A close-up shot at the Limoncello Tiramisu with the cooped corner, shows the whipped cream rosettes, lemon zest and inside layers. Two fresh lemons are on the side.

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Irresistible Limoncello Tiramisu is the easy, sweet-tart dessert you’re craving! And making this luscious treat won’t take you away from the beach or the pool for long: the prep is mostly hands-off time in the fridge.

No-bake: You don’t have to turn on the oven.
Boozy treat: This is a fun party dessert! But you can easily make this tiramisu alcohol-free if you prefer.
Summer twist: Creamy tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert favorite, and this creative citrus twist will be a crowd pleaser!
Take a shortcut: Pressed for time? Use store-bought lemon curd, mascarpone, and lady fingers. Or make your own if you’d like a 100% from-scratch dessert.
Gorgeous! Sunny yellow lemon curd and billowy cream make the ideal dessert for a summer day.

My absolute favorite desserts are melt-in-your-mouth treats with a lovely soft, mousse-like texture, so I was thrilled to make and enjoy this brightly flavored, boozy variation on the coffee-cocoa classic. Based on countless recipes I’ve made using mousse, whipped cream, and mascarpone, I’d caution you not to overwhip the mascarpone with the lemon curd mixture. Additionally, when folding the lemon curd mixture into the cream, fold briefly until just combined. The more you mix, the higher the chance it will separate due to its high fat content. And if you’re having trouble finding mascarpone in your area, you can easily make it yourself with my mascarpone recipe!

What is Limoncello Tiramisu?
Tools You Need
Key Ingredients and Substitutes
How to Make Limoncello Tiramisu
What is Limoncello?
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
FAQs
More Lemony Recipes

What is Limoncello Tiramisu?

Limoncello Tiramisu is a creamy, layered, chilled dessert that offers a refreshing variation on tiramisu, one of the iconic Italian desserts. In this recipe, limoncello (a lemon liqueur), lemon curd, and fresh lemon juice replace the traditional espresso, cocoa, and brandy or Marsala. This is an adult-only recipe. It contains alcohol, and since it isn’t baked, the alcohol doesn’t cook off.
- Ladyfingers: Light sponge biscuits soak up the limoncello syrup and get soft and tangy-sweet.
- Syrup: The citrus syrup has a boozy kick.
- Filling: Velvety lemon mousse filling combines the silkiness of lemon curd with rich mascarpone and billowy whipped cream.
This Limoncello Tiramisu recipe is a no-bake dessert, unless you choose to make your own ladyfingers. The lemon syrup is made on the stovetop. The lemon curd, mascarpone, and whipped cream mousse are simply blended together. After the tiramisu is assembled, it is chilled before serving. For more delicious no-bake options, check out my Lemon Meringue Cheesecake, Banana Cream Pie, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Coconut Panna Cotta with Summer Fruit.
Limoncello Tiramisu (tiramisu al limon) is a fresh spin on the classic coffee version originating in Northern Italy in the 1960s. With its emphasis on Southern Italian citrus, Limoncello Tiramisu is a delectable new way to enjoy this elegant dessert. You’ll adore all my tiramisu recipes, including Classic Tiramisu 100% from Scratch, Tiramisu Cake, Creamy Tiramisu Semifreddo, No-Bake Tiramisu Cheesecake, and Easy 10-Minute Tiramisu.

Tools You Need

Mixing bowls
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Glass measuring jug
Kitchen scale (optional)
Small saucepan
Wide, shallow bowl
Whisk
Stand mixer with paddle attachment (optional) or an electric hand mixer
Large metal spoon
9×13 inch (22×33 cm) baking dish
Plastic wrap

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

Limoncello Syrup

Water

Water dilutes the limoncello slightly and brings all the ingredients together to form a delightful, lemony syrup with the proper consistency.

Granulated sugar

Granulated sugar sweetens the syrup, tempering the limoncello and balancing the lemon juice.
The sugar thickens the syrup, making it less runny.

