled.

Check the printable recipe card below for all the details!

How to Use Lemon Dessert Sauce

This lemon custard sauce is an easy recipes that will add a burst of flavor to everything from our lemon cake roll to lavender panna cotta. Here are a few more ideas.

Use this lemon sauce for homemade gingerbread.
Pour it over slices of lemonade bundt cake.
Layer it with pieces of blackberry lemon bread for a trifle.
Fold it into whipped cream for a mousse-like dessert.

This lemon dessert sauce is gluten-free, so even those with dietary restrictions can enjoy a sweet treat. We would love to hear from you on your favorite way to use this versatile sauce.

Tips for Success

Cook the sauce over medium to low heat, and don’t let the mixture come to a boil.
Stir continually. If you let the sauce sit without stirring, you will end up with scrambled eggs.
Strain the sauce to get out any lumps of cooked egg.
For a smooth sauce, add the lemon zest before you strain the sauce. For a more textured sauce, add the zest after you strain it.
Fresh lemon juice will give the sauce a more vibrant lemony flavor than bottled lemon juice.

Storage

Store the lemon dessert sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator for one week.

For best results, use an airtight container so that the flavor won’t be affected by any other food odors lingering in the fridge.

Sweet, tangy and creamy lemon dessert sauce — A creamy Lemon Dessert Sauce

More Lemon Desserts

If you love sweet-tart citrus flavors, we have more recipes for you. From a creamy lemon custard pie to delicate lemon meringues, these zesty recipes will help make any meal special.

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Lemon Dessert Sauce

Made with fresh lemons, this creamy sauce is rich and custard-like with a good balance of sweet-tart flavor. It’s everything you love in a lemon curd but with a thinner, pourable consistency.

4.59 from 12 votes

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings: Cups-16 Servings

Calories: 95kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup lemon juice fresh
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 drops of yellow food coloring optional

Instructions

Place the eggs in a medium size saucepan and whisk them to break them up. Add sugar and salt and whisk until combined. Stir in the lemon juice.
Heat the mixture over medium heat until it just barely comes to a gentle simmer (don't let it come to a boil). Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring continually for 12 to 15 minutes or until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the butter until completely melted.
Pour the sauce through a fine metal strainer into a bowl. Discard any lumps that get left in the strainer.
Press plastic wrap over the top of the sauce and refrigerate until chilled. The sauce will thicken slightly when cool.
This will make about 2 cups of sauce. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for one week.

Notes

This is a gluten-free dessert.
This lemon dessert sauce will keep in a covered container for up to 7 days.
If you want bits of lemon zest in your sauce, add the zest after you strain the sauce.