Lemon Fluff Dessert

Lighter than cheesecake but equally creamy, lemon fluff dessert relies on a brilliant blend of evaporated milk and lemon gelatin for its rich yet airy texture. By whipping the milk and then gently folding it into gelatin, you get all the fluffiness of whipped cream yet the dessert becomes a tad thicker, like a foamy, nontraditional cheesecake. Spoon the lemon-scented cream across a bed of crispy graham cracker crumbs, and you’ve got a delightful mix of soft and crunchy, citrus-y and sweet.

Lemon fluff bars may connote vintage baking—anything with Jell-O tends to feel a bit old-fashioned—but they’re far from fussy. Easy-going and deliciously cool, this is just the dessert for a balmy summer day.

Lemon Fluff Dessert Ingredients

• Evaporated milk: Creamy evaporated milk whips into a dense yet fluffy dessert. Don’t confuse evaporated milk with condensed milk, which is way too sweet for this recipe.
• Lemon gelatin: Using boxed gelatin makes the dessert stir together in a snap, and the packaged mix yields a consistently thick texture every time.
• Sugar: Use plain white granulated sugar here, since it dissolves easily with the gelatin.
• Lemon juice: Squeeze fresh lemon juice into the flavored Jell-O to really boost that citrus taste. Zest the lemon first and add it to the mixture for even more flavor.
• Graham cracker crumbs: Blitz graham crackers into crumbs in a food processor, pop them into a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin, or buy pre-crushed cracker crumbs for an effortless crust.
• Butter: Melted butter helps the graham cracker crumbs stick together to form a sturdy, crunchy base for the dessert bars.

Directions

Step 1: Chill the milk and beaters

Pour the evaporated milk into a metal bowl. Place it in the refrigerator along with your beaters or stand mixer whisk. Chill for two hours.

Editor’s Tip: Evaporated milk isn’t as thick as heavy cream but will hold sturdier peaks when whipped cold.

Step 2: Activate the gelatin

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, dissolve the gelatin and 1 cup sugar in 1-1/3 cup boiling water. Stir in the lemon juice. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until thick and syrupy, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t skimp on the water temperature. The gelatin needs boiling water to activate properly. It might sound strange to chill it immediately, but gelatin thickens as it cools. We’re not looking for solid Jell-O here but just a thick, syrupy liquid.

Step 3: Make the crumb crust

In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, remaining sugar and melted butter. Stir until sandy and moist.

Scoop out 2 tablespoons and set aside to garnish the top of the lemon fluff bars.

Press the remaining crumbs onto the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Editor’s Tip: The easiest way to press crumbs into a pan is to stamp them down with the bottom of a jar or drinking glass.

Step 4: Whip the milk

Remove the evaporated milk and beaters from the fridge. In the chilled metal bowl, beat the chilled milk until soft peaks form.

Editor’s Tip: As with egg whites, soft peaks should be loose and slightly drooping off the beaters. Whipping the milk too stiff may make the filling dry once you combine it with the gelatin.

Step 5: Beat the gelatin

Beat the thickened gelatin mixture until lots of tiny bubbles form and it looks foamy.

Step 6: Combine the milk and gelatin

Gently fold the whipped milk into the gelatin.

Editor’s Tip: Folding ingredients combines them more gently than mixing, preserving the air bubbles in the whipped milk. To fold, use a big spatula or spoon and gently dig down to the bottom of the bowl, scooping up and over. Repeat, working in a circular pattern around the bowl, until combined.

Step 7: Layer and chill

Pour the milk mixture over the baked, cooled crumb crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs across the top. Cover and refrigerate until set. Cut into squares to serve.

Lemon Fluff Dessert Variations

• Top with fruit: Scatter fresh berries over the lemon fluff bars for a festive presentation. Raspberries, blueberries or sliced strawberries would all taste great.
• Change the crumb crust: Crumb crusts are so versatile. Use crumbled cookies, wafers or nuts. You could even use pretzels for a sweet-and-savory twist.
• Try another fruit: Other citrus-y gelatin mixes, such as lime or orange, would be refreshing here too.
• Go gluten-free: Use gluten-free graham cracker crumbs to make this an easy gluten-free summer dessert.

How to Store Lemon Fluff Dessert

Store lemon fluff bars in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to five days. The filling may sink as it sits, becoming a tad denser (but still delicious).

How far in advance can you make lemon fluff dessert?

Lemon fluff is a fantastic make-ahead dessert, perfect for a party or potluck. For the freshest flavor and lightest texture, we suggest making the recipe the day before you wish to serve it (remember, the fluff will sink a bit as it sits). Simply prepare the recipe as written, cover it tightly and refrigerate it until ready to eat.

Lemon Fluff Dessert Tips

Can you make lemon fluff dessert in individual cups?

It’s fun to serve lemon fluff dessert in single-serving dishes rather than as bars. The version is a bit fussier but still simple. Choose your vessels: We like to use something with a flat bottom so the crumb crust is easy to tamp down. Pretty dessert cups, ramekins, jars or even tea cups are fun options. For the easiest process, skip the baking step. Press enough crumb and butter mixture to cover each dish, then chill for an hour to set. Spoon the whipped milk and gelatin mix into each cup, and sprinkle with crumbs. Chill again until set.

If you prefer the crispy texture of a baked crumb crust, use oven-safe ramekins. After pressing the crumbs into each, bake at 350° until lightly toasted, five to seven minutes. Let them cool and proceed.

Why isn’t the gelatin thickening?

The most common reason gelatin remains watery is that it was not properly activated. Be sure to use boiling water when mixing the gelatin with the sugar. Chilling is essential too: If you take the bowl of gelatin from the fridge too soon after mixing, it may not thicken to the right consistency. Again, for this lemon fluff dessert, you want it to be more viscous vs. jiggly so you can whip air bubbles into it before mixing it with the evaporated milk.