No Bake Lemon Curd Parfaits (Gluten-Free)

Today I am sharing a no-bake dessert and boy do I have a winner for you! Nothing to bake or cook, throw them together and you can have these on the table in just a few minutes. That’s why I’m calling them the World’s Easiest Lemon Curd Parfaits!

If you have a last minute party or decide to invite friends over for dinner on the spur of the moment, this is the perfect dessert to serve. A quick stop at the store and you have all the ingredients you need. A few minutes prep and they are all ready to go. You can even enlist the aid of your guests and have them give you a hand – an assembly line will have these made in no time and everyone loves helping with the party!

If you’ve never tried lemon curd, you are in for a real treat. It is a thick lemon spread perfect with scones, cookies, biscuits, crumpets, muffins, and more. But it is also so good that you will want to eat it by the spoonful, exactly what you will do with this dessert!   

You can make your own lemon curd (recipe here) or use store-bought. Lemon curd is freshly squeezed lemon juice cooked with sugar and egg yolks, thickening as it heats up. Whisking butter into the thickened mixture creates a luscious pudding-like concoction. All you have to do is stir the mixture while it is cooking. For an impromptu dinner party, make a quick stop at the store to pick up these ingredients and dessert is virtually done!

Calling these parfaits may be a bit of a stretch because they don’t contain any cake, biscuits, or other baked goods. You could certainly add them if you want, but the layers of vanilla bean ice cream and bright yellow curd in glasses were too beautiful to just call this a sundae.

When I get home after having dental surgery – re-doing a root canal that went wrong, ouch – I’m sure having one of these waiting for me will make the pain a little easier to handle. Plus, they are easy enough for The Artist to quickly put together on his own.

Enjoy! Have a wonderful weekend!

Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments, I love hearing from you!

 

Key Ingredients for No Bake Lemon Curd Parfaits:

• Vanilla ice cream, lemon curd (homemade or store bought)
• Whipped cream, lemon zest, lemon wedge, mint sprigs

 

PRO Tip:

If you want to make your own lemon curd from scratch, it is easy and it just takes stirring and  some attention. You will be surprised how quick it thickens and the bright, fresh flavor will knock you over! Check out this recipe.

 

How to make No Bake Lemon Curd Parfaits:

1. Scoop some ice cream into parfait glasses or bowls
2. Top with a couple of dollops of lemon curd over the ice cream; add more ice cream and lemon curd
3. Finish with whipped cream, sprinkle with the lemon zest and garnish with the lemon wedges and mint sprigs
4. Serve immediately

 

PRO Tip:

You can whip the cream ahead, cover, and refrigerate for a day or two ahead. If it separates, just whip it up again to recombine. This can save you time when your friends and family are in a hurry to dive into these! It also makes it easier to serve fresh homemade whipped cream instead of the pre-whipped versions.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Parfait glasses
• Ice cream scoop
• Hand mixer or stand mixer
• Zester
• Paring knife
• Cutting board

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

This dessert is naturally gluten-free, but whenever you are buying products from a store always carefully check the labels for potentially hidden gluten. If you have questions, contact the manufacturer for more information.

 

 

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Create a New Tradition Today!

 

This recipe is part of Food Network’s weekly Summer Soiree Fest celebration. See the links below for this week’s inspiring recipes and check out our Pinterest page for even more ideas! 

Dishin & Dishes: Nutella No Bake Cookies
The Lemon Bowl: Frozen Banana Pops
Creative Culinary: Milk Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter and Coconut Balls
Healthy Eats: 6 Slimmed-Down Desserts to Enjoy Without Turning on Your Oven
In Jennie’s Kitchen: Black Raspberry Bruschetta
Devour: Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth in Seconds with 4 Microwave Desserts
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Grilled Ginger Peaches a la Mode
FN Dish: 7 No-Bake Sweet Treats That Are Truly No Sweat

 

Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This page may contain affiliate links. This post was first shared in July 2016. The article was updated in 2021.