by Annalise Sandbergon Jan 24, 2023 (updated Mar 27, 2024)
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4.67 from 3 reviews
Homemade lemon curd is easier to make at home than you might think, and so much better than store-bought. All you need is 4 ingredients and 10 minutes to make this lemon curd recipe!
Lemon curd is a rich, bright, and zesty topping made with egg yolks, fresh lemon zestandjuice, sugar and butter.
This recipe has been go-to since 2010 and it never fails to make me swoon every time I make it. Not only does is have deliciously fresh lemon flavor, but it’s smooth and creamy too.
Spoon lemon curd over biscuits, scones, crepes, pancakes, angel food cake, pound cake and more. If you’ve never had lemon curd, or have never made it at home, it’s definitely something you need to try!
Ingredients you’ll need
Here’s everything needed to make the best lemon curd at home. Just 4 ingredients! (Full recipe is at the end of this article)
How to make homemade lemon curd
As I’ve mentioned, lemon curd is a mixture of lemon juice and zest, egg yolks, sugar, and butter. It’s similar to a custard and made over the stove. So let’s get started!
- Juice and zest the lemons. You’ll need about 3-4 lemons to get the required 1 cup of juice.
- Separate egg yolks.See how I separate eggs here. Also, this is a fabulous way to use up leftover eggyolks!
- Heat lemon juice, zest, butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Combine in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally.
- Whiskegg yolks and remaining sugar. Combine in a separate bowl.
- Add warm lemon mixture to egg yolks. Add in a slow steady stream while whisking the egg yolkmixture constantly until both are combined, this is calledtempering.
- Cook until thickened. Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat for a few minutes while stirring constantly, until curd has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
- Strain. Pass curd through a fine mesh strainer to remove the lemon zest and any cooked egg lumps, making it silky smooth.
- Cool and store. Store lemon curd in a jar or airtight container, and keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. You can freeze lemon curd for a month or more, letting it thaw in the fridge before using.
What is tempering?
Tempering is the process of slowly combining hot and cool ingredients together in a safe stable way. By tempering the hot lemon juice mixture into the egg yolks, it slowly brings the yolks up to temperature. If you throw the egg yolks straight onto the stove, you’ll end up with chunky scrambled eggs in the lemon curd. Warming them up gradually and gently keeps them smooth.
More tips for making lemon curd
- You can use salted or unsalted butter. If using unsalted, consider adding 1/8 teaspoon of salt to cut through some of the sweetness.
- If your lemon curd doesn’t seem to be thickening, increase heat a bit and see if that speeds up the process.
- The lemon curd should be barely simmering as it thickens, with just a few bubbles at the edges. Do not boil, and decrease heat if needed.
- I like to cover freshly made lemon curd with plastic wrap placed directly in contact on top of the lemon curd. This prevents a thin form film from forming as it cools. Once lemon curd is chilled, this is no longer needed.
- After the lemon curd is thoroughly chilled, it may seem pretty thick, but giving it a good stir before using will restore its creaminess.
- This recipe can also be used with other citrus such as lime, orange or grapefruit.
- If you have leftover egg whites, you can always make angel food cake or coconut macaroons.
Ways to use lemon curd
So you’ve made a batch of lemon curd, now what should you do with it? (Besides eating it with a spoon, of course.)
You can use homemade lemon curd as a topping or filling for so many things like:
- Biscuits
- Scones
- Pancakes or waffles
- French toast
- Cake
- Ice cream
- And more!
Some of my recipes that use lemon curd arelemon berry shortcakes,lemon mousse pie, andlemon vanilla layer cake.
So many delicious options! Enjoy!
Note: This recipe was originally published April 2010.
4.67 from 3 reviews
Lemon Curd
Servings: 24 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 20 minutes mins
Lemon curd is a rich, bright, and zesty topping for everything from biscuits to cakes!
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Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter , cut into cubes
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (237 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice , about 3-4 lemons
- Zest of 3 lemons
- 10 large egg yolks
Instructions
Add butter, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
In another bowl, combine the egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Slowly add the hot lemon juice mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously. When fully combined, return the mixture to the saucepan and continue to cook over medium heat until thickened and the whisk leaves a trail in the curd.
Remove from heat and pass through a mesh strainer set over a bowl to remove the zest and any egg clumps. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the curd and let set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Lemon curd can also be frozen for several month.
Video
Notes
Makes 3 total cups of lemon curd.
Adapted fromCake Art.
Calories: 740kcal, Carbohydrates: 74g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 47g, Saturated Fat: 25g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 732mg, Sodium: 34mg, Potassium: 160mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 69g, Vitamin A: 1816IU, Vitamin C: 31mg, Calcium: 92mg, Iron: 2mg
Cuisine: French
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise Sandberg
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.
Easter Spring Winter
originally published on Jan 24, 2023 (last updated Mar 27, 2024)
34 comments Leave a comment »
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34 comments on “How to Make Homemade Lemon Curd”
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Red Couch Recipes — Reply
What a nice tutorial on lemon curd! I sooo love lemon curd! Joni
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Sam and Jen Chesnut — Reply
I have never had lemon curd before (the name is kinda creepy), but I do love me lemons!!! I am going to have to make this with homemade scones this week!
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Sue — Reply
I know it as both Lemon Curd or as Lemon Honey, which is a nicer name.
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Annalise —
I’ve never heard of it called Lemon Honey, that is a nice name!
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Valen — Reply
What wonderful looking lemon curd! I have never made the classic recipe, but my own variations. I bet it is very good.
See AlsoLemon Curd -
Memória — Reply
Whoa, 10 egg yolks?!! Wow. This curd looks delicious. Thanks for the process photos.
