Lemon and Blueberry Syllabub is an elegant yet easy to make dessert made with fluffy cream and delicious limoncello liqueur.
Updated May 2026 with metric measurements and some new tips.
Syllabub is an easy dessert for when you are entertaining but short on time. It only takes about ten to fifteen minutes to make and sits quite happily in the fridge for up to two hours before serving. Served in a pretty cut glass dish or even a martini glass, it makes an elegant end to a meal.
As always, I like to tell the story behind the food I make. However, if you want to go straight to the recipe, just use the Jump to Recipe Button at the top of this post.
The History of Syllabub
A very old English dessert, the recipe dates back to Tudor times. Popular throughout British history, particularly in the Victorian era, Syllabub originally consisted solely of sweetened cream mixed with wine. I often top it with fruit, cookie crumbs or chopped nuts just to jazz things up a bit.
Tips for Making This Recipe
Be careful to whip the cream just to the soft peak stage. You can test this by turning the beaters off and lifting them out of the cream. The cream should hold soft peaks but still be very billowy. The cream needs to hold its shape a bit but you don’t want it to be as stiff as the traditional whipped cream you would serve on a pie or other dessert.
Caster sugar (also known as superfine sugar) dissolves most easily into the cream. However granulated sugar does work if you do not have caster sugar on hand.
Be creative with serving dishes. The dishes you serve your syllabub in can really make the dessert. Be creative. This is the perfect use for those vintage glasses you picked up at the charity shop or even the crystal wine glasses you have tucked away. This delicious dessert is the perfect opportunity to show off your treasures!
Feel free to experiment, but keep to the proportions in the recipe. Try different liqueurs and fruits – Amaretto in place of Limoncello and garnish with raspberries and toasted flaked almonds or use Kirsch or cherry brandy and garnish with maraschino cherries or pitted fresh cherries and crushed chocolate cookie crumbs. I also like to use Elderflower liqueur and garnish with sliced strawberries and Amaretto cookie crumbs. I also have a recipe for a delicious Blood Orange Syllabub.
Easy, delicious and elegant, Limoncello and Blueberry Syllabub is the perfect (almost) effortless dessert!
Limoncello and Blueberry Syllabub – Printable Recipe
Limoncello and Blueberry Syllabub
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1 cup caster (superfine) sugar
- ½ cup Limoncello liqueur
- 1½ cups double cream (also known as heavy cream)
- about ½ cup blueberries
- 12 amaretti or hard gingerbread biscuits, crushed
Instructions
- Mix the lemon juice and zest with the Limoncello and set aside.
- Gently whip the cream with the sugar until soft peaks begin to form.
- Add the lemon mixture and whisk gently until it is all mixed in.
- Divide the mixture between six glasses or serving dishes.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Just before serving, scatter the syllabubs with the blueberries and crushed biscuit crumbs. You can also garnish with a bit of lemon zest if you like.
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Comments & Reviews
This is so fun! I’ve only ever heard of this dessert in books and now I know how it’s made! Thanks for sharing. This looks better than I imagined! I love the whole thing!
Thank you so much, Diane 🙂
This looks delicious April! Oh my goodness! I would love to try this now! Pinned and shared!
Thank you, Joanne, and thank you for pinning and sharing too 🙂
This is something new to me! Itlooks so pretty and presentable, April! I am sure it tastes just as it looks!
Thank you, Hadia 🙂
What a lovely springtime dessert April! So light and pretty and perfect for a company dinner as well as Mother’s Day celebrations!
Thank you, Linda 🙂 It really would be perfect for Mother’s Day!