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My easy Lemon Curd recipe is the perfect easy curd! Just a few ingredients and you can make it from scratch. It tastes so much better than from the store. I’ve been making this recipe for years and it’s always silky smooth and perfectly tart and sweet.

Tall jar of lemon curd with spoon resting on top


Why you’ll LOVE this recipe

If you’ve never made homemade lemon curd, you should. It’s so much tastier than the store bought from the jar. Plus, store-bought is sometimes hard to find and it’s expensive. This recipe is easy to make, silky smooth and has a huge burst of lemon flavor!

All lemon curd recipes are basically similar, with similar ingredients. However, my lemon curd recipe has one big difference: I use whole eggs. Most recipes for lemon curd that you see will call for just egg yolks. I hate using yolks and not whites because I always forget to use the whites for something. They end up going to waste which kills me because eggs aren’t cheap. So I developed a lemon curd recipe with whole eggs to eliminate waste.

lemons, a bowl of sugar, a bowl of eggs, a bowl of butter and a wood bowl of salt on counter.

Just 5 Ingredients

  • Fresh lemon juice: it’s important to juice it yourself
  • Lemon zest: learn how to zest lemons
  • Granulated Sugar: for sweet
  • Whole Eggs
  • Unsalted Butter

Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!

How to make lemon curd

ingredients in lemon curd in saucepan.

1. It’s really important that you whisk all the ingredients together first, before turning it onto the heat. You don’t want the eggs to scramble! Stir lemon juice and zest with eggs and sugar.

process of cooking lemon curd until it thickens in saucepan.

2. Then, like when you’re making pudding or a cream sauce, you cook and stir constantly until the mixture thickens. It’ll bubble and coat the back of a spoon and that’s how you know it’s done.

lemon curd in strainer over bowl.

3. Now, because we are using whole eggs, we have to make sure that none of the egg whites cooked. This is why I always strain my curd using a fine mesh strainer. It takes out any lumps or chunks and gives a nice silky lemon curd. At this point, the curd is a bit thin but don’t worry: it will thicken as it cools.

It’s like making a custard, but instead you’re making curd. I like to think of this as a cross between jam and lemon custard. It’s got a consistency that’s between the two and a flavor that’s unparalleled.

Tall jar of lemon curd.

Expert Tips

  • Always strain your curd with a fine mesh sieve after cooking to ensure it’s silky smooth.
  • Always use fresh lemon juice and lemon curd to get the best lemon flavor.
  • Lemon Curd is a simple recipe made with just a few ingredients and it goes great on toast, in fillings for desserts, or on a spoon. You can use this curd to make things like lemon tarts or fillings for lemon cupcakes or lemon pastry.

Storage

  • Cool to room temperature before closing your jar or covering a bowl with a piece of plastic wrap and chilling until it’s completely cold.
  • Store lemon curd covered in refrigerator – it will last up to a week.
  • You can freeze curd also – either in an airtight container or freeze in ice cube trays so you can always have a little bit available.

FAQ

My curd didn’t set, what happened?

Did you cook it long enough? It should boil and coat the back of a spoon and be very thick. Let it cool. Once it cools and chills it will thicken. Make sure to use fresh lemon juice so the pectin can work its magic.

How do you fix lemon curd that doesn’t thicken?

First, make sure it’s been cooked long enough. It should be thick and coat the back of the spoon (thicker than heavy whipping cream) so if it’s still runny, make sure to cook it longer. If you’ve let it cool and it’s still thin, warm it back up over low heat and add a bit of cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with cold water) and cook until it thickens.

What temperature do you cook lemon curd at?

Make sure it doesn’t bubble or it could break. Cook it at a low temperature!

How long does lemon curd last?

I’ve kept this up to a week in the refrigerator as long as it’s in an airtight container.

Is lemon curd the same as lemon pudding?

No – lemon curd is more tart while pudding is sweeter and creamier.

Can lemon curd be placed in the freezer to shorten the time it takes to thicken?

I don’t recommend it. As it cools the mixture thickens and you don’t want it to cool too fast.

Tall jar of lemon curd with spoon resting on top

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe

4.85 from 187 votes
This easy lemon curd recipe is perfect for breakfast or dessert! It’s easy and comes together in under 10 minutes.
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Yield 16 servings
Serving Size 1 serving

Ingredients
 

  • 3 large large eggs
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup (119ml) fresh lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 large lemon
  • 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter diced
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Instructions

  • Place eggs, sugar, salt, juice, and zest in a medium saucepan. Do not put it over the heat yet. Whisk the ingredients together until smooth.
  • Place over low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Turn all the way to low and add the butter. Stir until smooth.
  • Remove from heat and strain into jar(s). Makes just shy of 2 cups.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

  • Store in a covered container in the refrigerator, about 1 week. You can also store in the freezer.
  • Always use fresh lemons for lemon curd!! They taste the best.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 74kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 19mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

How to use Lemon Curd

There are so many ways to use this recipe! Enjoy it over ice cream, as a topping on angel food cake or pound cake. Serve it with croissants, scones, or waffles, add a dollop on crepes or over yogurt. You can even flavor whipped cream with it! Or make these recipes:



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

4.85 from 187 votes (76 ratings without comment)

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242 Comments

  1. I’m usually not a lemon curd fan, and I pretty much only like Meyer lemons because they are not so tart … but your recipe has converted me! OH MY GOODNESS!!! I will never buy or make another lemon curd other than yours! Thank you! I can’t wait to try your lime curd with my key limes.

  2. I’ve made this recipe 3 times, twice with limes, and once with lemons. All three times, my curd came out perfect! I can’t wait to try it with blood oranges next. Fantastic recipe, I highly recommended it.

  3. I don’t know what happened but I had to up the temp and cook it almost twice as long to get it to thicken up. Once it thickened, it turned out great.This was my first attempt at making curd so I was a bit nervous but it was a lot easier than I expected. I will definitely use this recipe again. Thank you for sharing.

  4. This lemon curd is delicious! I also had little bits of egg white in my curd and strained as noted in your commentary. Would definitely add it as a required step in the recipe. My husband loves lemon, will certainly be making this again.