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    Home » Italian Recipes

    Limoncello Tiramisu | Italian Lemon Dessert

    February 18, 2020 by angelakallison 39 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Limoncello Tiramisu is a simple and make-ahead Italian dessert made with Limoncello liqueur, mascarpone cheese, and ladyfinger cookies. Full of bright flavors, you are going to love this lemony version of classic tiramisu.

    Slice of Limoncello Tiramisu on a plate.

    Classic tiramisu is a traditional Italian dessert consisting of ladyfinger cookies, soaked in coffee and layered with a mascarpone cream mixture and dusted with cocoa powder. The cake is traditionally spiked with rum or a coffee-flavored liqueur.

    This Limoncello Tiramisu recipe has all of the traditional components of a classic tiramisu recipe, but is spiked with limoncello and lots of lemon flavors. This is the perfect dessert to make during the warmer months when you are craving those bright citrus notes.

    close up of limoncello tiramisu.

    Make-Ahead Limoncello Tiramisu

    Limoncello Tiramisu is the perfect make-ahead Italian dessert. Firstly, you must let it sit for at least 4 hours before serving. But, ideally, a day or two ahead in the refrigerator is a great way to allow the flavors to meld.

    So if you are looking for delicious make-ahead dessert, then this is it. The ladyfingers are gently soaked in a lemon sugar mixture and come out the perfect texture as they refrigerate. Moreover, letting the tiramisu sit in the refrigerator for a day or two mellows the flavors and really allows them to combine nicely.

    side view of limoncello tiramisu in a glass baking dish.

    Can you substitute the Limoncello?

    The total amount of limoncello in this dessert is minimal, but if you wanted to omit it altogether, this is definitely an option.

    I wouldn't recommend doing a full lemon juice substitution for the limoncello because it would be too tart. You could mix a tablespoon of lemon juice with a tablespoon of sugar and two tablespoons of water to get a ¼ cup serving of limoncello.

    You could also substitute frozen lemonade concentrate for the limoncello in equal parts. Be sure to thaw the juice concentrate before measuring and adding to the recipe.

    Another option would be Torino lemon syrup. Just add half the amount initially then taste to see if it needs more or not.

    Lastly, a bit of lemon extract could do the work. Again, start with a small amount, taste, and then adjust as needed.

    Italian Lemon Desserts

    Lemon is a very common flavor when it comes to Italian desserts. You may think of lemon gelato when you think of Italian lemon desserts, but many baked goods feature this fresh flavor.

    One of the most poplar Italian lemon desserts is Lemon Ricotta Cake. This moist and slightly dense cake is simple to make is perfect for a light dessert or decadent breakfast.

    Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake on a white plate.

    Celebrating an occasion? Then Limoncello Ricotta Cake with cream cheese frosting is a cake that everyone will love. Full of flavors and a light and airy texture, it's a great recipe to have on hand for special occasions.

    Love lemon bundt cakes? Then this Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake is guaranteed to be your new favorite dessert. Simple to make and so full of flavor, this cake is topped with a tasty lemony glaze.

    Another great Italian lemon dessert are Limoncello Ricotta Cookies with a sweet limoncello glaze. These soft, cake-like cookies, are a delicious dessert for a cookie exchange or anytime of the year.

    How to Make Limoncello Tiramisu

    This is going to be one of your absolute favorite Italian desserts to make. The dish comes together quickly and is completely make ahead. Just make the layers and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    ingredients for this recipe include mascarpone, heavy whipping cream, lemon, lemon curd, ladyfingers, and limon liquor.

    Tiramisu has two main components: the soaked ladyfingers and the mascarpone cheese filling. All you need to do is put together the soak and the filling, and you are ready to assemble.

    Firstly, prepare the filling. You will need two large bowls for this: one for the whipping cream and one of the mascarpone.

    two glass bowls on a wood counter with filling for the limoncello tiramisu.

    In the first bowl, combine the mascarpone, lemon curd, lemon juice, grated lemon zest, and limoncello. In the second bowl combine the cold whipping cream and powdered sugar. Beat the mascarpone to combine and whip the cream to stiff peaks.

    two glass bowls with filling ingredients.

