How to Make Lemon Curd

4.84 from 6 votes

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Homemade lemon curd is quite a treat for citrus lovers. It’s tart and sweet, lusciously smooth and creamy. Only 4 ingredients and 30 minutes to enjoy this luscious dessert topping!

Creamy lemon curd in a clear storage container.


 

I love lemons just as much as I love chocolate and caramel.

A few years ago, I went overboard and bought a case of 35lbs of lemons!!! True story… And I didn’t regret it one bit, because I learned to make a lemon curd.

What is lemon curd?

Technically, lemon curd is a custard-like citrus sauce, almost like a pudding, but better.

It’s smooth and creamy, tart and sweet.

Lemon curd is an ideal filling for many pastries, like creme puffs, cakes and such. If you’re a true lemon lover, you’ll appreciate that tangy rich lemon bite. And if you’re like me, you’ll enjoy it by a spoonful!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

This lemon curd recipe is so easy to make and tastes 100x better than a store-bought curd!

Unlike many lemon curd recipes out there, my recipe calls for whole eggs, instead of just egg yolks, and produces the same rich and creamy curd! Yay!

Homemade lemon curd in a glass bowl.

Ingredient Notes:

You need simple ingredients, most of which you probably have in your pantry.

  • Lemon juice – Nothing compares to freshly squeezed lemon juice when it comes to making lemon curd. You’ll need 4-5 medium lemons.
  • Lemon zest enhances the lemon flavor. Only zest the top yellow portion and avoid bitter white pith! A microplane zester is handy tool for this job.
  • Eggs – My recipe is developed specifically for whole eggs. You’ll still get the lusciously rich curd!
  • Sugar – Don’t be tempted to reduce the sugar amount. It yields perfectly balanced sweetness and plays an important role in thickening the sauce.
  • Butter makes the curd lusciously creamy. It also helps to thicken it. If you want your curd to be on thicker side, you may add 1-2 tablespoons of additional butter. Choose unsalted butter for this recipe.
Simple ingredients for delicious homemade lemon curd. #lemoncurd #lemon

How to make this recipe:

Let me walk you through the entire process, step by step!

1. Cook the curd

  1. First, whisk all the ingredients in a saucepan before turning on the heat. That way you’ll prevent scrambling the egg whites.
  2. Then turn on the heat to low and cook the mixture, whisking continuously.
  3. In about 8-10 minutes, the mixture will thicken and bubble up.
  4. The curd is ready once it reaches 170°F. Another way to test is to run your finger on the back of a wooden spoon dipped in the curd. If the trail stays, it’s ready!
Step by step photos of making lemon curd on stovetop.

Tip

Stir the mixture continuously to prevent scorching it on the bottom.

2. Cool and add butter

  1. For lusciously smooth texture, run the mixture through a sieve.
  2. Then cover the curd with plastic wrap, making sure it touches entire surface. This prevents forming an unappealing film over the curd. Let the curd cool for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Add butter and stir until the butter is fully incorporated.
  4. Pour the curd into a airtight container, cover with plastic wrap to touch and refrigerate it until ready to use.
Step by step photos of straining the curd, cooling and adding butter into it.

Tips for Success:

  • Don’t rush through this process. If you cook the mixture over medium to high heat, you’ll end up with lemon scrambled eggs!
  • Continuously whisk the mixture while cooking. No need to whisk vigorously though, just keep stirring slowly while the mixture heats through and cooks
  • Cool the curd before adding butter. It’ll prevent the butter from melting into liquid and keeps the curd lusciously creamy!
  • Cover the curd with plastic wrap to touch to prevent any film forming on top.
  • Once the curd is chilled in the fridge, it’ll thicken more.
Creamy lemon curd in a glass jar.

Lemon Curd Uses:

There are absolutely endless ways to use lemon curd.

Storing Directions:

Store the curd in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Or freeze it for up to 2 months.

FAQs:

Why my lemon curd tastes eggy?

I admit, the lemon curd never tastes eggy to me, but I’m not particularly sensitive to egg flavor. Typically, refrigerating homemade lemon curd overnight minimizes the eggy taste.

Why my lemon curd tastes metallic?

Avoid using reactive metal saucepan and whisk. Stick with stainless steel. Also, taste the curd after refrigerating overnight, as it may help to improve the metallic taste.

Hope you enjoy this fabulous bright and zesty curd soon!

Creamy lemon curd in a clear storage container.
4.84 from 6 votes

Homemade Lemon Curd

Homemade lemon curd is quite a treat for citrus lovers. It's tart and sweet, lusciously smooth and creamy. Only 4 ingredients and 30 minutes to enjoy this luscious dessert topping!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice Note 1
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest Note 2
  • 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter cubed Note 3

Helpful Equipment:

Instructions 

  • In a medium saucepan, whisk together eggs, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest for a minute.
  • Turn on the heat to low and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 170°F (75°C), 8-10 minutes. The mixture will be thick and it'll leave a trail if you run a finger on back of spoon dipped in curd.
  • Remove from heat. Place a mesh sieve over a bowl and run the curd through it. It makes the curd silky smooth!
  • Then cover the curd with plastic wrap, making sure it touches entire surface. This prevents forming an unappealing film over the curd. Let the curd cool for 10-15 minutes.
  • Add butter and stir until the butter is fully incorporated.
  • Pour the curd into a airtight container, cover with plastic wrap to touch and refrigerate it until ready to use.

Tips & Notes

Note 1: You’ll need about 4-5 lemons to get 1 cup of lemon juice. Nothing compares to freshly squeezed lemon juice when it comes to making lemon curd.
Note 2: Only zest the top yellow portion and avoid bitter white pith! A microplane zester is handy tool for this job.
Note 3: Room temperature butter is ideal, but I don’t recommend too soft butter.
Storing Tips:
– Store the curd in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
– Or freeze it for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 764kcal
Carbohydrates: 111g
Protein: 10g
Fat: 35g
Sugar: 103g
Sodium: 101mg
Course: filling
Cuisine: American

This recipe was originally published on May 8, 2015.

Hi, I’m Shinee!

Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here! I believe anyone can cook restaurant-quality food at home! And my goal is to help you to become a confident cook with my easy-to-follow recipes with lots of tips and step-by-step photos.

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61 Comments

  1. This looks incredible! Pinned and tweeted. We appreciate you taking the time to party with us. I hope to see you tonight at 7 pm.. Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls

  2. This looks great! I love lemon curd but haven’t made it often as I only had a recipe that used the yolks and didn’t want to waste the whites so will give this a go! Found you via the Wednesday Round Up.

    1. Yay, so glad you stopped by. Hope you will be making more lemon curd in near future. 🙂 Thanks for visiting!

  3. I had no idea a curd was this easy to make. I’m seeing so many possibilities now!
    Visiting from Create.Link.Inspire and for sure sharing this!

    1. Yes, ridiculously easy! Don’t be surprised to see ton of recipes on my blog with lemon curd this summer. Because I’m going crazy with it over here! 🙂 Thank you for sharing, Stephanie!

  4. Yum! Your lemon curd looks so good! I love that it uses the entire egg. In the past, I saved the egg whites to make macarons and I always seem to forget to use it!

    1. I know what you mean, Ashley. I have to be in the mood for macarons to make them, so it usually doesn’t strike when I’m in mood for lemon curd. 🙂

  5. This looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing at the Say G’day party Pinned all and look forward to seeing you next Saturday!

  6. Your lemon curd looks so bright and fresh!!!  Love the flavor of homemade lemon curd, and yours is just so simple and great!

  7. there is not much better than homemade lemon curd – and yours is such a gorgeous bright color!!