This vibrant Lemon Tart with Blueberries is one of those desserts I come back to often. It’s full of bright, fresh flavor, with a gingersnap crust that adds warmth and a mascarpone filling that’s both tangy and creamy, thanks to lemon juice, zest, Limoncello (lemon liqueur), and bits of crystallized ginger. Topped with fresh blueberries, it’s elegant, light, and easy to make ahead – perfect when I want to serve a special dessert without a lot of extra effort.
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You Will Love This Lemon Tart with Blueberries
This Lemon Blueberry Tart delivers bold flavor and a beautiful presentation, with surprisingly little effort. Here’s what makes it a standout:
- Gingersnap crust with a twist – A flavorful upgrade from the usual graham cracker base, with spicy gingersnaps, butter, and a splash of rum for depth.
- Silky lemon-mascarpone filling – Mascarpone adds a smooth, slightly sweet richness that perfectly balances the bright lemon juice, zest, Limoncello, and crystallized ginger.
- Refreshing flavor combination – The zesty no-bake lemon filling is complemented by sweet blueberries for a fresh, satisfying finish.
- Easy and make-ahead – The whole tart can easily be assembled earlier in the day and chilled until ready to serve.
- Elegant but approachable – It looks impressive and tastes sophisticated, yet it’s surprisingly easy to make.
From Bright Lemon to Spicy Ginger: How This Tart Took Shape
This Lemon Blueberry Tart recipe started with a craving for a dessert that was bright, creamy, and full of lemony flavor – yet still well-balanced. Turning to my go-to food pairing resource, The Flavor Matrix by James Briscione, I saw that ginger and lemon score high as a combination. Since I love ginger, I borrowed the gingersnap crust from my Rum Pumpkin Tart and added crystallized ginger to the filling for warmth and contrast. To boost the citrus flavor without adding more acidity, I stirred in a splash of Limoncello. And to finish, I topped the tart with sweet, plump blueberries, a natural complement to lemon’s vibrant flavor.
Ingredients Needed for Lemon Blueberry Tart
Here’s what you’ll need to create this impressive dessert (quantities are provided in the recipe card below):
Ginger Crust
- Gingersnap cookie crumbs – Spicy and sweet, they bring warmth and a little crunch to the base of the tart.
- Butter – Holds the crust together and adds rich flavor. I use salted, but unsalted works, too.
- Light rum – Just a splash deepens the flavor of the crust and complements the spices in the cookies.
Lemon Filling
- Lemon juice and zest – Fresh is key here for that bright, punchy citrus flavor.
- Mascarpone cheese – Creamy and slightly sweet, mascarpone gives the filling a smooth texture and balances the tartness of the lemon. I find it in the deli section of my Kroger grocery store.
- Powdered (confectioners) sugar – Dissolves easily and sweetens the filling without making it grainy.
- Limoncello – A lemon liqueur that boosts the citrus flavor without adding extra acidity.
- Heavy whipping cream – Whipped, it lightens the filling while also adding some stability.
- Crystallized ginger – Tiny bits of chewiness that echo the flavor in the crust and add an unexpected pop.
- Fresh blueberries – They add contrast in both flavor and color. I don’t recommend frozen berries; they tend to bleed and can make the tart look messy.
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
This Lemon Blueberry Tart is surprisingly flexible. Here are a few easy swaps to make it your own:
- Gingersnap crumbs – If you don’t have (or can’t find) gingersnap cookies, graham crackers or vanilla wafers will work, though the flavor will be milder. Add a pinch of ground ginger to bring back some warmth.
- Light rum – Dark rum can be used for a richer flavor, or simply omit the alcohol if preferred.
- Mascarpone cheese – Can substitute cream cheese, but the texture will be slightly firmer and the flavor tangier. Use full-fat for the best result.
- Limoncello – An Italian lemon liqueur, it’s available at most liquor stores. You can substitute Cointreau or Grand Marnier, which will add a slight orange flavor. Or, you can omit the alcohol altogether and add a bit more lemon zest.
- Crystallized ginger – Can be omitted if you can’t find it (I find it in the spice section of my Safeway grocery store; you can also order it online).
- Fresh blueberries – Swap with fresh raspberries, blackberries, or a mix – just avoid frozen berries, as they tend to bleed.
Quick Tip
For easier slicing, place the tart in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes just before serving.
How to Make Lemon Tart with Blueberries
Here’s a high-level overview of the steps involved in creating this tart; detailed, step-by-step instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
- Prepare and bake the crust.
