Looking for a show-stopper dessert that doesn’t take hours to make? You only need 7 ingredients for our lemon cream cheese pudding dessert, making it inexpensive as well as easy!
Why this recipe works
Lemon cream cheese pudding dessert uses boxed pudding, making it a simple recipe that won’t keep you slaving away in the kitchen. There’s also no baking involved, perfect for keeping your kitchen cool!
One-pan desserts are ideal for potlucks, backyard get-togethers, or any holiday you need to bring something to. Because it’s in one dish, this dessert goes from fridge to party all in the same pan. If you love easy no-bake lemon desserts, you’ll definitely want to check out my lemon icebox cake as well!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
PUDDING – Do not use Cook n Serve pudding, only use instant pudding. You do NOT need to prepare the pudding according to the package directions, follow the recipe instructions (you will only need the powder and the ingredients listed below).
How to Make Lemon Cream Cheese Pudding Dessert
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. Please scroll down to simply print out the recipe!
- Crush the graham crackers in a resealable bag with a rolling pin, or in a food processor, if not already crushed. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a small microwave-safe dish, melt the butter. Pour over the graham cracker crumbs and combine thoroughly.
- Firmly press the crumbs into an ungreased 13×9-inch pan. Place in the refrigerator until needed.
- Using a whisk, combine the pudding mix and the milk specified in this recipe only. DO NOT prepare the pudding according to the box instructions. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand-held mixer, beat the cream cheese and lemon zest until creamy.
- Add the pudding to the cream cheese and beat on medium until creamy and well combined.
- Pour onto prepared crust and smooth into an even layer.
- Add the whipped topping in an even layer and garnish with additional graham cracker crumbs and lemon slices. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until set.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Your mixture may be lumpy if you did not allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature before beginning. Be sure that your cream cheese has been well softened. Take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before making this recipe. Remove it from the packaging and cut it into pieces and set them so they aren’t touching each other. Do NOT use the microwave to soften your cream cheese. If you find that your lemon cream cheese mixture is lumpy, switch your mixer to the whisk attachment and beat until lumps are gone. Bringing the milk to room temperature is also a good idea and will keep your cream cheese from lumping.
Yes, you can make this dessert up to 24 hours in advance. Store it with an air-tight lid or tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Store leftovers in an air-tight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
You can substitute instant sugar free pudding in this recipe. Do not change the quantity of milk in the recipe, and simply swap out box for box. Sugar free pudding weighs a lot less than regular pudding because of sweetener they use. Sweetener weighs considerably less than sugar, however the boxes of pudding powder yield the same amount of prepared pudding, sugar free or not.
It’s no secret that I love lemon desserts. Lemon sandwich cookies that start with a cake mix are one of my all-time favorites or a soft, delicious batch of Lemon Sweet Rolls.
More Potluck Dessert Recipes
- Lemon Lush
- Lemon Bars
- Sex in a Pan
- Chocolate Lasagna
- Pineapple Dream Dessert
- Banana Pudding Poke Cake
- Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad
- Cream Puff Chocolate Eclair Cake
- Lemon Lush Trifle
I love to bake and cook and share my recipes with you! I know it’s hard to remember to come back and search, so I’ve made it easy for you with my weekly newsletter! You can subscribe for free and I’ll send you delicious recipes every week right to your email.
Lemon Cream Cheese Pudding Dessert
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 15 cracker sheets, plus more for garnish
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese well softened (see notes)
- 6.8 ounces INSTANT lemon pudding mix 2- 3.4 oz boxes UNPREPARED
- 2 ½ cups milk room temperature
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 8 ounces Cool Whip non-fat
- 1 Lemon sliced, for garnish (optional)
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- Be sure that your cream cheese has been well softened. Take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before making this recipe. Remove it from the packaging and cut it into pieces and set them so they aren’t touching each other. Do NOT use the microwave to soften your cream cheese. If you find that your lemon cream cheese mixture is lumpy, switch your mixer to the whisk attachment and beat until lumps are gone.
- Bringing the milk to room temperature is also a good idea and will keep your cream cheese from lumping.
- Do not use Cook n Serve pudding, only use instant pudding.
- You can substitute instant sugar free pudding in this recipe. Do not change the quantity of milk in the recipe, and simply swap out box for box. Sugar free pudding weighs a lot less than regular pudding because of sweetener they use. Sweetener weighs considerably less than sugar, however the boxes of pudding powder yield the same amount of prepared pudding, sugar free or not.
Instructions
- Crush the graham crackers in a resealable bag with a rolling pin, or in a food processor, if not already crushed. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a small microwave safe dish, melt the butter. Pour over the graham cracker crumbs and combine thoroughly. Firmly press the crumbs into an ungreased 13×9-inch pan. Place in the refrigerator until needed.
