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Limoncello tiramisu is a fresh lemony twist on traditional tiramisu. Unlike classic tiramisu, made using coffee-soaked ladyfingers, this lemon tiramisu is made with limoncello liqueur, lemon syrup, and zesty homemade lemon curd.

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With just a few key ingredients and made entirely without eggs or dairy, this is the perfect make-ahead dessert for special occasions as many elements can be prepared a few days before serving. 

The intense lemon flavor of this dessert is quite fitting to the Italian translation of tiramisu meaning "pick me up"!

🧾 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this vegan lemon tiramisu. The homemade lemon curd, mascarpone cheese, and savoiardi cookies can be prepped beforehand:

ingredients to make vegan limoncello tiramisu measured out in bowls on a gray surface.Pin

Ingredient Notes

  • Limoncello: An Italian lemon liqueur originating from the Amalfi coast in southern Italy. It's made by infusing lemon skins in alcohol. It's commonly served as a digestif or in desserts. It's usually readily available in supermarkets but you could also try this homemade Limoncello by Cinnamon & Coriander.
  • Vegan Lemon Curd: Although you can use storebought if available, I recommend using my citrussy lemon curd recipe which uses more than a cup of fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, non-dairy milk, sugar, cornstarch, and vegan butter.
  • Vegan Mascarpone: Again, you can go for storebought vegan mascarpone if available to you, or make it from scratch using my easy mascarpone recipe, which is perfect for making plant-based tiramisu. This recipe requires a double batch.
  • Fresh Lemon Rind: Go for unwaxed or organic lemons to avoid nasty chemicals or pesticides seeping into the syrup.
  • Vegan Heavy Cream: This is an optional topping, if you can't find plant-based cream try my vegan whipped cream recipe.
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🔪 Instructions

Here are step-by-step images showing how to make limoncello tiramisu vegan. The detailed printable recipe card is at the end of this page:

creamy lemon mascarpone mixture in a blender jug.Pin

Step 1: Divide the lemon curd into 2 equal parts (for the filling and topping). Add the non-dairy mascarpone and half a batch of vegan lemon curd to a high-speed blender and blitz for a couple of minutes until combined. Once the mixture is smooth, stop blending and place the jug in the fridge until you're ready to assemble your tiramisu.

lemon syrup in a saucepan with whole lemon rind inside.Pin

Step 2: Combine the water, sugar, and lemon peels in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for around 5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the limoncello. 

lemon and limoncello syrup in a glass lunch box.Pin

Step 3: Transfer the limoncello simple syrup to a shallow container and let it cool to room temperature.

limoncello dunked ladyfingers arranged in an even layer in the base of a staub baking dish.Pin

Step 4: Quickly dunk half of the ladyfinger cookies into the limoncello mixture and arrange them in a single layer in the base of a baking dish. Cut them to size if and when needed to make an even layer of sponge fingers.

a lemon tiramisu with some limoncello dipped ladyfingers layered on top of half of it.Pin

Step 5: Pour half of the chilled lemon mascarpone mixture on top and spread it using an offset spatula. Follow with a second layer of dipped ladyfingers.

limoncello tiramisu in a baking dish before going into the fridge to set.Pin

Step 6: Spread the remaining lemon mascarpone cream on top, smoothing it with a spatula. Place in the fridge to chill and set for at least 4 hours, the longer it chills the more set it will be so overnight works great!

lemon tiramisu in a staub dish topped with a smooth layer of lemon curd with a bottle of limoncello on the side.Pin

Step 7: Once the tiramisu has set, spread the remaining lemon curd on top. If your lemon curd was stored in the fridge, gently warm it over a double boiler and it will spread more easily. 

lemon curd tiramisu in a staub baking dish topped with piped vegan whipped cream and lemon slices.Pin

Step 8: Lastly, decorate the top of the tiramisu with piped vegan heavy whipped cream and fresh lemon slices. 

💬 FAQs

Is limoncello vegan?

The majority of brands are vegan-friendly however I always recommend you check. You can find quite a lot of information about which Limoncello brands are vegan on Barnivore.com.

Can I make this without a blender?

Absolutely - my original recipe used an electric whisk instead of a blender. Just whip the mascarpone until fluffy and add the lemon curd in 3-4 parts, whisking until combined. This works well, but I prefer the ultra-creamy texture achieved through blending.

How to store tiramisu?

Place it in a sealed container or wrap the baking dish well with plastic wrap so that no part of the lemon tiramisu is exposed to the air. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze limoncello tiramisu?

Yes, you can! To freeze, transfer the set tiramisu to an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. Defrost it on a plate in the fridge overnight before serving.

a slice of limoncello tiramisu topped with lemon curd, whipped cream, and lemon slices on a ceramic plate.Pin

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📖 Recipe

Limoncello Tiramisu (no eggs, no dairy)

5 from 14 votes
PREP TIME: 40 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 12
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Description

This easy limoncello tiramisu recipe is a vegan spin on a classic Italian dessert. It has layers of liqueur-soaked ladyfingers, with lemon curd flavored dairy-free mascarpone, whipped cream, and fresh lemon zest. I recommend making homemade ladyfingers, lemon curd, and mascarpone up to a few days in advance.

Ingredients

Prep Ahead (1-3 days in advance)

Limoncello Soak

  • 120 ml (½ cup) water
  • 80 g ( cup) granulated sugar
  • 1 large lemon, rind only
  • 120 ml ( cup) limoncello, or lemon juice

Topping (optional)

Instructions

  • Prep ahead: Make the vegan mascarpone, vegan ladyfingers, and vegan lemon curd up to 1-3 days ahead of time. Divide the lemon curd into 2 parts (half for the filling and half for the topping).
  • Lemon mascarpone: Add the vegan mascarpone and half of the lemon curd to a high-speed blender and blitz for a couple of minutes until combined. Once the mixture is smooth, stop blending and place the jug in the fridge until you're ready to assemble your tiramisu.
  • Limoncello soak: Combine the water, sugar, and lemon rind in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat. Cook for around 5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the limoncello.
  • Transfer the limoncello syrup to a shallow container and let it cool to room temperature.
  • Assemble: Quickly dunk half of the ladyfinger cookies into the limoncello mixture and arrange them in a single layer in the base of a baking dish (I use a 10.5"x7.5" ceramic dish). Cut them to size if and when needed to make an even layer of sponge fingers.
  • Pour half the chilled lemon mascarpone mixture on top and spread it using an offset spatula. Follow with a second layer of dipped ladyfingers.
  • Spread the remaining lemon mascarpone cream on top, smoothing it with a spatula.
  • Chill: Place in the fridge to chill and set for at least 4 hours, the longer it chills the more set it will be so overnight works great!
  • Garnish: Once the tiramisu has set, spread the second half of lemon curd on top. If your lemon curd is chilled, gently warm it over a double boiler and it will spread more easily. 
  • Decorate the top of the tiramisu with piped vegan heavy whipped cream and fresh lemon slices. 
  • Storage: Place it in a sealed container or wrap the baking dish well with plastic wrap so that no part of the lemon tiramisu is exposed to the air. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Notes

  1. Vegan Ladyfingers: The recipe uses 24 cookies, but I recommend making a full batch of 32 in case you need extra.
  2. Vegan Mascarpone: If you don't have time to make your mascarpone from scratch, make a quick version by whipping together 600g (21 oz) vegan cream cheese and 120g (½ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt.
  3. Make a small batch of tiramisu by reducing the recipe. For an 8"x8" pan reduce the recipe to ¾ (this will feed around 10 people), or for a loaf pan version (feeds 5-6), cut the recipe in half.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 0.002g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg
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