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    Home » Recipes » Basic Recipes

    Published: Mar 27, 2023 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliates

    Homemade Lemon Curd

    Jump to Recipe

    Homemade lemon curd is a versatile and delicious, sweet, and tangy sauce/spread/topping that can be used in various sweet dishes. By following this simple recipe, you can easily make your own and enjoy its bright and lemony flavor any time. It lasts for weeks and can be frozen.

    Spooning lemon curd from a white bowl on a white surface. Colorful apron as background.

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    Lemon curd is a thick, spreadable, tangy, and sweet condiment with lots of citrus flavor to use in fruit tarts, pavlova, scones, and as a filling for cakes.

    It originated in England in the 19th century and is often used as a topping for scones, toast, or pancakes, and as a filling for cakes, tarts, or cupcakes.

    If you never made it at home, this lemon curd recipe will guide you step-by-step.

    It's quite simple and requires a few minutes of undivided attention while the ingredients thicken on the stove.

    Then, you have this precious curd that's way better than the store-bought stuff, lasts for weeks, and can be frozen for months.

    Table of Contents Open
    Why make homemade lemon curd
    Ingredient list
    Variations & substitutions
    Kitchen notes
    How to make lemon curd
    Cooling process
    Storage
    Uses for lemon curd
    Related recipes you might like:
    Homemade Lemon Curd

    Why make homemade lemon curd

    • Freshness: you can use fresh, high-quality ingredients. And you can use less sugar and no preservatives, making it a healthier option, and have a bright, tangy flavor that can't be matched by store-bought versions.
    • Customization: homemade curd allows you to customize the flavor and texture to your liking. You can adjust the amount of sugar or lemon juice to create a curd that is perfectly sweet and tangy as per your palate.
    • Cost-effective: it can be cheaper than buying it from a store, especially if you have access to fresh lemons or can find them on sale.
    White bowl with lemon curd being spooned by person with colorful apron.

    Ingredient list

    • Fresh lemon juice.
    • Unsalted butter.
    • Eggs and egg yolks: fresh, large.
    • White, granulated sugar.
    • Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
    • Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper. 

    See the recipe card towards the end of this post for quantities.

    Wooden surface with bowls containing ingredients for lemon curd including sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, salt, and juice.

    Variations & substitutions

    • More lemon flavor: add lemon zest to the lemon juice and butter. Strain the lemon curd before transferring it to a bowl and letting it cool.
    • Citrus: make a mixed curd by using other juices (lime, orange, grapefruit) together with the lemon juice. The final amount should be the same.
    • Flavorings: add a tablespoon of limoncello or other liqueur that combines with lemon, like Grand Marnier or Cointreau. Infuse it with a fresh herb like thyme or lavender.
    • Creamy lemon curd: add a few tablespoons of heavy cream or cream cheese before you cover it to make it creamier. It's especially good for fillings.
    • Berry flavored: swirl in a few tablespoons of berry puree after it has cooled down.

    Kitchen notes

    • Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperatures, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
    • Overcooking: it can cause the lemon curd to curdle or become grainy. If in doubt if it's thick enough or not, remove it from the heat, check, and return to cook more if necessary.
    • Lumpy curd: not whisking the mixture constantly while cooking, which can result in lumps or uneven cooking.
    • When to strain lemon curd: if you have pieces of cooked egg (it can happen if you add the hot butter mixture too quickly), strain it before transferring it to a bowl.
    • Bottled lemon juice: I don't recommend using it as it may contain additives or preservatives that can alter the flavor of the curd. And the flavor won't be as fresh-tasting as with fresh juice. That said, you can make curd with lemon juice from a bottle.

    How to make lemon curd

    Adding sugar from an old-fashioned cup into egg mixture in a glass bowl. Gold whisk.

    In a large bowl whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until combined.

    Butter piece and lemon juice in a white saucepan.

    Melt butter with lemon juice in a saucepan, just until it's about to break to a boil.

    Whisking melted butter and lemon juice into beaten eggs in a glass bowl.

    Pour the hot butter mixture into the egg mixture gradually, whisking constantly until completely integrated. Don't add all at once or you might curdle part of the eggs.

    Yellow spatula with lemon curd.

    Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium/low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until it thickens and a line can be drawn when a finger is slipped across the spatula.

    Vintage Kitchen tip: stir constantly as you cook it the final time (with the eggs), making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom. The mixture has to thicken but still be fluid.

    Cooling process

    Drops of vanilla extract added to lemon curd in a white saucepan with a yellow spatula inside.

