Store-bought lemon curd doesn’t even deserve to share the same name as homemade. This from-scratch lemon curd is deliciously tangy, creamy, and sweet. You only need 5 ingredients and it comes together on the stove in 10 minutes! Lemon curd is perfect for scones, crepes, angel food cake, quick breads, pound cake, and so much more.
Let’s talk lemon.
- Are lemon bars your main squeeze?
- Is lemon blueberry cake your favorite dessert?
- Are you head-over-heels for lemon meringue pie?
If your answer is YES to all of the above, you’re going to flip for this creamy, dense, intensely flavorful spread. Homemade lemon curd is 1 million times tastier than store-bought, which is filled with ingredients we can’t pronounce and has likely been sitting on the shelf for too long. Spread the blissful homemade version on scones, biscuits, homemade English muffins, and so much more. This is the recipe you never realized you needed!
What Is Lemon Curd?
Lemon curd is a very rich dessert topping or spread. It’s buttery and sweet with intense tart lemon flavor—like a creamy lemon version of jam. Lemon curd is made from simple ingredients and comes together quickly on the stove. Lemon lovers, this is your jam.
Get it? Get it? 🙂
How to Make Lemon Curd
Here’s how we make DIY lemon curd. The full recipe and instructions are below.
You need 5 ingredients for lemon curd recipe: egg yolks, fresh lemons, sugar, salt, and butter. Each ingredient serves a critical purpose for thickening and flavoring. The egg yolks thicken the curd, just as they do in creme brûlée or butterscotch pudding. Use real lemons; you need both the zest and juice. The sugar supplies sweetness and structure, while the salt balances out the flavor. Add the butter after the curd finishes on the stove. Butter makes it super creamy.
Make lemon curd on the stove. Make sure you are constantly whisking as the mixture thickens—we’re talking about 10 minutes of whisking. The good news? That’s the only step in this recipe: whisking!
Use a Double Boiler
I strongly recommend cooking the lemon curd in a double boiler because mixing these ingredients over direct heat quickly leads to burning. Don’t fret! If you don’t have a double boiler, craft a makeshift double boiler by placing a heatproof glass bowl on top of a larger pot. (You can see my DIY double boiler in my brownie baked Alaska post!) Make sure the bottom of the top pot or bowl does not touch the simmering water. It’s worth repeating: lemon curd should never be cooked on direct heat.
Why Does My Lemon Curd Taste Metallic?
Lemon curd may have a metallic aftertaste if you cook it in a metal double boiler. It’s a result of the eggs and lemon reacting with the pan, but is easily avoidable! Use a non-metal double boiler (this one has a porcelain insert) or the glass bowl option I mention above (but make sure it’s heatproof glass, like Pyrex). While you’re at it, use a silicone whisk too!
Uses for Lemon Curd
There are so many ways to enjoy lemon curd. Here are a few suggestions:
- Enjoy on scones, muffins, buttermilk waffles, or whole wheat blueberry pancakes
- Use as a filling for crepes, lemon cupcakes, or lemon coconut cake
- Use as a topping for pound cake or pavlova (uses the egg whites!)
- Fill French macarons, choux pastry, or layer on strawberry shortcake
- Make a lemon berry trifle
- Spread on English muffins, homemade biscuits, toast, croissants
- Mix it with whipped frosting for the fluffiest filling in a citrus cake
- Top your classic cheesecake, lemon cheesecake, or easy cheesecake pie
- Stir in yogurt, cottage cheese, or spoon on ice cream
- Try it on gingerbread waffles (seriously, try this!)
- Use as a filling to add extra flavor to lemon blueberry cupcakes
- Fill your lemon thumbprint cookies
Lemon Curd
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes (includes cooling)
- Yield: 1 – 1.5 cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
You only need 5 simple ingredients for homemade lemon curd—and the recipe comes together on the stove in 10 minutes! If you know how to whisk, you can make this delicious spread.
Ingredients
- 4 large egg yolks (for thicker lemon curd, see Note on eggs)
- 2/3 cup (134g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) fresh lemon juice (about 2–3 lemons)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons (86g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 6 pieces
Instructions
- Fill the bottom pot of your double boiler with 1–2 inches of water. (Or use the DIY double boiler method listed in the notes.) Place on high heat. Once the water begins to boil, reduce to low heat to keep the water at a simmer.
- Place egg yolks, granulated sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt into the top pot of your double boiler. Using a silicone whisk, whisk until completely blended, then continue to whisk as the curd cooks. Constant whisking prevents the egg yolks from curdling. Whisk and cook until the mixture becomes thick, resembling the texture of hollandaise sauce, about 10 minutes. If curd isn’t thickening, turn up the heat and constantly whisk.
