The Once-Beloved Lemon Dessert That Took Over The '60s And '70s

The 1960s and '70s were an interesting time in America's food journey — ranging from the groovy three-ingredient snack kids inhaled (white bread, butter, and sugar) and budget-friendly dinner heroes like fish sticks and fries, to that dubious deli meat dish: the luxury loaf. But nowhere was the culinary landscape more interesting than in the desserts that were popularly served during those two decades. If you went to any potluck or dinner party, you'd likely find yourself eating a Bundt cake or a baked Alaska. Or, you might find yourself on the prong end of a fork as you vacuumed up a once-beloved dessert called lemon lush.

Also known as lemon delight or lemon lasagna, this creamy, dreamy pie-bar hybrid features a crust layer, followed by a cream cheese layer, a lemon pudding layer, and a whipped topping layer. It's representative of both the layered desserts that were widespread in the '60s and '70s, as well as the penchant for (mostly) no-bake sweet treats made with items you could buy at the grocery store instead of spending hours in the kitchen making them from scratch, with whipped topping being a prime example. The inclusion of pecans in the crust suggests it comes from our Southern ancestors, though enterprising home cooks might switch that up for graham crackers or lemon-flavored cookies.

If you're inspired to make this sweet, citrusy dessert, we don't blame you. But before you dive in, there are a few tips you should know, gleaned from decades of lemon lush-makers before you. 

First, while the recipes tend to be quite straightforward, there is considerable wait time involved. It is absolutely essential to let the crust cool completely before adding the cream cheese mixture; otherwise, that bottom layer will liquefy. You also need to account for the time it takes the dessert to set in the fridge. While the hands-on work takes less than 30 minutes, the magic happens during those long stretches where the layers marry and firm up. All told, you should budget around five to seven hours from start to finish.

To that end, if you're worried about the slices looking pretty on their plates, it can help to stick the dish in the freezer for about half an hour before you plan to serve it. The blast of arctic air will ensure the layers of lemon lush are stiff enough to survive the knife blade, with no mushing into each other or collapsing as you try to slice it.

Finally, this dessert is called lemon lush, but it could just as easily be called chocolate lush, banana lush, or coconut cream lush. Whatever flavor you desire can be used for the pudding layer, so feel free to play around with the crust and filling combinations.