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Easy Lemon Curd Recipe

Name: Easy Lemon Curd Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 140 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 1/3 cup sugar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup lemon juice; 1 tablespoon lemon zest; 5 large egg yolks

Published: July 26, 2018 Updated: August 22, 2019 / By: Dawn | Girl Heart Food 41 Comments

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Ever wondered how to make lemon curd? Look no further! With just a handful of simple ingredients you could make your own easy lemon curd from scratch. This easy lemon curd recipe is tart, not too sweet and ultra lemony. Ready to make it?

Jar of homemade lemon curd next to lemon halves.

Hi friends!

How about an easy homemade lemon curd recipe? Once you make your own, there’s no going back to store-bought. It’s just too easy (and tasty).

I used curd in lemon cream tarts a while back. I decided that this deliciousness needs to shine on its own.

So today, I’ve brought you simple step by step instructions on how to make lemon curd right in your own kitchen!

Lemon Curd Versus Lemon Pie Filling

Lemon curd is a type of preserve made simply from lemon, butter, eggs and sugar and a pinch of salt.

You can actually make a variety of fruit curds, like grapefruit, pineapple or orange. Today, though, it’s lemon!

The difference between curd vs pie filling is primarily the thickening agents, the thickness and potency of lemon flavour.

The thickeners in curd are actually the egg yolks and pectin in the fruit.

Whereas, lemon pie filling typically has a thickening agent, like cornstarch.

Also, pie filling is typically thicker than curd. Flavour-wise, curd is a lot more potent and punchy in lemon flavour than lemon pie filling too.

Ingredients for a homemade lemon curd recipe.

How To Make Lemon Curd

Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
Add sugar and salt and stir to combine, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add lemon zest.
Then add lemon juice.
Finally, and egg yolks. Then, place the saucepan back on the heat and whisk constantly to combine and until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
It’s ready when it’s thick enough to cover the back of a spoon when you draw a line through it with your finger.
Pour the curd into a strainer (that’s over a bowl).
Strain curd through a sieve and press with a spatula. This will remove any solids, especially those egg solids.
When the curd is pressed through a sieve, pour into a glass jar, allow to cool slightly, cover, and refrigerate. It will thicken further as it cools (and it’s best enjoyed when cooled, if ya ask me). Told ya it was easy!

Collage of steps to make a homemade lemon curd recipe.

Ways To Enjoy Lemon Curd

Fold cooled curd into whipped cream for a delicious dessert topping
Enjoy over Greek yogurt
Dollop over granola and berries
Spoon over vanilla ice cream for an extra special treat
Eat straight from the jar!
Spread over toast
Use in no bake dessert in a jar

Overhead shot of a jar of homemade lemon curd.

Tips for Making This Recipe

Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Just melt the butter. You don’t want it too hot.
Add the lemon juice to the melted butter before adding eggs to cool down the butter. You don’t want scrambled eggs.
Once you start making the lemon curd, whisk, whisk, whisk!
While optional, I like to strain the cooked lemon curd through a sieve to remove any egg solids. This makes for a creamier lemon curd.

Spoonful of homemade lemon curd from a jar.

More Easy Lemon Recipes

I’ve made other curds in the past too. Perhaps I’ll share one of those another day.

If you make this lemon curd recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!