These Individual Lemon Puddings are light, fluffy and magically create their own creamy lemon sauce underneath.
If you love cosy desserts like lemon delicious pudding or chocolate self-saucing pudding, these are going straight on your must-make list.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Individual Lemon Puddings
🕒 Ready In: 45 minutes
👪 Serves: 6
🍽 Calories: 538 per serve
🥣 Main Ingredients: lemon, eggs, milk, sugar, flour
📖 Dietary Info: can be made gluten-free
⭐ Why You'll Love It: A two-in-one dessert with a fluffy sponge on top and a silky lemon sauce underneath - warm, comforting and full of zesty flavour.
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This recipe is amazing and has become a family favourite!
- Claire
This individual lemon pudding recipe is one of those "how is this so easy?" desserts. One simple batter turns into a fluffy sponge with a creamy sauce underneath - it's basically lemon delicious pudding in individual serves (which somehow makes them even better 😄).
Perfect for dinner parties, family desserts or whenever you want something warm and comforting, just like a classic apple sponge pudding or a cosy butterscotch self-saucing pudding.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Two desserts in one - sponge + sauce ✔️
- Simple pantry ingredients
- Perfect for entertaining (everyone gets their own!)
- Make-ahead friendly
- Light, fresh lemon flavour
Jump to:
Individual Lemon Puddings
- Fresh lemon zest & juice - essential for that vibrant citrus flavour; avoid bottled juice as it just won't give the same zing!
- Eggs (separated) - this is key to creating the fluffy sponge layer and the creamy base. Have your eggs at room temperature.
Variations
- Gluten-Free - swap the self-raising flour for a good quality gluten-free self-raising blend.
- Berry Addition - add a few raspberries or blueberries into the base before baking for a fruity surprise!
- Lime or Orange Version - replace the lemon with lime or orange for a different citrus twist.
- Dairy-Free - use plant-based milk and dairy-free butter (results will be slightly less rich but still fresh and delicious).
How To Make Individual Lemon Puddings
This is one of those magical recipes.
Make a simple batter, fold through whipped egg whites, then bake in a water bath. In the oven, it separates into a fluffy sponge on top and a creamy sauce underneath. So good.
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 160°C fan-forced. Grease ramekins and place them into a deep baking dish.
- Make the base mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, melted butter, lemon juice, milk and egg yolks until smooth and slightly frothy.
- Add the dry ingredients: Sift in the self-raising flour and add the sugar. Whisk until fully combined and smooth.
- Whip the egg whites: In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the lemon mixture in batches with a rubber spatula, being careful not to knock out the air.
- Fill ramekins: Spoon the mixture evenly between the prepared ramekins. Pour boiling water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake: Bake for around 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden and set.
- Serve: Let them cool slightly, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or cream.
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh lemons - makes all the difference
- Don't skip separating eggs - this creates the layers
- Fold egg whites gently to keep it light
- Keep water out of ramekins during baking
- Bake until just set - don't overcook
- Best served warm with ice cream
- Store in the fridge for up to 2 days
- Reheat gently before serving
- Freezing not recommended - affects texture
Individual Lemon Puddings FAQs
Usually from overmixing or not folding egg whites gently enough.
Slightly, but it will affect the balance of flavour.
Yes, but you'll need to increase the baking time slightly and keep an eye on the centre to make sure it's cooked through.
You can mix the batter a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge, then bake just before serving.
Warm, with vanilla ice cream or cream - non-negotiable 😄
More Zesty Lemon Recipes
Lemon lovers... I've got you covered! Check out some more of my favourite lemon recipes here.
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Individual Lemon Puddings
Ingredients
- zest of 1 lemon
- 150 g melted butter
- 80 g (⅓ cup) lemon juice
- 375 g (1 ½ cups) milk
- 4 eggs separated, room temperature
- 100 g (¾ cup) self raising flour
- 335 g (1 ½ cups) caster sugar
- icing sugar to dust
- vanilla ice-cream optional, to serve
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 160 degrees (fan-forced). Grease 4 large ramekins (or 6 smaller ramekins) and place into a large, deep baking dish.
- Zest the lemon into a large bowl. Add the melted butter and lemon juice, milk and egg yolks. Whisk together until pale and frothy.
- Sift over the self-raising flour and add the caster sugar. Whisk until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Fold ¼ of the egg white mixture through the lemon mixture.
- Repeat with the remaining egg whites (folding through ¼ at a time).
- Gently divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins.
- Pour boiling water into the base of the baking dish until it is halfway up the sides of the ramekins (but not allowing any water to get into the ramekins).
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the pudding top has risen and set (it will be golden).
- Allow to cool slightly before carefully removing the ramekins from the dish.
- Sift over icing sugar and serve with vanilla ice-cream.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 160 degrees (fan-forced). Grease 4 large ramekins (or 6 smaller ramekins) and place into a large, deep baking dish.
- Add the butter to the Thermomix bowl and melt for 3 minutes, 100 degrees, Speed 1. Allow to cool slightly.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, milk and eggs yolks. Mix for 20 seconds, Speed 4 until pale and frothy.
- Add the self-raising flour and the caster sugar. Mix for 5 seconds, Speed 4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for a further 10 seconds.
- Pour the mixture into a separate bowl and set aside.
- In a clean and dry Thermomix bowl, add the room temperature egg whites and mix 3-4 minutes, Speed 3.5, or until soft peaks have formed.
- Fold ¼ of the egg white mixture through the lemon mixture. Repeat with the remaining egg whites (folding through ¼ at a time).
- Gently divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins.
- Pour boiling water into the base of the baking dish until it is halfway up the sides of the ramekins (but not allowing any water to get into the ramekins).
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the pudding top has risen and set (it will be golden).
- Allow to cool slightly before carefully removing the ramekins from the dish.
- Sift over icing sugar and serve with vanilla ice-cream.
Notes
- Use fresh lemon
- Fold egg whites gently
- Bake until just set
- Serve warm
- Store 2 days in fridge
- Not suitable for freezing
Antoinette says
Hi, can you make the batter in the afternoon, keep in fridge, then do ramekins to cook in evening?
Lucy says
Absolutely!
Claire Thomas says
This recipe is amazing and has become a family favourite. The only change I make is to add 1/3 of the sugar and it’s amazing.
Lucy says
Oh fantastic!!! That's so great to hear!
Bron says
Hi just wondering if you could bake these as a single pudding rather than individual and if so how much longer you would cook them. Thank you
Lucy says
Hi Bron, it really depends on the size of your baking dish and your particular oven how much longer it would need. Check it after an extra 10 minutes, and then every 5 minutes or so after that. xx