This easy Lemon Curd recipe is super simple to make and tastes so delicious! A smooth and creamy lemon spread that makes a great filling for cakes and tastes heavenly spread on scones, muffins, or bread.
This fool-proof Lemon Curd recipe takes less than 10 minutes to make and uses ingredients you already have at home! Made with lemons, butter, sugar, and eggs, this simple lemony spread is not only a great breakfast addition for lemon lovers but also a perfect filling for baked goods like cakes and cookies!
My Raspberry Lemon Curd Cupcakes are a perfect example! They are filled with lemon curd which makes them so yummy and bursting with lemon flavor. In this recipe, I add a spoon of lemony goodness before baking so the lemon curd will be a surprise after the first bite.
But this easy lemon spread tastes also great spread on toast, muffins, or scones! A perfect addition to an Afternoon Tea Party or to your next brunch with friends.
How to make lemon curd from scratch
Making lemon curd at home is really simple. You won’t ever need to buy lemon curd at the store again! This recipe is fool-proof, takes less than 10 minutes, and makes about 1 ½ cups lemon curd.
You’ll need a 2-quart saucepan, a whisk, a fine mesh strainer (if you want to strain the lemon zest after cooking), and a clean glass jar with an airtight lid to store the lemon curd. The eggs and butter need to be at room temperature so the curd will be easier to whisk together and smooth.
Whisk all the ingredients together in the saucepan over low-medium heat until the curd is thick enough to hold marks of the whisk. This will take about 6-8 minutes. You need to keep stirring continuously but after a few minutes, you’ll be rewarded with a smooth and silky lemon curd. The hardest part about this recipe is to let it cool, and not just eat it warm, out of the bowl, with a spoon.
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Easy Lemon Curd Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup butter, room temperature
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and eggs.
- Add the butter and cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a whisk, until the first bubble appears on the surface of the mixture and the curd is thick enough to hold marks of the whisk, about 6-8 minutes.
- Strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh strainer if you don't want the lemon zest in the curd. Transfer the hot lemon curd to a bowl or jar and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold, then take off the plastic wrap and replace with a lid.
- The curd keeps fresh in the refrigerator for about 1 week.
Notes
- If your lemon curd curdles, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve.
- I use a Microplane Zester to finely grate the lemon zest so I don't have to strain the curd after cooking.
Nutrition Information
If you like this recipe, you might also like this Easy Lemon Raspberry Cake:
Yvette says
I added 1/2 tsp of vanilla. But it is an excellent recipe. The taste is perfect.
Laura says
Hello I made this today but realized it may not be enough .
I need the lemon curd for an 8 inch round cake ,ideally I would want to layers
Does anyone know the yield
Let me know
Thank you
Nosa says
I love this recipe it worked fine at my first try i just did it again right now and kept it refrigerated for tomorrow breakfast recipes I’m doing puff pastry pies with lemon curd on top and fresh fruits
paula says
can I use dried lemon peel instead of lemon zest?
Julia Foerster says
I haven’t tested it with dried lemon peel so I’m not sure. Dried lemon peel is usually sweetened with sugar and has less flavor then lemon zest.
Valerie says
I used only egg yolks as that is traditionally how curd is made, and the little bit of egg white cooked in the pan and had to be strained. Otherwise it was good.
Ellen Evars says
This lemon curd is so easy and tastes amazing.
FYI, whenever I have extra lemons or someone gives me several lemon’s, I make lemon curd. You can freeze it for a year.
My favorite dessert is Pavlova and I always put a double recipe of lemon curd on top of the meringue, topped with whipped cream, and then the fruit. The tartness in the lemon curd really balances the sweetness of the meringue.
Cynthia Reed says
How much does this make?
Jennifer says
Can you make this with ONLY egg whites? I have a family member allergic to egg yolks.
Julia Foerster says
I’m not sure, I haven’t tried it without egg yolks. I would recommend using a recipe for eggless or vegan lemon curd.
Nala says
SO easy and quick! And tastes amazing!! She’s right though, I couldn’t wait for it to cool down, just had some with some crepes 10/10🤌✨✨✨
Deborah Clare says
This is the first lemon curd recipe I tried. It was that good I haven’t bothered with any of the other’s I bookmarked. It has a lovley thick consistency and tastes delicious.
Lydia says
Fantastic! First time I’ve ever made lemon curd. Used it for the filling in hamantaschen cookies. Thank you for sharing.
SueF says
Thank you for this lovely recipe. As a very lazy (and reluctant) cook, this recipe is perfect. It’s super easy and the end result is delicious and beats shop-bought into a cocked hat!!
Minnette Vermaas says
I have a million lemons. Can I adjust the entire recipe to work on a full cup of lemon juice?
Julia Foerster says
I haven’t tried that but it should work!
Wendy says
Hi Julie, Have you considered freezing your lemon juice in ice-cube trays? The ice-cubes are a perfect size for a single serve of pancakes. You’ll also have them for a glass or jug of lemonade come summer, or use a single serve to use for colds & sore throats in winter. These are just ideas that you can use one cube at a time. You can also put them into a resealable bag so that you can take them out one at a time so that your bag will reduce in size as opposed to the ice-cube tray that takes up unnecessary space in your freezer as you use your cubes. I hope these are a few ideas for you try try instead of needing to cook with the lemons.
Deborah Clare says
I have done that previously because I have made it for gifts for people and it turns out fine.