Lemon Curd is sweet, tangy, and packed with sweet tangy flavor.
With just a handful of ingredients, this homemade lemon curd recipe is incredibly easy to make. Simply whisk sugar, eggs, and butter with the juice and zest of fresh lemon.
This delicious spread/filling is surprisingly easy to make from scratch.
When life hands you lemons, make a lemon curd recipe! Sweet-tart and buttery and full of bright lemon flavor, you’ll want to eat it straight out of the jar!
What is Lemon Curd?
Lemon curd is a pudding-like spread that can be used in place of jam, or in desserts. In addition to fresh lemons, the ingredients for this easy curd recipe are simple and you likely have them on hand: sugar, eggs, and butter. That’s it!
While some recipes strain the curd, I never have found a need to and I don’t mind the little bits of zest. If you’d like to remove the zest, use a fine mesh strainer.
Ingredients
- Lemon juice is the main flavor (plus you want the zest) so fresh is best in this recipe. Bottled lemon juice can have a bitter flavor. You can substitute limes to make lime curd.
- Sugar balances the tart flavor of the lemon.
- This recipe uses whole eggs including both the egg whites and yolks.
- Unsalted butter adds both consistency and flavor.
How to Make Lemon Curd
Making this simple recipe is as easy as 1, 2, 3 and takes almost no time at all! Be sure to continuously whisk it over medium-low heat to keep the eggs from scrambling.
- Juice and zest lemons.
- Whisk all ingredients together in a saucepan and heat until thickened. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Transfer to a bowl or jar, and cool. Store in the refrigerator.
No double boiler is required but ensure that the lemon curd is constantly whisked and heated over medium-low heat.
What to Do with Lemon Curd
It is typically stored in a jar, where it can be easily spooned out and slathered on biscuits or toast. But don’t stop there! Lemon curd filling is the perfect basis for many desserts inspired by lemon meringue pie.
- Breakfasts: Serve with waffles, crepes, or pancakes.
- Desserts: Lemon curd pie, use as a filling for cakes, fill tart shells, layer in a parfait or trifle. Use it to make a lemon cheesecake.
- Other ideas: Spoon over ice cream, serve with other baked goods like scones or biscuits. Top yogurt or mix with yogurt as a fruit dip.
This list goes on. Once you learn how simple it is to make it, you’ll never want to buy canned lemon pie filling ever again!
More Lemon Favorites
- Soft Lemon Cookies
- Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Fresh Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- Lemon Zucchini Cupcakes
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Homemade Lemonade
- Lemon Custard
Did you enjoy this Lemon Curd Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Lemon Curd
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
Instructions
- Whisk lemon juice, sugar, eggs and zest.
- Add to a saucepan with butter and cook over medium-low heat whisking continuously until mixture thickens.
- Pour curd into a bowl and top with plastic wrap allowing the plastic wrap to touch the top of the curd.
- Cool completely and refrigerate.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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This is the first time I ever tried to make Lemon Curd. Your recipe was easy and simple to make me brave enough to try and make it. It’s really tasty and delicious. I am making it to use as a topping for mini cheesecakes. Thanks for the recipe!
Goood
So glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic recipe, easy and delicious. Soooo much better than store-bought lemon curd. I used it as a base layer in a fruit tart and in a similar type of cookie. It’s also great stirred into yogurt, as someone else recommended–yum! As a note for beginners to this type of cooking: this recipe doesn’t state how long it takes to thicken–stirring takes about 10 min., give or take. You’ll think nothing is happening, and then…food chemistry happens! Just don’t let it sit on the heat to thicken, or it will crust on the bottom, keep stirring! I’ll be coming back to this site for more recipes–many thanks!
Thank you for sharing your experience Diane. I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Have made this many times. It is very easy to make and so good and refreshing. Love it on yogurt!
I am so happy to hear you love this recipe Jan!
Love this lemon curd it’s so easy to make & taste so amazing. I will definitely be making this again
Wondering if I can swap out sugar for stevia or Splenda for a keto friendly curd.
I haven’t tried it but I can’t see why not. Let us know how it goes!
I am making the lemon curd today. If I make it in significant quantities can it be frozen
I have not tried freezing this recipe. If you try it, please let us know how it goes.