This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This luscious lemon lasagna AKA Lemon Lush consists of 4 tasty layers, including a Lemon Oreo crust, cream cheese layer, lemon pudding layer and topped with whipped cream!
My White Chocolate Lasagna was the hit recipe that started it all. Since then, I’ve made this Lemon Lasagna, and even a Pumpkin Lasagna! I’m thinking I’ll have to try even more flavors, because everyone loves these layered desserts!
AKA Lemon Lush
You might have heard of “Lemon Lush”, or maybe even “Lemon Delight”, and now you’re reading about “Lemon Lasagna”.
Well guess what? They’re all names for this same recipe—a luscious layered lemon lasagna (try saying that three times fast!).
It’s one of those “layered” treats (hence why we call it lemon lasagna) that has so many levels of delicious-ness. It starts off with a Lemon Oreo base, then a cream cheese layer, lemon pudding layer, and lastly a layer of cool whip topping.
Top it with a fresh lemon and you’ll be getting rave reviews from everyone. No baking is required for this recipe, and it’s especially perfect during the warmer months since it’s a cool recipe.
How to Make Lemon Lush
OREOS. Begin by crushing your Oreos. For a very fine mixture, place Oreos in a food processor. Place in a ziploc baggie and add melted butter. Mix until it is well combined.
CRUST. Press into the bottom of a 9×13 pan, spreading out to cover the entire bottom of the pan.
CREAM CHEESE LAYER. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, margarine/butter, powdered sugar, and ½ of the cool whip. Blend well and pour over your Lemon Oreo Crust.
PUDDING. In another bowl, make the pudding by adding your milk and instant pudding to your bowl. Whisk together until pudding thickens. Pour over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 5 minutes.
TOPPING. Top off with the rest of your Cool Whip or Homemade Whipped Cream.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Add lemon slices and ENJOY!
Tips + toppings
TIPS. to ensure your layered dessert turns out perfectly, keep these tips in mind.
- Leave the Oreo filling inside the Oreos when you make the crust. This helps to keep the crumbs together.
- The pudding will not set if you try using a dairy free or lactose free milk.
TOPPINGS. Here are some optional toppings for your lemon lasagna:
- NUTS: crushed walnuts, crushed pecans, sliced almonds
- FRUIT: strawberries, toasted coconut
- OTHER: crushed Oreos, Sprinkles
SUBSTITUTIONS
SUBSTITUTIONS. I get asked often if the lemon pudding can be replaced with lemon curd or lemon pie filling and the answer is yes! Those are great options. They will also give it a more tart, lemon flavor.
If you can’t find lemon Oreos, or if you don’t want the lemon flavor to be as strong, golden Oreos work just as well! You could also do a shortcake crust or Graham cracker crust instead.
PUDDING. Easily Change the flavor of the dessert using different pudding flavors. Some ideas include:
- Chocolate pudding with chocolate oreos. Top with chocolate shavings
- Banana pudding with golden oreos. Top with banana slices.
- Cheesecake pudding with golden oreos. Top with fresh berries.
- Pistachio Pudding with chocolate oreos. Top with mini chocolate chips.
Just as good a day or two later!
The great thing about this recipe is that it stores well in the fridge or freezer and leftovers taste fantastic. Just cover your pan with a lid or plastic wrap and store in the fridge 3-5 days. If you store it in the freezer, it will keep well for about a week.
Making the recipe ahead of time and storing it in the fridge for a day before serving works great for this recipe. In fact, giving it that extra time always helps the layers set even more.
If you want to make just the pudding layer ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a day this also can be done. It gives the pudding extra time to set and cool.
Even though this Lemon Lush recipe is especially perfect for Spring and Summer, we love making it all year long, but that’s because Arizona is warm all year long. 😉 We really enjoyed it and hope you do too!
For even more lemon desserts, check out:
- Lemon Sheet Cake
- Lemon Blossoms
- Better than Starbucks Lemon Loaf
- Lemon Creme Crumb Bars
- Lemon Cream Cheese Bars
- Lemon Cupcakes
Lemon Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 (14.3-ounce) package Lemon Oreos (or Golden Oreos; about 36 cookies)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Filling
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 (16-ounce) tub whipped topping (or homemade whipped cream) divided
- 2 (3.4-ounce) boxes lemon instant pudding
- 3 cups milk
- lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Crush Oreos in a food processor to a very fine texture. Place crushed Oreos in a large resealable plastic bag and add melted butter. Shake to mix until well combined.
- Press buttered crumbs into the bottom of a 9-x-13-inch baking dish, making sure to cover the entire bottom.
- In a medium bowl, blend powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, and half of the whipped topping with a hand mixer. Blend well and pour over crust.
- In another bowl, combine instant pudding and milk. Whisk together until pudding thickens, then pour over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 5 minutes.
- Top off with the remaining whipped topping and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Add lemon slices for garnish.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can this be made into cupcakes? Thanks
I have never tried it as a cupcake, but you could certainly try. You’ll definitely want to use sturdy cupcake liners. Let us know how they turn out if you make it as cupcakes!
We all loved this! We topped it with a few fresh sliced strawberries, which put it over the top
Delicious! Everyone loved it! I love lemon, so I added lemon extract to the cream cheese base and also to the lemon pudding mix. Fun to make and I will definitely make it again!
So glad to hear that the recipe was a hit! Thanks for sharing what you did too. Sounds lemony and delicious!
I would like to make this dessert for Christmas. Can we freeze it and for how long?
Thank you
You can freeze it! It will keep well in the freezer for about a week.
Looking forward to your wonderful recipesv
The lemon desert is too sweet. I would use just cookies without the creme.
Thanks for your feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
Absolute perfection!!! I first made this last year and then gave the recipe to my mom and we both have made it many times since. So easy to make and delicious!!
Oh that makes me so happy to hear!! Thanks for sharing with your mom and I’m glad you both enjoy the recipe!
Excellent! I want to make it using banana pudding this time. All the banana pudding I can find requires cooking the pudding. Will that work
That sounds fun to try it with banana! I have not tried it with cooked pudding before…. If you use that, obviously just let it completely cool before adding that layer. I have seen Instant Banana Cream Pudding at my local Target or Walmart or even on Amazon too. Not sure if any of those places are an option for you to shop at, but they should carry instant pudding. #FingersCrossed We’d love to heard how it turns out with the banana flavors and especially if you do use the cook and serve pudding!
I made the Lemon Lasagna dessert for a Mother’s Day BBQ & it was a big hit. My husband keeps asking me when I’m going to make it again.
Yay! I love finding recipes that the hubby enjoys too! Thanks for sharing.
I am going to make the Oreo icecream cake recipe for dessert for tomorrow night. How soon can I make it?
Hi Natalie! Ice cream cake stays good in the freezer for about 5 days, so you can make it up to 5 days before, since it stays frozen. Hope you enjoy the cake!
It’s now a family favorite!
Yay! So glad to hear that!!