Mix all crust ingredients together and press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart tin or pie pan. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle tart crust with crystallized ginger, and set aside to cool.
- Make the filling.
With an electric mixer, whip together the mascarpone, sugar, lemon juice, and Limoncello until smooth. Fold in lemon zest. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form; fold into mascarpone mixture.
- Add filling to crust; top with blueberries.
Spoon filling into crust over ginger; smooth to an even layer. Top with blueberries.
- Chill, garnish, and serve.
Cover the tart with plastic wrap, refrigerate the tart for at least 1 hour, up to 8 hours. To serve, remove sides from tart pan, lightly dust with powdered sugar, and slice into 8 pieces.
Tips for Success
- Parchment paper line or grease your pan well. The crust can stick slightly due to the sugar and rum, so be sure to use parchment paper or a generous coating of butter.
- Don’t overmix the mascarpone and lemon. Mixing too long can make the filling too soft and prevent it from setting properly.
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks. This gives the filling structure and helps it hold its shape.
- Fold, don’t whisk, in the lemon zest. Avoid using a whisk; the zest tends to cling to it!
- Chill before serving. The tart needs at least 1 hour in the fridge to set for clean slices and the best texture.
How to Store
- Refrigerate – Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 2 days. The crust may soften slightly over time, but the flavor remains delicious.
- Freezing not recommended – Because of the mascarpone and whipped cream in the filling, this tart doesn’t freeze well. The texture can become grainy or separate once thawed.
More Delicious Lemon Desserts
I love lemon desserts, and have many that are topped or served with fresh berries:
Easy Lemon Blueberry Tart
This vibrant Lemon Tart with Blueberries is one of those desserts I come back to often. It’s full of bright, fresh flavor, with a gingersnap crust that adds warmth and a mascarpone filling that’s both tangy and creamy, thanks to lemon juice, zest, Limoncello (lemon liqueur), and bits of crystallized ginger. Topped with fresh blueberries, it’s elegant, light, and easy to make ahead – perfect when I want to serve a special dessert without a lot of extra effort.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chilling time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (around 8 ounces of cookies)
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons good quality golden rum
- 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger (see Note)
8 ounces mascarpone cheese (see Note) - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (plus more for dusting the top)
- 4 to 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)
2 tablespoons Limoncello (see Note) - 1 heaping tablespoon lemon zest
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 3/4 to 2 cups fresh blueberries (one pint container), dried with paper towel if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch tart tin (with a removable bottom) with a circular piece of parchment paper or grease a 9-inch pie pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl, use your hands to combine cookie crumbs with the melted butter and the rum. Press into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Place the pan on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven, sprinkle crystallized ginger over the top of the crust, and set aside to cool.
- Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat together the mascarpone cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and Limoncello until well blended and uniformly smooth. Fold in lemon zest with a spatula (it gets hung up on the whisk, so don’t use the machine).
- In a separate mixing bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.
- Drop dollops of the mascarpone-cream mixture onto the crystallized ginger and spread into an even layer. Arrange blueberries evenly over the filling, pressing down lightly so they stay in place. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour (up to eight hours).
- To serve, gently and carefully remove sides of the tart pan. Lightly dust with powdered sugar and slice into 8 pieces.
Notes
Slicing Tip: For easier slicing, place the tart in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes just before serving.
Note on crystallized ginger: Can be found in the spice section of major grocery stores or ordered online. It comes chopped, but I chop it even smaller.
Note on Limoncello: An Italian lemon liqueur, it’s available at most liquor stores. You can substitute Cointreau or Grand Marnier, or omit altogether.
Note on mascarpone cheese: Can substitute cream cheese, but the texture will be slightly firmer and the flavor tangier. Use full-fat for the best result.
Make ahead: Tart can be made earlier in the day and refrigerated until serving.
- Category: Desserts, easy entertaining
- Method: no bake filling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 352
- Sugar: 23.6 g
- Sodium: 108.8 mg
- Fat: 23.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 13.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.9 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 64 mg
What a gorgeous tart! It looks delicious! I am certain that would disappear very quickly in our house! Sharing on my Facebook page tomorrow morning and sending lots of foodie love your way! 🙂 Hope you are having a great week!
Thank you! It’s a favorite in our house.
These sound so delicious! I really need to get a tart tin as there are so many tart recipes I want to try and make myself. Thank you for sharing at “Foodie Friday”.
Happy to share!