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    Serena Lissy » Recipes » Recipes

    Published: Mar 10, 2021 · Modified: Jun 13, 2022 by serena · This post may contain affiliate links.

    How To Make Lemon Curd

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    The best lemon curd is the one you make yourself. It's sweet and tart all at the same time. I love it on toast, scones, pancakes, quick breads, cupcakes, ice cream or many of my other favorite desserts. I'm excited to show you how to make lemon curd. This easy recipe is made with just five ingredients and about 15 minutes of time.

    Lemon Curd in a jar

    I guarantee that once you make this homemade lemon curd you won't be tempted to pick up a jar at the store again because it's so easy and tastes even better! You only need five simple ingredients: Fresh lemons, lemon zest, butter, sugar, egg yolks. It’s smooth, creamy in texture with a bright, sweet flavor perfect for using in desserts or simply spreading on a biscuit for breakfast.

    What Is Lemon Curd?

    Lemon curd is a sweet and tangy spread. It's the perfect addition to any dessert, but it can also be used as a topping for toast or even in yogurt! The main ingredient of this lemon curd recipe is lemons, which are mixed with butter, sugar, lemon zest, and egg yolks. Then cook until thick enough. This dessert is best served chilled from the fridge.

    If you are like me, you've been waiting all day for that dessert and now it's time to enjoy. You dish out a bowl of creamy, sweet goodness with just the right amount of tartness from your favorite lemons. I am such a lemon lover and this curd is just a perfect snack for me. The butter, sugar and egg yolks make this tangy treat even more perfect as they melt on your tongue.

    What Do You Need To Make This Recipe?

    Ingredients for Lemon Curd

    Lemons - Use good quality, fresh lemons. No bottled lemon juice for this recipe. Since we are using the zest I usually go with organic. If that's a budget bust, just be sure to wash the lemon well.

    Egg Yolks - These are used to thicken the curd. Once you separate the eggs, you can freeze the whites and use later for other recipes.

    Butter - This also helps to thicken the curd. It gives it a great texture and loads of flavor.

    Sugar - Only use white granulated sugar. Anything else will not give you the desired outcome.

    How to Make The Lemon Curd

    Process Collage for steps to make lemon curd
    • In a small to medium saucepan add ½ butter, ½ sugar, lemon juice and zest. Bring to a light boil over medium low heat, you want it to just start bubbling.
    • In a second bowl mix ½ sugar and egg yolks.
    • We are going to temper the eggs. Tempering eggs is simply a process of slowly warming the eggs before introducing them to your recipe so they mix smoothly. Pour ⅓ of the saucepan ingredients into the egg yolk and sugar combination. Whisk until incorporated.
    • Pour all that back into the saucepan. Bring to a light boil again. When the curd is thick enough you should be able to run your finger down the back of a spoon and it holds.
    • Add the remaining ½ butter and stir.
    • Strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
    • Cover with plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator.
    Tempering the Eggs

    Steps to Tempering Eggs

    Tempering eggs is very easy and with just a tiny bit of work you will have the perfect base for your curd. The goal of this is to slowly bring up the temperature of the eggs without scrambling them.

    • Bring your liquid to a boil
    • Whisk the eggs and sugar in a second bowl
    • Slowly add the hot liquid to the eggs a little bit at a time and whisk consistently
    Pot of Lemon Curd with Whisk

    Pro Tips For Making the Lemon Curd

    • Always strain your lemon curd.
    • Because we are not using a double boiler for the recipe keep the heat low and be patient. You don't want to scramble the eggs.
    • Don't stop whisking until you take it off the heat.
    • Once you transfer the lemon curd to a bowl, place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the curd. This keeps a skin from forming.
    • Don't use bottled lemon juice. It will just ruin the tangy citrus flavors.
    • Egg yolks are what gives the curd richness, skip the whites.
    Lemon Curd on a plate

    Lemon Facts

    Did you know that California and Arizona produces most of the United States lemon crops. When I lived in California I had 4 lemon trees. My neighbors loved me!