- Remove pan from heat. Whisk the sliced butter into the curd. The butter will melt from the heat of the curd as you whisk. Pour curd into a jar or bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top so it is touching the top of the curd. (This prevents a skin from forming on top.) The curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Once cool, the plastic wrap can be removed.
- Refrigerate the curd for up to about 10 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, you can freeze the curd up to 3–6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Egg Separator | Citrus Juicer | Citrus Zester | Non-Metal Double Boiler | Silicone Whisk
- Thicker Lemon Curd: For thicker lemon curd, replace 2 of the egg yolks with 1 whole egg. This means you will use 2 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg. Keep the rest of the recipe and instructions the same.
- Lemon Juice: Do not use bottled lemon juice. Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
- Butter: You can use salted butter instead of unsalted butter. Simply omit 1/8 teaspoon salt in the recipe.
- No Double Boiler? No Problem! If you do not own a double boiler, you can simply place a small heatproof glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water—you will cook the curd in the top pot/bowl.
- No Straining: I don’t strain the lemon curd. The zest is very tiny and has been cooked, so you can hardly detect its texture. It’s really just there for flavor. However, feel free to run the finished lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve if you want to take the extra step.
This recipe is AMAZING
AND
DELISH… currently in the freezer
I made it exactly as written. I love it. It’s very tangy and it will go good in my cakes.
Hmmm I don’t think I have ever eaten lemon curd before but wow this is so good! I made to go with your cheesecake recipe and I want to make the lemon thumbprint cookies later this week too!
Mine did take about 15 min to thicken up instead of 10.
So delicious !
One of many great Sally’s Baking Addiction recipes. I made it last night, with no modifications, and it came together exactly as described. However, it was too sweet for my personal preferences. Next time I will try reducing the sugar to 1/3 or 1/2 cup which I think will better suit my palette.
I’ve made this recipe several times, always turns out perfect, I like lemon curd a bit more on the tart side so I add a bit more zest and cut the sugar a little, This time I added a whole egg (as was suggested ) for thicker curd and used Kerry Irish butter. The best ever, and so easy to make!
If I wanted to make curd that was a different fruit, can I sub that juice? I was thinking about making pomegranate curd but wasn’t sure if the lemon juice acidity is what pulled the curd together. Could I do half lemon and half pomegranate juice? I’ve made this recipe so many times and it’s turned out perfect but wanted to try a new flavor.
Hi Kelly, we haven’t tested a pomegranate curd, so we’re unsure of the results. Let us know if you do decide to try it!
Curd came out perfect and delicious!
Not a success. I followed all the steps but it split after a poured into the jars. Not sure where I went wrong.
KT, I made it once and it turned out perfect. Next time, like yours it split! I found out that the reason it splits is that it was cooked a bit too long. Next batch I took it off as soon as started to look a bit thicker and it was perfect.
This is a follow-up to a message I sent a few minutes ago. I found this link that offers a silicone double boiler bowl to put on top of a sauce pan. It’s hard to tell from the photos but it looks like the bottom part of it might reach down to the boiling water, and your write-up says the bottom of the top part should not touch the boiling water. Do you think it would be ok to use this for lemon curd?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D6PSS28/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A2C7X6BPWUX8E1&th=1
Hi Gail, it looks like that option would work for the lemon curd. I honestly think it would be just fine, and I may pick one up myself to use! Thank you for sharing what you found. Let me know how it turns out.
Could I use Meyer lemons?
Hi Justyna, many readers have reported success using Meyer lemons here. Let us know if you try it!
I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong but I can’t get it to thicken even after 20 minutes
Is there a temperature I could get it to to ensure it thickens properly?
Or should I just try the 2 yolks/ 1 whole egg version?
Hi Teal! We would try turning up your heat just a little to help thicken the curd.
Roughly how much curd does this recipe make in ML if possible thanks
Hi Jack! This recipe makes 1-1.5 cups of lemon curd and a cup is 237 ml.
I get almost exactly 300ml.
My favorite lemon curd!
This was tasty! I only had two egg yolks, so I made the thicker variation (2 yolks 1 whole egg). I also reduced the amount of sugar to 1/2 cup. I made it in a small saucepan and it was fine! Yum yum.
How long is the lemon curd good in the frig before you would have to freeze? Thank you
Hi Diane, refrigerate the curd for up to 10 days.
Greetings, Sally!