Limoncello

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liquor. It has a wonderfully intense lemon flavor.
Substitute: If you want to make this dessert alcohol-free, replace the limoncello in the syrup with ½ cup (4 fl oz/120 ml) of lemon juice and increase the sugar to ⅔ cup (5 oz/142 g).

Lemon juice

Zesty lemon juice adds additional citrus flavor.
Use fresh lemon juice for the best taste.

Lemon Mascarpone Filling

Mascarpone cheese

Mascarpone gives a mildly tangy flavor and perfectly creamy texture to the dessert filling.
No worries if you can’t find mascarpone in your area. You can easily make your own mascarpone cheese with my recipe.

Lemon curd

It’s fine to use store-bought here, but if you have the time, try my delicious, easy Homemade Lemon Curd.
If you’re purchasing lemon curd, look for a high-quality brand that contains lemon juice (not lemon juice concentrate), as well as lemon zest, butter, eggs, and sugar. Avoid brands that contain high-fructose corn syrup.
Go for a lemon curd with a bright yellow color that comes from lemons, not artificial flavoring. Try out my Microwave Lemon Curd if you’re short on time or Vegan Lemon Curd if needed.

Limoncello

Limoncello is a sweet and boozy liqueur from southern Italy. It has a bold citrus flavor and a syrupy consistency.
Substitute: If you prefer not to use limoncello in the mascarpone filling, omit it and increase the lemon curd to 2 cups (16 oz/450 g).

Lemon juice

Fresh lemon juice adds a bright, pleasingly tart note to the syrup.
For the best flavor, be sure to use fresh lemon juice.

For Assembly

Ladyfingers

Ladyfingers (known as savoiardi in Italian) are long, narrow cookies with a light, dry texture. Ladyfinger cookies are perfect for soaking up the limoncello syrup and giving this tiramisu structure.
Store-bought ladyfingers or savoiardi biscuits are fine to use here. If you’d like to bake your own, here’s my delicious 5-ingredient Homemade Ladyfingers Recipe.

For the Topping

Heavy cream

Unsweetened whipped cream tops off this lemony dessert perfectly.
Top with lemon zest, white chocolate curls, or think lemon slices, if desired.

How to Make Limoncello Tiramisu

To Make the Limoncello Syrup

Make syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar and stir over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in limoncello liqueur and lemon juice.
Cool: Pour the syrup into a wide, shallow bowl and set aside.

To Make the Mascarpone Filling

Start filling: In a large bowl, gently whisk together the mascarpone, lemon curd, limoncello, and lemon juice. Set aside.
Whip cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or with a large bowl and a hand mixer), beat the heavy whipping cream and sugar to medium peaks.
Fold in cream: With a large metal spoon, gently fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, then fold in the remaining cream.

To Assemble the Tiramisu

Dip ladyfingers and place half in pan: Briefly dip both sides of a ladyfinger, one at a time, into the Limoncello Syrup (about 2 seconds per side) and arrange in a 9×13 inch (22×33 cm) pan to cover the bottom.
Add half of the filling: Spread half of the Lemon Mascarpone Filling over the ladyfingers and smooth the top.
Layer: Repeat to create a second layer of ladyfingers and mascarpone cream mixture.
Chill in fridge: Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 10 hours.

Top and Serve

Whip cream for topping: Just before serving, whip the cream for the topping to medium-soft peaks and dollop or pipe on top. Zest over fresh lemon if desired.
Serve and enjoy!

What is Limoncello?