    Next, fold the whipping cream into the mascarpone mixture. You don't need to be super gentle with this process. Mix to combine.

    bowl of mascarpone whipped cream filling.

    Secondly, you will need to prepare the soak for the ladyfingers layer. To do this, bring the sugar and lemon juice to a simmer on the stove. Simmer for about 2 minutes, just until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has reduced slightly. Add in the limoncello.

    lemon soak and ladyfingers on a wood surface.

    Once the soak has cooled slightly, you are ready to assemble the limoncello tiramisu.

    How to Assemble Limoncello Tiramisu

    To assemble the tiramisu, get all ingredients together near your 9 x 13 baking pan. The bottom layer is the soaked ladyfingers.

    For this part, place the ladyfinger cookies in the soak. Allow the cookies to absorb the liquid. How long the cookies sit in the soak varies on the type of ladyfingers you use. As a rule of thumb, I find 10 seconds on each side of the cookie sufficient.

    layer of soaked ladyfingers in the bottom of a glass baking dish.

    Fit the soaked ladyfingers to layer the bottom of the pan. You may need to trim the cookies with a sharp knife to fit into a single layer.

    Next, spoon on half of the mascarpone mixture. Use a knife or spatula to help spread the mixture over the ladyfingers.

    mascarpone layered on top of the bottom layer of soaked ladyfingers.

    Repeat the layers. First the soaked ladyfingers then top with remaining mascarpone whipping cream.

    final ladyfinger layer for the limoncello tiramisu.
    top mascarpone whipped cream layer.

    Lemon Curd Topping

    Lastly, make the lemon curd topping for the limoncello tiramisu. This simple topping can be made one of two ways.

    If you have any remaining soak, you can whisk the lemon curd with the soak to thin it out. However, if you don't have any left, you can just whisk the lemon curd with a tablespoon of limoncello.

    limoncello tiramisu.

    Pour the mixture into a pourable cup or spoon it directly on top of the tiramisu. Sprinkle on candied lemon peel if desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours, or up to two days.

    For the lemon curd, you can either make it from scratch or buy it premade. Most grocery stores carry lemon curd, but you can also buy it online here.

    Lemon curd is made from lemons, sugar, and eggs. It is a fairly simple recipe but I find the jarred versions easy and just as tasty. And, for a delicious lemony cocktail, be sure to try this Limoncello Spritz!

    Hope you love this recipe! Comment below and let me know what you think.

    Slice of Limoncello Tiramisu on a plate.
    Print Recipe
    4.98 from 37 votes

    Limoncello Tiramisu

    This delicious no-bake Limoncello Tiramisu is easy to make and the perfect make-ahead dessert. Creamy and rich, this Italian lemon dessert treat is sure to be your new favorite way to make tiramisu.
    Prep Time25 minutes mins
    Cooling Time4 hours hrs
    Total Time4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: Limoncello, limoncello tiramisu, tiramisu
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 526kcal
    Author: Angela Allison
    Cost: 12-15

    Equipment

    • 9 x 13 glass baking dish

    Ingredients

    For the Filling:

    • 2 cups mascarpone cheese (16 ounce container)
    • ¼ cup lemon curd*
    • ¼ cup limoncello
    • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
    • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
    • ⅓ cup powdered sugar

    For the Soak:

    • ¾ cup sugar
    • 3 lemons, zested and juiced
    • ⅓ cup limoncello
    • 2 packages ladyfinger cookies** (about 40 cookies total)

    For the Drizzle:

    • ¼ cup lemon curd
    • 1 tablespoon limoncello (optional)

