Lemon Curd

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.

1. Juice and zest lemons.
2. Whisk all ingredients together in a saucepan and heat until thickened. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Transfer to a bowl or jar, and cool. Store in the refrigerator.

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

Did you enjoy this Lemon Curd Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

5 from 5 votes

Review Recipe

Lemon Curd

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Holly Nilsson

This easy lemon curd is made from fresh lemons and perfect in so many summer desserts!

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Equipment

• ▢
  Zester

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ▢ ½ cup sugar
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ ⅓ cup unsalted butter

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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.

Recipe Notes

Use a zester or the fine side of a box grater to remove the yellow part of the lemon skin. Try to avoid the white part of the lemon skin (the pith) as it is bitter.

No double boiler is required but ensure that the lemon curd is constantly whisked and heated over medium-low heat. 

You'll know the lemon curd is thick enough when it coats the back of a spoon.

Lemons can be substituted with lime, orange, or grapefruit. If using orange or grapefruit, reduce the sugar to ⅓ cup.

Store in the refrigerator up to 1 week. 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 271, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 123mg, Sodium: 167mg, Potassium: 62mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 590IU, Vitamin C: 12.5mg, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 0.4mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

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