    The most common types of lemons are the Meyer lemons, Eureka lemons, and Lisbon lemons.

    You can find more lemon facts from That's It Fruit. I love knowing this kind of information about my favorite foods.

    FAQ

    My curd didn't set, what happened?

    Did you cook it long enough? It should come to a boil, coat the back of a spoon and thicken. Then let it cool, it will thicken up more in the cooling process.

    How do you store it?

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will last for almost two weeks.

    Can you freeze lemon curd?

    Yes you can, lemon curd freezes! I freeze it in an airtight container like a plastic jar and when I'm ready to use it, it take it out and put in the refrigerator over night. You can keep this in the freezer for up to three months.

    How do I fix my lemon curd if it didn't thicken?

    This is an easy fix. Once you have let it cool and determined it is still too thin, warm it back up over low heat and add a small amount of cornstarch slurry. (Cornstarch and cold water mixed together) Continue cooking until it thickens up.

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    Lemon Curd Recipe Card

    How To Make Lemon Curd

    Lemon curd is a sweet and tangy spread that is made with only five ingredients and a bold burst of lemon flavor. It's the perfect addition to any dessert.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 16 Servings
    Calories: 126kcal
    Author: Serena

    Ingredients

    • 149 grams Unsalted Butter
    • 128 grams Sugar
    • 135 mL Lemon Juice
    • 9 grams Lemon Zest
    • 128 grams Egg Yolks (About 7 eggs)

    Instructions

    • Combine 75 grams of the butter, 64 grams of the sugar, the lemon zest and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir gently to dissolve the sugar.
    • In a bowl combine egg yolks with the remaining sugar. Temper by slowly adding about ⅓ of the lemon juice mixture. Stirring constantly with a whisk. Return the tempered egg mixture back to the saucepan. Continue cooking, whisking constantly until mixture returns to a boil.
    • Stir in the remaining butter until the butter melts.
    • Strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer. Cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the curd.
    • Store the curd, covered in the refrigerator.

    Notes

    Recipe Source: SerenaLissy.com 
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database via Spoonacular API, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators. While this information can be helpful in estimating the nutritional information of a recipe, it is by no means accurate or official and is not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
    All images and content are copyright protected. Do not use our images without prior permission.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 349IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @SerenaLissy or tag #serenalissy!

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. What that means is if you click on one of our affiliate links, they may toss a few pennies our way for a commission.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Clair says

      March 12, 2021 at 12:57 am

      I love all things lemon! Can’t wait to try this recipe!

      Reply
      • serena says

        March 12, 2021 at 9:00 am

        I hear ya on that one! I love lemons 🙂

        Reply
    2. rachel says

      March 11, 2021 at 1:21 pm

      My husband is OBSESSED with lemon curd but I've been too chicken to make it myself lol. May have to try my hand at it!

      Reply
      • serena says

        March 11, 2021 at 1:35 pm

        It's super easy, give it a go 🙂

        Reply
    3. Nadalie Bardo says

      March 11, 2021 at 9:23 am

      5 stars
      Lemon curd is one of those things I've heard of, but honestly had no idea what it was! Until now!

      Reply
      • serena says

        March 11, 2021 at 11:40 am

        It's definitely worth trying Nadalie if you like lemons.

        Reply
    4. Deborah Brooks says

      March 11, 2021 at 6:01 am

      5 stars
      I don't think I've ever had lemon curd! I am excited to try it

      Reply
      • serena says

        March 11, 2021 at 8:21 am

        It's definitely worth a try if you are a lemon lover.

        Reply
    5. Mae says

      March 10, 2021 at 10:20 pm

      5 stars
      What a coincidence! I have 7 leftover egg yolks from the flan chino I made yesterday and wanted to make it into lemon curd. This recipe is heaven-sent!

      Reply
      • serena says

        March 11, 2021 at 8:21 am

        Nice! Great timing 🙂

        Reply

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