Limoncello is a lemon liqueur that’s sweet, but boozy (25-30% ABV). Because it’s made with lemon zest, which is rich in citrus oil, it has an aromatic and flavorful profile, as well as a vibrant yellow color.
Limoncello is a traditional Southern Italian liqueur, and many Italians make their own. It’s typically served as an after-dinner drink (digestivo) and enjoyed ice-cold.
Some of the finest-quality limoncello is made with Sorrento lemons, renowned for their exceptionally aromatic peels. Lemons from the Amalfi Coast, Sicily, and Capri also make excellent limoncello. Many varieties of limoncello are available in most liquor stores.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

Limoncello substitutes: If you can’t find limoncello or choose not to use it, you can replace the limoncello in the syrup with ½ cup (4 fl oz/120 ml) of lemon juice and increase the sugar to ⅔ cup (5 oz/142 g).
- If you prefer not to use limoncello in the mascarpone filling, omit it and increase the lemon curd to 2 cups (16 oz/450 g).
Don’t rush the fridge time: Although this can be eaten 4 hours after it is assembled, for the best taste, let the tiramisu set in the fridge for at least 24 hours (and up to two days) to allow the flavors to develop.
Dip quickly: When dipping the ladyfingers in the syrup, do it very briefly—just about 2 seconds per side—or the cookies may get too soggy.
Buying ladyfingers: Purchase them online, or check your supermarket cookie aisle (they’re often found with other European-style cookies), the international foods section near other Italian specialty foods, or in the bakery or baking aisle.
DIY: Homemade ladyfingers are easy to make and work well in this recipe!
- You can also make your own mascarpone using my recipe.
GF option: If you are gluten-free, try my gluten-free ladyfinger recipe.
The best curd: You can use store-bought lemon curd, but homemade lemon curd is very easy to make! For a fantastic lemon curd, I suggest making my Homemade Lemon Curd or Whole Lemon Curd with Meyer Lemons. Both are fast and easy.
Work ahead: You can make the curd up to four days in advance.
Garnish options: If desired, garnish the lemon tiramisu with lemon zest, white chocolate curls, or lemon slices.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make-ahead tips:
- Make the curd up to 4 days in advance.
- You can assemble, cover, and refrigerate this limoncello tiramisu one day before serving.
- If you choose to garnish your tiramisu, wait until just before serving.
How to store leftovers:
- Store leftover tiramisu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

FAQs

Is it ok to serve Limoncello Tiramisu to kids?

Do not serve Limoncello Tiramisu to kids, as it contains alcohol.
You can make the following substitutions to make this dessert alcohol-free:
- Instead of using limoncello in the syrup, replace it with ½ cup (4 fl oz/120 ml) of lemon juice and increase the sugar to ⅔ cup (5 oz/142 g).
- In place of the limoncello in the mascarpone filling, increase the lemon curd to 2 cups (16 oz/450 g).
If you’re looking for another summery tiramisu option for an all-ages group, you’ll love my 10-Minute Berry Tiramisu—just leave out the optional crème de cassis.

Is it possible to make this limoncello dessert gluten-free?

Yes, you can make this limoncello dessert gluten-free.
You can either buy certified gluten-free ladyfingers or make my Homemade Ladyfingers Recipe, using a 1:1 gluten-free blend, such as my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix, or another gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose flour.

How do I make sure my lemon tiramisu has the perfect texture?

For a lemon tiramisu with the perfect texture:

Be gentle when mixing the mascarpone with the lemon curd and when folding the whipped cream into the curd mixture. Overmixing could cause the mixture to separate.
Briefly dip the ladyfingers in the limoncello syrup, about 2 seconds per side. Too much time in the syrup will make them soggy.
For the best flavor and texture, I recommend refrigerating your assembled lemon tiramisu for 24 hours before serving.

More Lemony Recipes

Tiramisu al Limone

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My no-bake Limoncello Tiramisu is the ultimate summer dessert with minimal prep and maximum lemony flavor: bright, creamy, and boozy.

Author: Gemma Stafford

Servings: people

Prep Time 45

Chill Time 4

Total Time 4 45

My no-bake Limoncello Tiramisu is the ultimate summer dessert with minimal prep and maximum lemony flavor: bright, creamy, and boozy.

Author: Gemma Stafford

Servings: people