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl using a handheld mixer, cream together the mascarpone, ¼ cup lemon curd, ¼ cup limoncello, and the juice and zest of one lemon. Set aside.
    • In another bowl using a handheld mixer, cream together the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until mixture thickens into peaks.
    • Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the whipped cream mixture into the mascarpone mixture. Set aside.
    • To make the soak, bring sugar and the juice and zest of three lemons to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and pour in ⅓ cup limoncello.
    • To assemble, take the ladyfingers and dip them in the soak mixture, allowing them to soak up the liquid until softened but not mushy. Repeat with half of the ladyfingers laying them to fit in the bottom of the baking pan, cutting to fit if necessary.
    • Gently scoop on half of the mascarpone mixture and spread over the ladyfingers. Repeat the layers with the remaining soaked ladyfingers, ending with the other half of the mascarpone filling.
    • To make the drizzle, thin out ¼ cup of lemon curd with either a tablespoon of limoncello, or remaining soak. Whisk and then carefully drizzle over top of the tiramisu.
    • Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to a day before serving.

    Notes

    * You can find lemon curd near the jam/jelly section in most grocery stores. You can also order online here. To make homemade lemon curd, you can follow this Lemon Curd Recipe from Food Network. 
    **Ladyfinger cookies are sold in the cookie aisle in most grocery stores or specialty food stores. Savoiardi Ladyfingers are the best and can be purchase online here. 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 526kcal
    Limoncello Tiramisu pinterest pin.
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    Comments

    1. kiim

      February 18, 2020 at 6:26 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! It was super easy and so delicious. I will definitely be making again!

      Reply
      • Sonia

        February 18, 2020 at 8:45 am

        What a delicious twist to the recipe... live tiramisu and love lemon !Will definitely make this soon

        Reply
    2. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness

      February 18, 2020 at 7:16 am

      5 stars
      This idea is genius! I love classic tiramisu, but for some reason I never thought there could be variations! Saving this to make later 🙂

      Reply
    3. Tania Pilcher |Fit Foodie Nutter

      February 18, 2020 at 7:49 am

      5 stars
      I love lemon and this lemon tiramisu is a great way to use up beautiful Italian lemons! This dessert looks like a real crowd pleaser!

      Reply
    4. Jessica Formicola

      February 18, 2020 at 8:08 am

      5 stars
      This is one of my favorite dessert recipes! Such fresh and delicious flavor and I can't wait to make it again!

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        February 18, 2020 at 10:33 am

        Thanks for the comment 🙂

        Reply
    5. Jenn

      May 09, 2020 at 11:22 pm

      I ran out of soak before I could finish the second topping of ladyfingers! Should I make a second batch of the soak?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        May 10, 2020 at 10:00 am

        Yes! Your ladyfingers must have really soaked up that deliciousness! Hope you loved the tiramisu 🙂

        Reply
    6. Jan

      December 20, 2020 at 4:59 pm

      I made this for our early Christmas dinner and got rave reviews. I'd made my own limoncello and lemon curd so I think it was especially nice! I made it in one large serving dish in minutes, the night before I served it. Loved it and will be making it again!

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        December 22, 2020 at 7:04 am

        Thanks for the comment! So happy you loved it. Happy holidays!

        Reply
        • Carol Haberman

          April 07, 2023 at 12:06 pm

          I like your recipe. However, it lists 3 lemons. Due to the variance in sizes of lemons, it would be helpful to know the quantity in ounces or cups. Also, could this be halved to serve 2 people?

          Reply
          • angelakallison

            April 07, 2023 at 3:57 pm

            Hi! So a lemon will give you about 1/4 cup of juice, so here you'll need 3/4 cup lemon juice. However, getting the exact amount isn't too important and it will turn out great either way. Yes, you could halve the recipe, just use a smaller baking pan. Enjoy!

            Reply
    7. Elaine Tsialafos

      July 30, 2021 at 10:57 am

      Hi. Great recipe but I also ran out of soak so I made more without boiling. I did make a change. I made a box of lemon pie filling, added 2 tbs lemonchello and put half on each layer instead of kourd only on top. I also sprinkled on toasted almonds so I could cover with plastic cling. So it wouldn't stick. Thank you for a great recipe. Sorry I changed it a little.

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        August 05, 2021 at 7:44 am

        Thanks for the comment! Sounds like tasty substitutions!