    Add flavorings if you want to. I add a little sea salt and a few drops of vanilla extract.

    Piece of plastic covering lemon curd in a white bowl on a white surface with a striped cloth.

    Transfer to a bowl and immediately cover with a piece of plastic (I use freezer sheets but plastic wrap also works) touching the whole surface. This prevents a thick layer from forming as it cools down.

    IMPORTANT: if any lumps or bits of cooked egg have formed, you need to strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove them before covering it and letting it cool down.

    White bowl with lemon curd being spooned by person with colorful apron.

    Storage

    Refrigerator: lemon curd can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

    Freezer: can be frozen for a month (without much change from what I tested) and thawed in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Always in a freezer-safe airtight container. Sometimes the texture changes slightly upon defrosting, especially if it has been in the freezer for a few months.

    Uses for lemon curd

    • Topping: for waffles, pancakes, cheesecake, and pavlova.
    • Spread: for breakfast and brunch items like scones, toast, bagels, crackers, and biscuits. Mix it with cream cheese for a creamier spread.
    • Filling: for crepes, cupcakes, cakes, tarts, macarons, and turnovers.
    • Sauce: for slices of angel food cake or pound cake with berries, or for trifles.
    • Quick mousse: mix it with whipped cream for a light and fluffy lemon mousse.

    Related recipes you might like:

    • Close up of goblet with lemon and raspberry dessert being held with a blue shirt as background.
      No Bake Lemon Dessert
    • One central white frosted cupcake in dotted paper liner on wooden table with coconut flakes
      Coconut Passion Fruit Cupcakes
    • Several squares of passion fruit cheesecake on a white marble surface. View from above.
      Passionfruit Cheesecake
    • Three stacked glazed lemon brownies (or blondies) on a wooden board. Top one is bitten. White background.
      Lemon Blondies (or brownies)

    Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
    You might also consider subscribing to our FREE email series to Boost your Home Baking Skills! And our regular newsletter.
    And let's connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

    Print
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    Lifting a spoon full of lemon curd from a white bowl. Colorful cloth as background.

    Homemade Lemon Curd

    Print Recipe
    Save Recipe Recipe Saved

    Homemade lemon curd is a versatile and delicious, sweet, and tangy sauce/spread/topping that can be used in various sweet dishes. By following this simple recipe, you can easily make your own and enjoy its bright and lemony flavor any time. It lasts for weeks and can be frozen. 

    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: 2 ½ cups

    Ingredients

    Units

    You can easily halve this recipe. 

    • 1 cup fresh lemon juice
    • ¼ cup unsalted butter
    • 4 eggs, at room temperature
    • 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
    • 1 cup sugar
    • Large pinch of sea salt
    • A few drops of vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • In a medium, heavy saucepan, heat lemon juice and butter and remove just below the boiling point. 
    • In a large bowl whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar to blend.
    • Gradually add the hot lemon mixture to the eggs, mixing well and quickly. Don't add it all at once as you can curdle parts of the eggs. 
    • Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and stir constantly over medium-low heat until it thickens and leaves a path in the back of the spoon that stays put for a few seconds. Be careful not to burn the bottom.
    • Remove from the heat, add salt and vanilla, cover with a piece of plastic wrap or a freezer sheet that touches the whole surface, and let cool. This will prevent a thick layer from forming. 
    • Refrigerate in a jar or container with a lid for a week. Or freeze in an airtight container for up to a month. 

    Notes

    • Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperatures, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
    • Overcooking: it can cause the lemon curd to curdle or become grainy. If in doubt if it's thick enough or not, remove it from the heat, check, and return to cook more if necessary. 
    • Lumpy curd: not whisking the mixture constantly while cooking, which can result in lumps or uneven cooking.
    • When to strain lemon curd: if you have pieces of cooked egg (it can happen if you add the hot butter mixture too quickly), strain it before transferring it to a bowl. 
    • Bottled lemon juice: I don't recommend using it as it may contain additives or preservatives that can alter the flavor of the curd. And the flavor won't be as fresh-tasting as with fresh juice. That said, you can make curd with lemon juice from a bottle. 
    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 minutes
    • Category: Sauces
    • Method: Cooking
    • Cuisine: International

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1/12
    • Calories: 136
    • Sugar: 17.2 g
    • Sodium: 219.7 mg
    • Fat: 6.2 g
    • Carbohydrates: 18.3 g
    • Fiber: 0.1 g
    • Protein: 2.7 g
    • Cholesterol: 102.9 mg

    Keywords: lemon curd

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    About Paula Montenegro

    I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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