- Using a whisk, combine the pudding mix and the milk specified in this recipe only. DO NOT prepare the pudding according to the box instructions. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand-held blender, beat the cream cheese and lemon zest until creamy. Add the pudding to the cream cheese and beat on medium until creamy and well combined. Pour onto prepared crust and smooth into an even layer.
- Add the whipped topping in an even layer and garnish with additional graham cracker crumbs and lemon slices. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until set.
Nutrition
This post originally appeared here on Aug 20, 2016 and has since been updated with new photos.
Amanda Davis
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Joyce says
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes that should not be a problem!
Kristen says
Super easy & super delicious! Let it chill for 4 hours like you said and it tasted wonderful.
Patricia Satterfield says
Looks so good and I am doing this real this real soon! Will get back with yoiu!
Janece Kindig says
Delicious and so easy.
San says
Mmm good!
Lynn Hogan says
For those of you with lumps, try putting the milk in first then the pudding mix and mixing those. Once that is mixed well, then add in the remaining ingredients. That should solve the issue.
Candie says
Do you use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks :)
Amanda Formaro says
Personally i use unsalted, but either will work!
Cathy Bartock says
please add me to newsletter list
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Cathy! I can’t manually add you, but if you go here you can subscribe https://amandascookin.com/subscribe/
Debbie says
Can it be frozen?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes, for up to two weeks
Julie Henry says
IF I WANTED TO BAKE THE CRUST FIRST, HOW LONG AND WHAT TEMP.? THANK YOU!
Amanda Formaro says
Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes and let it cool completely before continuing! :)
Gladys says
I’m going to make this for my Daughter! Does the Lemon Pudding come SF?
Thank you!?????
Amanda Formaro says
Yes, jell-O brand does make lemon pudding mix in sugar free :)
ML says
Oh my goodness. This was soooo good. Everyone loved it. Will make it again.
Amanda Formaro says
So glad you enjoyed it!! :)
Lisa says
Adding cold milk to cream cheese always seems to make it lumpy. If anyone has a trick to preventing that, I would love to hear it. I beat the cream cheese, added the pudding mix and beat again before adding the milk. The cream cheese got very lumpy, adding the milk and beating made it smoother, but my pudding mix is still full of small lumps. Otherwise, this dessert is yummy!
Marla says
Try whipping it instead of using the paddle attachment !
Mel says
Came out awesome. I used unsweetened almond milk, a sugar free vanilla pudding box, and a regular lemon pudding box (sugar free not available). Poured in ready made graham cracker crust (im sugar free, trim healthy mama and will scrape my piece off the crust) for Easter dessert. Big hit, non THMers/low carbers didn’t even know it was mostly sugar free.
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome!
Wands says
Great recipe! I added fresh lemon juice to the cool whip and topped it with chopped pecans.
Amanda Formaro says
Oh love the idea of the lemon juice in the topping!
Debby Harper says
Awesome idea, I love lemon
Guillermo Hernandez says
Why did my cream cheese clump up ?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi there. Without knowing more details I can’t say for sure. My guess would be that you may have needed to mix it longer.
alas says
wow yummy
Beverly says
Amanda can you use whipping cream in the carton I’m not a big fan of whip cream in the tub
Amanda Formaro says
You can, just keep in mind that heavy whipping cream that you whip yourself does not contain stabilizers and breaks down faster than Cool Whip. Therefore I wouldn’t make it more than a day ahead.
Kim Poeschl says
Find a recipe for stabilized whip cream, easy to add a couple ounces of cream cheese to the whipping cream to make it more stable. I also don’t like all the chemicals in whipped topping.
NATHALIE says
DID NOT WORK OUT GOOD FOR ME :( TOO MUCH LIQUID. DON’T KNOW WHAT I DID WRONG
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry you had trouble. Without being there with you I’m afraid I can’t offer any solutions. :( If you decide to try it again, double check the ingredients and measurements before starting as mis-measurement is a common culprit with recipes that fail.
NATHALIE says
I TRY AGAIN AND WORK :) MY MISTAKE WAS INSTANT LEMON POUDING MIX. FIRST TIME I TOOK LEMON PIE FILLING :(
Amanda Formaro says
Oh I’m glad to hear it worked out this time! :)
LIanna says
Can’t wait to make it. Can I use Almond milk instead of regular milk?
Amanda Formaro says
I believe that should be fine! Let us know how it turns out :)
Jan says
I’ve been looking for a quick and lemony cheesecake kind of dessert, this one looks perfect!
Will try it out and let you know how it comes out.
Thank you.
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome! I hope it turns out great for you! :)
Amelie Moore says
I just made these and can’t wait to see if the kids love them – I already do!! Thanks for recipe!
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it!