Easy Lemon Curd Recipe

on Apr 03, 2017, Updated Jun 14, 2017

4.99 from 102 votes

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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.

Top-down shot of a glass jar of lemon curd with a spoon in it on a white dishtowel. There are halved lemons and eggshells next to it.

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 1/2 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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A glass jar of lemon curd with a spoon in it on a white dishtowel. There are halved lemons and eggshells in the background.

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4.99 from 102 votes

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe

By: Julia Foerster

This easy Lemon Curd recipe is super simple to make and tastes delicious! A smooth lemon spread that also makes a great filling for cakes and cupcakes.

Prep Time: 2

Cook Time: 7

Total Time: 9

Servings: 1 jar

Ingredients

▢ 1/3 cup granulated sugar
▢ 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
▢ 2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
▢ 2 large eggs, room temperature
▢ 1/4 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.