I have a question about making lemon curd. When you say yo use nonmetal pan and utensils, do you mean non-reactive metal? I’m wondering if my stainless steel (I have Salad Master pots and pans I’ve used for years and years) double boiler would be permissible to use.
Hi Karen, I feel the curd may have an aftertaste using your stainless steel double boiler. You cna, of course, taste it, or you can use the method where you place a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. See Note 6.
I found a better one that only uses 1/2 Cup of sugar. You have too much sugar in your recipe. It’s supposed to be lemon curd not lemonade…Regardless if you post this, you still had to read it. You got a lot to learn kid!
Seriously, MadMaxJess, your comment makes you sound like a really miserable person.
I also cut back a bit on the sugar based on other comments and my personal preference. I really appreciate all the tips included with the recipe and the simplicity of the ingredients. This curd is really good with pavlova. A new family favorite!
Can I use lime juice … if so … should I use less … how much .. THANKS
Hi Belmera, you can definitely swap the lemons for limes to make this into a lime curd. No other changes needed. Enjoy!
I don’t have a silicone whisk. Is there a reason not to use a standard metal one?
Hi Kathie, the lemon curd may have a slight metallic taste if using a metal whisk.
Made this lemon curd was amazing but put all ingredients in a sauce pan and worked just as well
I’m planning on making this soon. Can I double the recipe or should I make 2 separate batches?
Hi Rena, You can make double batches of this lemon curd, and cooking time should be about the same.
Good recipe nice and eay . thank you
This was so easy and delicious! Came together in ten minutes just like the recipe said it would. The balance of sourness and sweetness is perfect.
When using this to fill in between cake layers do you recommend the thicker or thinner version of this recipe? (I’m still using buttercream; the curd is in addition) thanks! 🙂
Hi Rey, either will work, so feel free to use whichever thickness you prefer! Hope you enjoy it.
I would still pipe a ring between the layer, to ensure the curd doesn’t ooze out any at all . I have used this curd for that exact purpose ,
I made this recipe. I beat the eggs and sugar until light yellow and then added the lemon juice and salt before heating it in the microwave. It was in for a minute at a time, whisking it in-between until it was done. I then added the butter. It is a very creamy curd, almost like mousse, I love it !
Curd at the store is $8+ and is sooo subpar to this! This curd took just 20 minutes start to finish, cost me pennies and it is amazing. Plan on using it in some macarons tomorrow. Thanks Sally, your recipes always amaze me!
I have wanted to make this for years. Ever since eating it in Ireland I’ve been crazy for it, but I always figured it was too “fiddly”, I’d end up with lemon flavored scrambled eggs, it wouldn’t be nearly as good, excuse after excuse. Then I saw it here, and Sally had NEVER led me wrong yet, so…… Sally, your record of never letting me down stands strong!! It’s amazing. Just absolutely AMAZING. I have a large double boiler, so despite the warning not to in the comments, I exactly doubled it. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly. Didn’t strain it and the zest truly isn’t noticeable at all, it’s smooth as silk. Tart, sweet, rich, silky… I’ll be making it again as soon as this is gone, which may be by tonight!! LOL!! Thanks again, it’s perfect.
Loved the recipe ! But I want to just say you should always run your custards of any kind thorough a mesh strainer as it takes out all impurities such as the possible cooked piece of egg or anything like that 🙂
I didn’t expect making lemon curd was this easy. The only thing is that the recipe contains waaaaaay too much sugar, meaning you end up with more of a sweet than sour lemon curd. That’s a pity, as I planned to put my lemon curd on a pavlova, so I really needed the sour flavour to balance the sweetness the meringue. Perhaps US lemon curd is more sweet than the ones in the EU, not sure. But make sure to half the sugar if you go for a sour one.
If I plan to fill a 9×13 inch sheet cake with lemon curd filling, would I need to double the recipe? and also should I use a thin layer of buttercream between cake layers as well?
Hi Amanda, you could definitely double the recipe to be sure you’ll have enough. Leftover lemon curd can be frozen for up to 6 months. If you want to make it a little thicker, use the instructions in the Notes section: “For thicker lemon curd, replace 2 of the egg yolks with 1 whole egg. This means you will use 2 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg. Keep the rest of the recipe and instructions the same.” And yes, I would recommend a thin layer of buttercream on the cake before the layer of lemon curd. Enjoy the cake!
Could you use this lemon curd as a filling in a tart?
Hi Aleksia, we don’t recommend using it in a big tart or pie since it will not slice neatly. We love this lemon blueberry tart instead (you can make it without the blueberry swirl)!
I enjoyed making the lemon curd, turned out delicious.