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    Home > Recipes > No Bake & Chilled Desserts

    Easy Lemon Curd Recipe

    ↓ Jump to Recipe · By: Julia Foerster · Posted: 04/03/17 · Updated: 06/14/17 · This post may contain affiliate links

    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.

    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.

    Close-up of a glass jar of lemon curd with a spoon in it on a white dishtowel. There are halved lemons and eggshells in the background.

    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.

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

    Easy Lemon Curd Recipe

    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 minutes
    Cook Time: 7 minutes
    Total Time: 9 minutes
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Calories: 822kcal
    Author: Julia Foerster
    4.98 from 76 votes
    Print PIN RECIPE Rate

    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
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    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

    1. If your lemon curd curdles, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve.
    2. I use a Microplane Zester to finely grate the lemon zest so I don't have to strain the curd after cooking.

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 822kcal
    Did you Make this Recipe? Tag me Today!Share it on Instagram and tag @platedcravings or #platedcravings!


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

    If you like this recipe, you might also like this Easy Lemon Raspberry Cake:

    A slice of lemon raspberry cake topped with streusel on a white pate with a fork garnished with raspberries. There is a lemon, a white bowl of frozen raspberries and a glass serving platter with the rest of the cake in the background.

    « Easy Lemon Cream Pie Recipe
    Easter Sugar Cookies »

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda Bieg says

      May 22, 2022 at 1:19 pm

      As an Anglophile I have scones and tea on a regular basis with lemon curd, of course.
      This recipe was extremely easy and the results were amazing. I almost don’t want to wait for the curd to cool! I want to eat it now! Thanks so much for this recipe. It’s way better than store bought.

      Reply
    2. Prof Russell Smith says

      February 11, 2022 at 3:18 pm

      5 stars
      Wow… just wow. Fabulous and easy recipe… the best ever lemon curd. Thank you.

      Reply
    3. Melissa says

      January 04, 2022 at 8:01 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you Julia! I just made this and it was perfect! Took some time but was worth it. Glad I doubled this recipe. I didn’t zest the lemon peel and instead used strips of the rind minus the pith (white) and fished them out at the end. I’ll be using this for lemon tarts, brushing white melted chocolate (stops the crust from getting soggy) into pre-baked tart shells and topping with meringue and baking briefly to toast the meringue. Your recipe is definitely a keeper!

      Reply
    4. Kerrie says

      December 11, 2021 at 10:19 pm

      5 stars
      Just used this amazing and simple recipe for my mother’s 90th birthday cake! Beautiful taste and straining out the zest definitely makes it silky. Easily 5 stars.

      Reply
    5. Alison says

      December 06, 2021 at 3:27 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is so good and so easy. I love lemon curd. I didn’t have a jar on hand, but I had lemons so I dove in. Requires just a few simple ingredients (less lemon juice than I’d imagined) and patience to stir constantly over low heat until thick. I created wonderful lemon curd to top a cranberry tart and had a small jar leftover for the fridge. I did adjust the heat up to Med low to shorten cooking time. I may never buy it again

      Reply
    6. Jo says

      August 29, 2021 at 4:35 am

      I only have one lemon so is it ok to add lemon juice with it?

      Reply
      • Julia Foerster says

        August 29, 2021 at 8:29 am

        Yes, that should work.

        Reply
    7. Bev says

      May 30, 2021 at 2:34 am

      5 stars
      So easy, a great consistency and so delicious. I will certainly be usinf this recipe again.

      Reply
      • Pamela J Pick says

        August 30, 2021 at 7:34 pm

        5 stars
        I love this recipe and it turns out perfect every time. I sometimes freeze in small portions, it’s easy to thaw and it tastes excellent.

        Reply
    8. Dianne says

      May 11, 2021 at 11:09 pm

      5 stars
      Easy recipe. Taste great.

      Reply
    9. Hilary says

      April 14, 2021 at 10:41 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe for a filling for my lemon cakes and cupcakes! Such a bright flavor! Thank you!

      Reply
    10. Pam M says

      April 05, 2021 at 1:29 pm

      5 stars
      This lemon curd is delicious. I have already sent on the recipe to friends. I think using a fine mesh strainer is a must and having small jars with airtight lids. Light, tangy and lemony. A treat!

      Reply
    11. Jackie says

      March 17, 2021 at 5:45 pm

      Can you use salt free butter?

      Reply
    12. Mary Anne says

      February 26, 2021 at 5:09 pm

      5 stars
      tastes yummy! I have a question. I want to use this as a filling for a cake. So do I need to refrig the cake to keep the curd fresh?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Julia Foerster says

        February 26, 2021 at 5:51 pm

        A few hours on the counter are probably fine but then I would refrigerate the cake.

        Reply
    13. Brandy says

      February 24, 2021 at 11:52 pm

      5 stars
      Used this recipe on a couple occasions with great success. Wondering if I could sub out the lemon juice and zest for lime and make lime curd with this recipe??

      Reply
      • Julia Foerster says

        February 25, 2021 at 8:28 am

        I haven’t tried it myself but I’m sure it would also work for lime curd. Let me know how it went if you give it a try!

        Reply
        • Brandy says

          April 14, 2021 at 1:48 pm

          5 stars
          The lime curd turned out great! Just subbed out the lemon for lime ingredients and it was delicious!

          Reply
    14. Birdie says

      February 20, 2021 at 12:27 pm

      3 stars
      Hmmm, I’ve tried this twice- but my eggs cook in it, even after I tried tempering them…

      Reply
      • Julia Foerster says

        February 21, 2021 at 10:27 am

        Sorry this happened, Birdie! What kind of stove are you using? This usually happens if your stove runs hot.

        Reply
    15. Lyn says

      February 14, 2021 at 9:06 am

      5 stars
      Such an easy to follow recipe I quadrupled the ingredients as I have an abundance of lemons here in Spain so this recipe will be used ime and time again might even try with oranges

      Reply
    16. Charlene M Noblick says

      November 25, 2020 at 2:28 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely the easiest and best lemon curd I have ever made. Thank you so much!

      Reply
    17. Sandra says

      November 05, 2020 at 8:17 am

      5 stars
      I’m living in Greece at the moment & the lemon tree in the garden has produced 100’s of beautiful, big lemons, so I was searching for a quick & easy lemon curd recipe, luckily I found this one. Made exactly as the recipe stated, it turned out fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    18. Lissa M says

      September 08, 2020 at 8:43 pm

      5 stars
      My go to lemon curd for my famous lemon coffee cake! 

      Reply
    19. pete says

      August 09, 2020 at 2:05 am

      5 stars
      Simple – Great result , doubled the batch to use up the lemons – will save and use again and again. # blokescoolingincovidlockdown !

      Reply
    20. Melinda says

      August 01, 2020 at 2:05 pm

      5 stars
      I actually tweaked it & used pineapple Jell-O instead of a half a cup of sugar & just 2 eggs, left out the 2 egg yokes because I figured the Jell-O would turn it yellow enough, and it turned out nice and thick And delicious. 👍🏻

      Reply
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    Julia Foerster from Plated Cravings

    Hi, I'm Julia! Born in Germany, I call Canada now my home and love to share my favorite dishes with you! Here you'll find hundreds of recipes, all made from scratch with lots of tips and detailed step-by-step instructions. ➝ Visit my about page and ➝ subscribe to never miss a new recipe!

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