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Silvia — Reply
It looks yummy! But what did you do with the egg whites?
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Lindsey Campbell — Reply
Make Swiss meringue buttercream! Martha Stewarts Recipe calls for 10 egg whites.
Make a cake, fill with lemon curd, frost with buttercream, too with fresh berries. A+
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Bernideen — Reply
Thanks for a greatrecipe and photo demonstration!
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Anonymous — Reply
10 egg yolks=10 egg whites = a lot of meringue I'm guessing.
Lemon meringue pie anyone?
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Annalise — Reply
Yes, there are plenty of egg whites left over! I usually try to use them up somehow, but this time I just wastefully dumped them down the drain.
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Sarah — Reply
Just finished making this! I was glad to find a delicious way to use the leftover egg yolks from an angel food cake. I'll probably pair the cake and this lemon curd. Delicious!
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Ally — Reply
How long will the curd keep after you make it (if it's refrigerated)?
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Suzanne (You Made That?) — Reply
love lemon curd, I did a post also on lemon curd but your tutorial is so much better great job!
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StyleNectar — Reply
looks beyond fabulous!! ~Juliane at http://www.StyleNectar.com
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Elise Meyer — Reply
Thanks so much for this great tutorial. I reposted it on my blog after a lot of passover desserts that left me with 14 yolks!
Much Ado About Stuffing
http://www.elisemeyer.blogspot.com -
Anonymous — Reply
Wait.. how much butter does this recipe use? The ingredient list says 1 cup, but the directions only use 1/2 cup.
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Diana — Reply
You put the half cup of butter in with the zest, juice and sugar at the start, then you add the other half cup of butter at the end, when you stir it through the hot curd. I just made this from lemons in my back yard and it is delicious!
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iis — Reply
why you just use the egg yolks? can't we use white egg as well?
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Kara Brown — Reply
I typed in 10 egg yolk lemon curd and your site came up and im glad it did i made this over the weekend and its so Delicious i used it to fill vanilla cupcakes.
thanks
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Patty — Reply
Hi Annalise 🙂
Thank you for this great recipe and tutorial. I posted your recipe to pintrest. Are you on pintrest? if so I’d like to follow you. If your not on pintrest and want to join let me know…I’ll send you an invite.
Patty 🙂
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Annalise — Reply
Hi Patty, I am on Pinterest! And I’m totally addicted. Here’s my profile: http://pinterest.com/completedelish.
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Michele — Reply
I am making a round 3 tiered cake – 6 in, 8 in & 10 in. Would you be able to help me figure out how much of this curd I would need to fill this cake? Each tier will be two layers. Also, would I need to spread icing on the cake before putting the curd on to prevent seepage?
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Annalise — Reply
The recipe should make about 3 cups of lemon curd, so you should have about 1 cup to put between each tier layer (more for the 10 in, less for the 6 in). I think you’ll find it’s plenty. And you’ll need to create a dam of frosting along the perimeter with whatever you’re using to ice the outside of the cake. That will keep the curd from seeping out the sides. Use a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip or a knife to make the dam. Good luck!
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Suemo — Reply
….into the 21st century girls & boys!!
Make your lemon curd in the microwave. Sublime!
I like a little more set curd that won’t run but sits where I put it!
You’ll never look back.
Egg whites freeze well. Frozen in individuall small containers or in pairs work well for me. Use for meringues, pavlova etc.
Why not dress them up with the curd?Deeeevine!! -
Kylie — Reply
Just made this to use up the egg yolks I have left over after making Christmas meringue nests. OMGoodness I have never had lemon curd before except maybe in a tart. This recipe is amazing and easy. Thank you so much will make now every year and have no waste!
Put this first lot in jars. Next batch is going to become tarts!
Thanks for the recipe. -
Denise Lynn — Reply
wait this only calls for 1/2 cup butter total~~says nothing about adding another half cup at the end ~are you sure we are making comments on the same recipe as posted ?
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Denise Lynn — Reply
just as i had thought ~you have the grams for the butter correct but not the measurements not the process ~~glad i had not wasted 10 yolks and half a cup of butter here with the times being what they are ~you may wish to amend this recipe for others ~~
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Annalise — Reply
Hi Denise! This recipe is correct as written, and it’s the way I’ve been making lemon curd for years. It’s delicious! When I first shared this recipe 10 years ago there was twice the amount of butter, but I’ve improved upon the recipe and now it only requires 1/2 cup.
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Sandy Bay — Reply
This lemon curd recipe produced the most lemony curd we’ve ever tasted. Who knew making it from scratch was worth it. However, the thickening of the curd took much longer than I could have possibly anticipated. Perhaps because I have a glass top electric stove? It took almost a half hour at a just slightly lower than medium heat due to bubbles popping as it perked away thickening that can scald (take my word for it). In the end, the whisk never left a trail, but once off the heat & left in a Pyrex bowl the final product thickened very well while covered in the refrigerator overnight. Price wise, this is not a cheap spread to make. It took six lemons to get the sufficient amount of lemon juice, and they were juicy lemons, and 11 eggs because one broke while being separating. Overall, a good experience but one I won’t be attempting too often.
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SpencerTracy — Reply
I’ve seen a lot of people throw away the egg whites, it’s a waste of money. Is there any dish that goes with this dish that solves this waste problem?
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Annalise — Reply
What about angel food cake? I agree, it’s a waste to throw away the egg whites. If you don’t have a use for them right away, they’ll actually keep for quite a while in the fridge or you can freeze them!
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Linda — Reply
I used this recipe to enter a competition at a local agricultural show and would you believe it I won 1st prize. It’s absolutely lovely. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
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