        Reply
    8. Diane

      October 03, 2021 at 9:12 am

      I plan on making this soon. Can you soak the ladyfingers in just limoncello ? I want a real limoncello flavor. TIA

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        October 03, 2021 at 10:14 am

        yes, that would be delicious! Especially if you love limoncello 🙂

        Reply
    9. Cindy

      October 11, 2021 at 5:03 am

      Can someone tell me how would I freeze this in individual servings?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        October 20, 2021 at 11:29 am

        I think it would be best to freeze in smaller individual airtight containers. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    10. Joanie

      March 29, 2022 at 1:30 pm

      I made this recipe a few weeks ago, it was to die for. Everyone loved it. Hours later it was really great a bit on the sour side but then next day and the day after, it was heavenly. Excellent make-ahead for a crowd/party.

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        March 30, 2022 at 10:03 am

        Thanks for the comment! So happy you loved it!

        Reply
    11. Colleen

      April 30, 2022 at 1:07 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for our “gourmet dinner club” desert - will make again!!!

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        May 02, 2022 at 8:50 am

        yay! I'm happy to hear you loved it!

        Reply
    12. Cheryl

      August 27, 2022 at 12:45 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely love this recipe, made it twice now. Very easy to make and absolutely delicious 😋 Highly recommend.

      Reply
    13. Katie

      November 30, 2022 at 11:05 am

      How long will it stay good refrigerated? How far in advance can you make it ahead?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        December 03, 2022 at 9:07 am

        You can make it 48 hours in advance.

        Reply
    14. JM

      December 23, 2022 at 5:15 am

      4 stars
      This is truly a fabulous Limoncello Tiramisu recipe using my husband’s home made limoncello from lemons from the Amalfi coast. This is the 3rd time for this recipe and it’s alway a hit. 👋🏼

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        December 24, 2022 at 7:12 am

        I'm so happy you love it! Thanks 🙂

        Reply
    15. Lynette Siler

      February 25, 2023 at 5:51 pm

      Can you substitute lemoncello with a non-alcoholic option?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        February 28, 2023 at 6:23 am

        You can use lemon juice or a lemon simple syrup in its place.

        Reply
    16. PJ

      February 26, 2023 at 10:33 am

      Great and not complicated make ahead dessert. I made a typically heavy “winter”dinner, pot roast, mashed potatoes, etc. I wanted a lighter, refreshing dessert. This hit the spot and was a huge hit. Thank you.

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        February 28, 2023 at 6:23 am

        Thanks! So happy you enjoyed it!

        Reply
      • JF

        April 08, 2023 at 6:56 pm

        5 stars
        Hello. I, too, had to make a second batch of the soak for my ladyfingers. I made the dish and it is in the refrigerator right now waiting to be served tomorrow. I cannot give a verdict yet, but I did sample the various parts of it and all was delicious! I do have one question. In the long instructions prior to where you listed the ingredients, you mentioned vanilla being added to the mascarpone mixture. Did you forget to add that to the ingredient list or was that an error? Thanks so much!

        Reply
        • angelakallison

          April 10, 2023 at 4:31 am

          Hi JF. Hope you enjoyed the recipe. No vanilla needed here. The limoncello provides plenty of flavor. 🙂

          Reply
    17. Corrine joinette

      March 22, 2023 at 4:08 pm

      Is there a liqueur I can use and add lemon to it. Not fond of lemon cell ?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        March 24, 2023 at 5:16 am

        You could try using a citrus vodka or just a simple syrup made flavored with lemon juice.

        Reply
    18. Lyn

      April 07, 2023 at 9:37 am

      5 stars
      Delicious and very easy to make! Impressive dessert for a dinner party. Thanks for this recipe.

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        April 07, 2023 at 3:57 pm

        So happy you loved it!

        Reply
    19. Mia

      May 13, 2023 at 5:15 pm

      Is this ok for children? Does the alcohol cook out?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        May 13, 2023 at 5:20 pm

        This is a no bake dessert so the alcohol will not cook out. You can substitute lemon juice instead.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Angela, the recipe creator of This Italian Kitchen. Cooking alongside her Italian family, she grew up creating authentic meals and desserts.

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