If you’ve ever wondered how to make lemon curd at home, let me tell you, this recipe is a game-changer. It’s rich, creamy, and perfectly tangy, and it comes together in just 15 minutes with only four basic ingredients. Once I tried this easy lemon curd recipe, I vowed never to go back to store-bought. The flavor is so much brighter and fresher!
Even though you can buy lemon curd at the store, I like making it myself when I have some extra time. It’s an easy way to elevate all my lemon desserts, so the flavor really pops! My homemade lemon curd is the ideal balance of sweet and tart, and the texture is smooth and luscious. It’s a simple combo of real lemon juice, zest, sugar, egg yolks, and butter. No thickeners or preservatives here!
How to Make Lemon Curd Step by Step
Prep: Gather the handful of ingredients for this lemon curd recipe. Separate the yolks from the whites, and save the whites to use in another recipe. Zest one of the lemons, then juice the rest. Cube the butter so everything is ready to go.
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Cook the Curd: Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer over medium-low heat, then place a medium-sized heatproof bowl on top. Add 5 large egg yolks, ⅔ cup of granulated sugar, ⅓ cup of fresh lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of 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. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in ½ cup of unsalted butter.
Cover the Curd: Place plastic wrap on top of the bowl so that it is touching the curd. This will help keep a skin from forming.
Store the Curd: Once the lemon curd has cooled completely, remove the plastic wrap and transfer the mixture to an airtight container. Then it’s ready to use!
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
- 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! It’s the star of my lemon curd cookies, but there are plenty of other ways to use this homemade ingredient.
- 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.
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