Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe
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This easy-to-make Homemade Lemon Curd recipe is buttery, silky smooth, and sweet yet tart – perfection in a lemon curd!
Homemade Lemon Curd
When life gives you lemons, make lemon curd! There’s something incredibly satisfying about the velvety texture of homemade lemon curd. It’s buttery, silky, sweet, yet tart—perfection!
As a thank you, my neighbor gifted me a basket of Meyer lemons from her mother’s tree. We’ve been enjoying all sorts of lemon recipes, from savory dishes like this Lemon Ricotta Pasta to no-bake lemon desserts like this lemon cheesecake and this Lemon Ice Box Cake.
I made the first batch of lemon curd a few weeks back, but it was gone way before I could write about it. We pretty much ate that batch straight from the jar. It was that good!
Over the weekend, I made a triple batch to ensure that I had enough for us to “sample” (eat straight from the jar) and still have plenty for all the recipes I have in mind. (It’s a good thing I did because that jar was full before I took these pictures!)
Why you’ll love This Homemade Lemon Curd
Ingredients in Lemon Curd
(Ingredients at a glance, you will find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Egg yolks: Egg yolks are what give this lemon curd its bright yellow color and help thicken it up.
- Lemons: You’ll need the zest and juice to give this curd its flavor. The zest imparts a robust, unrivaled lemon flavor. (There is no real substitute here; fresh is best!)
- Sugar: Use white sugar to add sweetness and balance the tartness of the lemon.
- Unsalted butter: Unsalted butter gives the curd a rich, velvety finish; you can also use salted butter if you wish.
How To Make Lemon Curd
1Get the yolks and lemons going. Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine.
2Cook the mixture. Over medium heat, stir constantly with a wooden spoon and cook until the mixture is thick.
3Add the butter. Remove the saucepan from heat, add butter, a few pieces at a time, stirring until consistency is smooth.
4Transfer and cool. Transfer the mixture to a serving container. Refrigerate and let cool for about an hour.
It’s so easy! The hardest part is stirring the lemon curd the entire time it cooks (about 7 minutes).
Recipe Tips
- Take the lemons out of the fridge as you begin to prepare this lemon curd so they can come to room temperature. Room-temperature lemons are easier to juice.
- Make sure to stir constantly so the mixture turns out smooth and silky and it doesn’t burn and stick to the pot.
- Stick with white sugar, as it is best to use in lemon curd.
- Use fresh lemon juice to make this lemon curd, not bottled as fresh will have the best flavor.
- You can strain your curd through a fine-mesh sieve for extra silkiness.
- Be patient. The curd will thicken as it cools.
Storage
Once cool, transfer to an airtight container or mason jar. Leftover lemon curd will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks. Just ensure it’s well-sealed to maintain its freshness.
You can also freeze lemon curd for up to 3 months.
Variations
- For a slightly sweeter curd, stir in vanilla extract. Or try almond extract.
- Forget the lemons altogether and make cranberry curd.
What to use lemon curd for?
- As a topping for scones, pancakes, waffles, sugar cookies.
- To hide inside muffins or cupcakes.
- For a filling for cupcakes, cookies, crepes, pies and tarts.
- Mix with a little whipped cream for a fabulous fruit dip.
- I especially like to stir it in my vanilla yogurt and top it with granola and fresh blueberries or raspberries.
- Make ice cream (or do what I did and mix it into store-bought vanilla ice cream- I had to test it out and make sure it was good before recommending it…)
FAQs
Is lemon curd the same as lemon pie filling?
They are similar, but the curd is thicker and more intensely flavored.
Can I use any type of lemon to make lemon curd?
Yes, you can use any type of lemon.
Can I use bottled lemon juice or juice from concentrate?
Fresh is best, but in a pinch, you can use bottled for a zest-less version.
Why isn’t my curd thickening?
You may need more cooking time. Continue stirring until the lemon curd coats the back of a spoon and registers about 175 degrees F on a candy thermometer. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Why is my lemon curd lumpy?
High heat is the likely culprit. Always cook slowly over medium heat and whisk constantly. You may have overcooked it or cooked it at too high of a temperature. You can press your curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the lumps.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, absolutely! If you want to have a double batch on hand go ahead and double the recipe.
Can I use lime or orange instead of lemon?
Definitely. You might need less sugar with the orange. Start with 5 tablespoons of sugar and give it a taste while cooking to test the sweetness.
BTW, do you like my turquoise backdrop? It’s my favorite. (I’ve been using it quite often lately… Must be this dreary winter weather.) Are you curious about how I made it? I have the instructions here: DIY Photo Backdrop
More Lemon Recipes:
- Lemon Curd and Raspberry Mini Cupcakes
- No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
- The Best Lemon Icebox Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Bread With Lemon Glaze
Did You Make This Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe?
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Print
Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: desserts
- Method: stovetop
Description
This easy-to-make, Homemade Lemon Curd recipe is buttery, silky smooth, sweet yet tart. Perfection in a lemon curd!
Ingredients
- 3 large egg yolks
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 6 tbs sugar
- 4 tbs unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
Instructions
- Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine.
- Over medium heat, stir constantly with a wooden spoon.
- Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon, about 7 minutes.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, stirring until consistency is smooth.
- Transfer mixture to a serving container. Let cool.
- Refrigerate for about an hour or until chilled.
Enjoy!
Notes
(This recipe makes about 8 oz.)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 89
- Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Protein: 0
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