My homemade lemon curd recipe is perfectly rich, creamy, and tangy! It comes together on the stovetop in just 15 minutes using 4 basic ingredients. Not only is it incredibly easy to make, but this fresh lemon curd spread adds the brightest, zestiest flavor to all my desserts. There’s no need for the store-bought kind with this simple substitute!
Creamy Lemon Spread or Filling for Desserts
Even though you can buy a jar of lemon curd at the store, I prefer to make it myself since it only requires the most basic ingredients (lemon, sugar, eggs, and butter). It adds a pop of real lemon flavor I can actually taste, so it’s an easy way to elevate all my favorite desserts with barely any effort. I love using this homemade lemon curd as a filling for cakes and cookies, or as a sauce for pancakes and waffles. It’s truly so delicious!
Easy Lemon Curd Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup lemon juice from about 3 lemons
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from 1 lemon
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick; cubed
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients.
- Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Place a medium-sized heatproof bowl on top.
- Add the egg yolks, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the bowl. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, for 10-15 minutes. The mixture should thicken quite a bit and resemble hollandaise when it’s fully cooked.5 egg yolks, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the butter.½ cup unsalted butter
- Place plastic wrap on top of the bowl so that it is touching the curd — this will help keep a skin from forming.
- Once the curd has cooled completely, remove the plastic wrap and transfer the mixture to an airtight container.
Notes
- While you need to cook the lemon curd for about 10-15 minutes to get the right consistency, don’t cook it for too much longer than that or it will curdle.
- If your lemon curd is a little bit lumpy, that’s okay! It just means that the eggs didn’t fully separate. You can blend the mixture for just a few moments to break up any lumps you see.
- If it ends up a little too thick for your liking, just stir in a splash of lemon juice until it loosens.
What to Make with Lemon Curd
Once you have this bright, creamy, tangy lemon curd in your fridge, you’re going to want to use it on everything!
- Drizzle it over ice cream to make sundaes.
- Use it instead of (or in addition to) syrup for pancakes, waffles, and more.
- Use lemon curd as a filling for lemon bars or lemon cupcakes.
- Spread it between cake layers to add an extra pop of flavor.
- Top off slices of pound cake or angel food cake for a lemon-y finish.
How to Store
Store homemade lemon curd in an airtight container or jar, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Leave a Reply