Lemon lovers rejoice! My Easy Lemon Curd is just that - so easy! Made all in one saucepan, there’s no tempering, and it uses whole eggs, so you have no leftover whites. Perfectly creamy, sweet, and tart, the best lemon curd is ready in about 20 minutes!
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Lemon curd recipes are pretty much all the same, using similar ingredients. But my Easy Lemon Curd recipe includes a fun hack: I use whole eggs! Most recipes just call for the yolks, but I can't stand wasting the whites. I always forget to use them, and they end up going to waste, which is such a shame (especially since eggs aren't exactly cheap!)
So, I developed this lemon curd recipe that uses whole eggs, making it both delicious and waste-free. Not only that, but I add more butter than most recipes to balance the tartness of the lemon and give it a creamier finish. You're going to love the bright flavor and silky smooth texture of this curd!
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❤️ What you'll love about this easy recipe
- One pan - Everything cooks in one pan! No need to temper the eggs, no double boiler method. One pan and you have the perfect lemon curd!
- Fast - Put your simple ingredients in a pan and whisk for about 8 to 10 minutes. That's it.
- Delicious - Using whole eggs brings a perfect balance to the tartness of the lemon perfectly, and the butter makes it taste like you used cream, but you didn't.
- Versatile - Dollop the creamy spread on lemon ricotta pancakes, or toast some brioche bread and schmear it on, add it to homemade crepes, or just eat it straight from the spoon...
Best use for this lemon curd? I am so excited to use this in my Lemon Sweet Rolls! Made with a foolproof brioche dough that is wrapped around a tangy curd filling, they are finished with a lemon cream cheese frosting that is to die for!
Ingredients
5 ingredients you either already have, or can easily find, and you are on the track to curd town, which would be a delicious place to vacation.
See recipe card below for quantities.
Variations
Lemon is just the start. There are so many ways to curd. To make a curd, you really need to start with something sharp, like another citrus. If you want to use something sweeter, like a strawberry or blueberry curd, you'll need to add some lemon juice to tart it up.
- Citrus - There are so many ways to get bright citrus flavors in curd form. That bag of clementines you bought? Amazing curd. Grapefruit, get ready to pucker up. Blood orange? Oh yes please. Lime curd? Of course.
- Cranberry - One of my favorite curds to make around the Holidays, start with 8 ounces of cranberries (225 grams) and ½ cup of water. Cook the cranberries until they burst and then pass through a wire strainer to remove the seeds and skins. Use in place of the lemon juice and follow the recipe as written.
- Sweeter fruits: Do the same as with the cranberries, only use half lemon juice and half water when cooking them down.
- Spiced - Add a bit of cardamom or ginger to your curd and you won't be sorry.
Instructions
This is the simplest method for a homemade lemon curd recipe. I know you can do it and will do it so often that you will become famous in your friend group for your amazing lemon curd.
Step 1: In a small saucepan, whisk together 3 large eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and a pinch of kosher salt until well combined.
Step 2: Place pan over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. It will begin to thicken.
Step 3: Continue to cook until the mixture coats the back of the spoon and running your finger through leaves a nice clean trail, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 4: Remove from heat and drop in half of your room temperature butter cubes, waiting for them to melt before adding the rest.
Step 5: Transfer the curd into a bowl, using a fine mesh strainer. Press the curd through the strainer with a rubber spatula to remove any bit of lemon zest and any possible cooked egg or shell bits.
Step 6: Press plastic wrap directly on the top of the curd and refrigerate at least one hour.
Tip: Store in a clean, airtight lidded jar or container, and use a clean spoon each time you serve up a portion and your lemon curd should last 2 weeks in the refrigerator, assuming you don't eat it all first!
Expert tip: Juicing lemons
Depending on the size of your lemons, two of them should give you a total of ½ cup of juice. To help ensure that you get the most juice out of each lemon, microwave them for 15 seconds before juicing.This will actually break down some of the cell walls, making them easier to squeeze and yielding more juice.
If you still don't get the full ½ cup and you need some juice from a third lemon, zest it first. Use a fine grater to zest the yellow part of lemon skin. Place the fresh lemon zest in a single layer on a piece of parchment or waxed paper and quick freeze it. Once frozen, transfer the zest to a small zip top plastic bag. It will defrost quickly whenever you need to add some vibrant lemon flavor to a dish.
Uses for lemon curd
This simple lemon curd is a versatile and delicious ingredient that can be used in lot of recipes, including lemon desserts and breakfast recipes. There are so many fun way to incorporate the bright, tangy flavor of lemon curd into your breakfasts and treats. Check out these delicious uses:
- Zeppoles: Make my Italian zeppoles and fill them with tangy lemon curd.
- Donuts: Make my homemade brioche donuts and instead of cutting out the center, fry them whole and pipe in some tangy lemon curd.
- Lemon Curd Tart: Fill a pre-baked tart shell with lemon curd and top with fresh berries for a refreshing dessert.
- Lemon Poppyseed Muffins: Make lemon poppyseed muffins and fill the tops with lemon curd. When baked they are all the best parts of muffins and lemon bars!
- Parfait: Layer lemon curd with Greek yogurt and crunchy granola for a tangy and crispy breakfast or dessert.
- Lemon Crepes: Spread lemon curd over lemon crepes and fold or roll them up. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of powdered sugar for a fancy touch.
- Lemon Curd Mousse: Fold lemon curd into whipped cream for a light and airy dessert that’s perfect on its own or as a topping for cakes.
- Saucy: Add a spoonful on the side of a muffin or a cake. In a nod to my Southern heritage, I love to serve my coconut snack cake with a side of lemon curd.
Recipe FAQs
I prefer the fresh lemon flavor of fresh lemons, and I can usually find a bag of 4 to 6 of them for less than $3, but if you have a favorite high quality lemon juice, I won't stop you. I might silently shake my head, but I won't stop you.
You may have cooked your curd at too high of heat or for too long, scrambling a portion of the eggs. You have a few options.
1. Start over. I've never actually had a curd so lumpy that I gave up and started over, but I am never ashamed to admit to a failure. We are human after all. But, there are better options:
2. You can strain your curd through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any lumps, egg shells, or cooked bits.
3. Finally, you can transfer everything to a high speed blender, or use an immersion blender, to mix until smooth and creamy.
Lemon curd should be stored in a clean airtight container or lidded jar in the refrigerator. It should last up to 2 weeks, as long as you only use clean utensils to portion it out and you place it back into the refrigerator as soon as you finish serving.
Freezing the lemon curd will definitely increase its shelf life. You can freeze an the whole batch of lemon curd at once, or I like to portion it into an ice cube tray, cover it with plastic wrap, and freeze. If I know that I'll want to add lemon curd to something, I'll place servings in a smaller covered container and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
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-Cynthia
📖 Recipe
Easy Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- Zest from 2 lemons
- ½ cup (122 g) lemon juice from 2 to 3 lemons
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large (150 g) eggs can be cold from the fridge
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter 1 stick, room temperature and cut into small cubes
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk together your eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and a pinch of kosher salt until well combined.
- Place pan over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. It will begin to thicken. Continue to cook until the mixture coats the back of your spoon and running your finger through leaves a nice clean trail, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in half of your butter cubes, waiting for them to incorporate before adding the rest.
- Transfer the curd into a bowl, using a small strainer. Gently press the curd through the strainer with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to remove the zest and any possible cooked egg or shell bits.
- Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd and refrigerate at least one hour, up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Save This Recipe! 💌
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
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