Lemon Posset

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/20/24
Tested by
Patty Lee
Patty Lee
Tested by Patty Lee
Patty was a Senior Food Editor for The Spruce Eats, where she oversaw recipe developers and food writers in creating delicious recipes and helpful cooking guides.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Four glasses of lemon posset topped with fresh raspberries

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Refrigeration: 4 hrs
Total: 4 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Both tangy and creamy, lemon posset is a delightful dessert that takes just three ingredients and 15 minutes of cooking. This popular British dessert is a wonderful anytime treat, something you can serve in the afternoon with a cup of coffee or tea, or at the end of a heavy meal.

Just be sure to plan ahead. Posset needs at least four hours in the refrigerator to set, so prep it in the morning or the night before so it has time to chill until it is time to serve.

What Is Lemon Posset?

Posset is a cold cream-based dessert found throughout the United Kingdom. Originally a drink made from hot milk and honey that was spiced and laced with ale or wine, posset was very popular in the Middle Ages as a remedy for colds and minor ailments, and as a sleep aid.

Later, it became a thickened cream dessert, usually flavored with honey or sugar and lemon, which is the most common recipe used nowadays. This is a great vegetarian dessert, as the mixture sets and thickens thanks to the acid in the lemon juice and not by the addition of gelatin as other, similar desserts do.

Tips for the Perfect Lemon Posset

  • It's important to cook the heavy cream over low heat so you don't burn it. Keep a close eye on the pot since the mixture can go from simmering to a rolling boil quite suddenly. The simmering process removes water from the cream, leaving the fat, which will then react with the lemon juice and thicken into the posset.
  • Straining the lemon syrup to remove the zest is optional, but recommended for the smoothest, cleanest posset.

How to Serve Lemon Posset

This simple dessert is delicious as is, but you can certainly add some finishing touches for extra flavor and texture:

  • Top with berries or berry jam right before serving and decorate with a light sprinkle of confectioners' sugar.
  • Toast some almond slivers and add them along with a mint leaf as a decoration.
  • Scottish shortbread pairs wonderfully with lemon posset and is one of the most common ways of eating this cream. You can use any vanilla cookie you have at hand and layer crushed cookies with cream and fruit as if you were building a parfait.

What's the Difference Between Posset and Panna Cotta?

Both posset and panna cotta are cream-based desserts, but there is a key difference between the two. Whereas panna cotta uses gelatin to thicken and set, posset relies entirely on the citric acid found in lemon juice and other citrus fruits.

What You'll Need to Make This Lemon Posset Recipe
Deiss Pro Citrus Zester & Cheese Grater
A Fantastic Microplane
Amazon Caraway 3-Quart Sauce Pan
A Great Saucepan
Prepworks by Progressive Porcelain Stacking Ramekins-Set of 6 for Baking, Crème Brulee Dishes, Souffle, Flan Pan Sauce, Custard, Pudding Cups, Dipping Bowls
A Sweet Set of Ramekins

"Lemons truly shine in this sweet and tart posset. It was super easy to make and turned out incredibly luscious and creamy, but not too rich at all because of the citrus flavor. I can definitely see myself making it again for a dinner party." —Patty Lee

Perfect Lemon Posset Tester Photo
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 large lemons

  • 2/3 cup superfine sugar

  • 2 cups double cream, or heavy cream

  • 1 cup raspberries, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make lemon posset

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Finely grate the zest off of the lemons and juice the fruit, removing all seeds. You should get about 4 teaspoons of zest and 1/2 cup juice.

    A small bowl of fresh lemon juice and a small bowl of lemon zest

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Pour the 1/2 cup of lemon juice into a small saucepan. Add the grated zest and superfine sugar. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a slow, gentle simmer, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.

    A pot of lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. In a medium-sized pot, bring the cream to a gentle boil over low heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Make sure to cook the cream slowly, as a fast boil will spoil the cream and split it. Remove from heat.

    A large pot of simmering cream

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Slowly whisk the lemon syrup into the hot cream. Strain the mixture into a clean measuring cup.

    A glass measuring cup of hot cream, lemon juice, and sugar mixture, next to a strainer with lemon zest

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Let the posset cool slightly and pour into small ramekins or glasses. Bring to room temperature.

    An empty glass measuring cups with four glasses filled with lemon posset

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. The cream will become silky and thick.

    Remove from the refrigerator and leave at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before serving.

    Four servings of lemon posset in glasses

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Decorate with fresh berries and serve.

    Four servings of lemon posset in glass cups, garnished with fresh raspberies

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Recipe Variations

Here are a few ideas on how to use our recipe as the base for other types of posset:

  • Citrus: Change the citrus flavor by using lime or orange juice instead of lemon. Mix different citrus flavors like lemons with clementines or limes and oranges. (Note that the posset may not set as firmly with less-acidic citrus fruits.)
  • Vanilla: Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cream and syrup mix. Be sparing because the vanilla can overpower and spoil the delicate lemon flavor.
  • Spices: Try a light grating of nutmeg or a pinch of ground ginger. For an autumnal feel, add a tiny pinch of pumpkin spice.
  • Liquor: Add a dash of sweet wine, Madeira, or mead. Add the alcohol when whisking the syrup into the cream.
  • Chocolate: Add 3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) of semisweet chocolate chips into the cream once you turn off the heat. Mix well until the chocolate is melted. Skip the lemon syrup but do make a simple syrup with water. Decorate with shaved chocolate.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
375 Calories
29g Fat
30g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 375
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 18g 91%
Cholesterol 90mg 30%
Sodium 22mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 21mg 103%
Calcium 65mg 5%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 145mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)