This is the perfect from-scratch lemon curd recipe you can easily make. With only 4 simple ingredients and 10 minutes of cooking, I'm pretty sure you'll never buy store-bought again. Trust me, there is nothing like fresh, homemade lemon curd!
Best lemon curd recipe
It's so easy to make a jar of lemon curd at home, and once you've tried it, you won't go back! I use only the highest-quality ingredients to give you the best texture and flavor, with just the right amount of sweetness.
Lemon curd is unbelievably versatile. You can use it in so many ways. Try it spread onto toasted brioche, as a filling for layer cakes, lemon bars, and macarons, on ice cream, or enjoy it on its own with a spoon.
While some people are daunted by the idea of cooking lemon curd and scrambling the eggs, it is much easier to make than you might think. My 4-ingredient lemon curd recipe is also super beginner-friendly and informative, with easy step-by-step instructions and expert tips.
Cute little pots of lemon curd also make great gifts or even wedding favors! Place the homemade lemon curd in dainty jars tied with a ribbon and a name tag, and you'll be everyone's favorite.
Honestly, this homemade lemon curd recipe is the most delicious thing in the world, and it has the best silky smooth texture. I can't wait for you to try it!
For the exact ingredient quantities and a printable recipe card, visit the original lemon curd recipe at Spatula Desserts.
Cook the curd over a double boiler
A double boiler is a standard method for melting and cooking items without burning them or, in this case, scrambling the eggs. All you need is a saucepan of simmering water and a heatproof glass bowl that rests on top without touching the hot water.
Place the freshly squeezed lemon juice, room-temperature egg yolks, and granulated sugar in the bowl and cook the curd over medium-high heat.
Whisk constantly to maintain an even heat distribution and prevent egg yolks from scrambling on the bottom of the bowl.
Remove the curd from the heat after about 8-10 minutes when the mixture has thickened to a custard-like consistency, and the temperature is around 80C/176C. Pour it through a fine mesh sieve to ensure a super smooth and silky lemon curd texture.
Mix the butter in and let it set
Now, mix in the room temperature butter in small cubes one by one using a rubber spatula. It is very important that the butter is softened, and you will need to take it out of the fridge ahead of time. Make sure that each cube is fully incorporated before adding the next.
Finally, fold in the grated lemon zest. This will give the homemade lemon curd a strong lemon flavor, so don't skip it!
Pour the fresh lemon curd into a jar and place plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent skin from forming on top. Place the curd in the fridge, where it will continue to thicken as it cools and sets. At this point, you can remove the plastic wrap.
The curd needs time to cool and set in the fridge, so be patient! For the best lemon curd texture, it needs to be kept in the fridge for at least a few hours or, ideally, overnight.
What equipment to use
Always weigh ingredients by the gram with a digital scale for precision. All lemons have differing amounts of juice, so you do need to weigh it to get the right amount.
I whisk the ingredients in the double boiler using a hand whisk and mix in the butter by hand using a rubber spatula. If you have a blender, you can blend butter into curd, but if not, make sure you fully incorporate it with your spatula.
It's important to use a good quality heatproof bowl to make curd. Metal bowls can get too hot and scramble the eggs, and can also give the curd a metallic taste, so glass is usually best.
Storage & Freezing
Store lemon curd in an airtight container in the fridge and use it within one week. But I guarantee it won't last that long!
You can also freeze lemon curd for up to 3 months. Keep the plastic wrap over the surface of the curd in an airtight container while freezing. Defrost lemon curd in the fridge overnight before use.
Storing lemon curd recipes in sterilized preserving jars will help lemon curd last longer. To sterilize jars for homemade curds and jams, either place them in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or on a tray in the oven at 120C/250F for 10 minutes.
Flavor Variations
The good thing about homemade lemon curd is that you can experiment with adding other citrus or even fresh herbs. Try replacing some of the fresh lemon juice with lime juice, orange juice, or even passion fruit juice, and see how that tastes!
Feel free to play around with herbs to add an aromatic twist. Mint, thyme, and basil all taste delicious with lemon curd. Add herbs to lemon curd at the first stage while whisking the ingredients together over heat. Then, sieve them out before adding in the butter.
For another variation, try my mango curd!
Are you wondering how to use lemon curd now you've made it for the first time? You can use it as a cake filling, cupcake filling, in my lemon blueberry tart, or in my lemon meringue tart.
Ingredient substitutions
Homefruit fruit curds have a very precise recipe, which makes substitutions difficult. To make this recipe egg-free or dairy-free, you could try one of these egg substitutes and use dairy-free butter. However, the lemon curd will have a different taste and texture.
If you substitute ingredients, you will also need to adjust the quantities and ratios of the other ingredients in the recipe. Unfortunately, I cannot provide instructions to accommodate every diet.
See my list of baking guides to learn more about the possible substitutions and how they may affect the recipe.
Expert Tips to make lemon curd
Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature before you begin making lemon curd from scratch. I only use egg yolks rather than whole eggs for the best rich taste and texture. However, you can use leftover egg whites to make my pavlova recipe.
Use European-style unsalted butter with a high-fat content. I use 82% fat-content butter in all my recipes. It needs to be softened before use, which I find takes around an hour out of the fridge. (Read my post on how to soften butter).
Make sure you use fresh, organic lemons (so that there are no chemicals on the skin) and only grate the yellow part of the skin, not the white. First, take the zest off, then slice it in half and simply squeeze the juice out. Avoid bottled lemon juice, it just doesn't taste as good.
Don't set the heat too high under your double boiler, or you can accidentally scramble the egg yolks. If you are worried, keep the saucepan over low heat. Also, make sure you gently stir continuously to cook the curd evenly and prevent it from curdling on the bottom of the bowl.
If the butter cubes do not melt into the curd, it is probably too cold. Briefly place the curd back over the double boiler to help it along.
This lemon curd recipe is ideal for filling lemon tarts, cupcakes, and layer cakes. If you want to use it as a macaron filling, where you will need a slightly firmer consistency, I recommend adding 1 sheet of gelatin to the warm curd (soak it in cold water first).
Try some of my other cake fillings
If you enjoyed making this easy lemon curd recipe, try some of my other cake fillings next.
- Mango curd gives a delicious tropical flavor to desserts.
- Lemon cream cheese frosting has a super rich and tangy taste.
- Chantilly cream is a French classic and goes with everything.
- Chocolate whipped cream will please any chocolate lover.
- Coconut frosting has the most amazing texture.
- Lemon buttercream frosting is a tangy twist on a classic frosting.
- Strawberry compote will give you a fresh berry flavor in every bite.
Check out my lemon desserts collection for more delicious and easy-to-follow recipes with a citrus twist!
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