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Lemon curd is an incredibly delicious and thick citrus packed filling or spread. It’s vibrant yellow color and tangy lemon taste makes best homemade lemon curd a great addition to many recipes.
There are so many different recipes using lemon curd that it’s always a great idea to find an easy lemon curd recipe that lets you make it at home. Homemade lemon curd tastes great and is much cheaper than store bought.
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Making This Foolproof Lemon Curd
This lemon curd recipe is so easy to make that you don’t even need to touch your stove if you don’t want to! Using a microwave safe bowl, you can make your delicious lemon curd in the microwave within minutes.
I also recommend having a strainer for the lemon curd to run through at the end because it gives you a much smoother texture at the end.
What Is Lemon Curd Used For?
Lemon curd is used for a lot of different things including lemon pie filling, in tarts, on cakes, or used as a jam-like spread on scones, muffins, and slices of bread. It’s so good that you may even just want to eat it with a spoon! I won’t tell anyone if you do!
What Is The Difference Between Lemon Curd And Lemon Pie Filling?
Lemon pie filling and lemon curd are both very similar, but there are some distinct differences. Lemon curd is made with egg yolks and uses the natural pectin in the lemons to solidify the mix whereas lemon pie filling is thickened with flour or cornstarch. Curd is also much smoother in texture and intense in flavor.
Lemon Curd Ingredients
-4 lemons
-1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
-3 eggs + 2 egg yolks
-1/2 cup butter
-1/4 tsp vanilla extract
-¼ cup lemon zest (can be made from zesting 3 lemons)
-1 cup of lemon juice from juicing 4 lemons
How to Make Lemon Curd in the Microwave
Melt your butter in a medium sized glass bowl in the microwave.
Add in the sugar and stir. Microwave 1 minute.
Add the lemon juice and the lemon zest. Microwave for 2 minutes.
Beat the eggs until smooth. Pour out about 1/3 cup of the hot lemon butter mixture into a 1 cup measuring cup. Add in about 1/4 of the egg mixture. Stir constantly, and then pour it into the bowl with the rest of the lemon mixture. Stir, and then microwave for 1 minute.
Repeat the process, tempering the eggs with a small amount of lemon mixture so that the eggs don’t cook. Stir after each 1 minute interval in the microwave. Continue until all of the eggs are mixed in.
Microwave for 2 minutes, stopping at the 1 minute mark to stir again. Add in the vanilla extract.
Run the mixture through a strainer, if desired. I like to do this when the lemon curd is still hot because it’s quick & easy. Straining yields a lovely smooth lemon curd, so I highly recommend doing this.
Transfer the lemon curd to jars and refrigerate. The curd will thicken upon cooling.
How to Make Lemon Curd on the Stovetop
Combine butter, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium sized saucepan. Turn on medium-low heat and stir occasionally as mixture warms up. Cook about 10 minutes until mixture begins to gently bubble.
Beat the eggs until smooth. Ladle out about 1/3 cup of the hot lemon butter mixture into a 1 cup measuring cup. Let cool 1 minute. Add in about 1/4 of the egg mixture. Stir constantly, and then pour it into the bowl with the rest of the lemon mixture. Reduce heat slightly.
Repeat the process, tempering the eggs with a small amount of lemon mixture so that the eggs don’t cook. Stir often. Continue until all of the eggs are mixed in.
Cook on low heat for 10 minutes, then remove from heat.Add in the vanilla extract.
Run the mixture through a strainer, if desired. I like to do this when the lemon curd is still hot because it’s quick & easy. Straining yields a lovely smooth lemon curd, so I highly recommend doing this.
Transfer the lemon curd to jars and refrigerate. The curd will thicken upon cooling.
Best Lemon Curd Recipe
Lemon curd is an incredibly delicious and thick citrus packed filling or spread. It’s vibrant yellow color and tangy lemon taste makes it a great addition to many recipes.
4.91 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Jams/ Jellies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best lemon curd
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 90kcal
Author:
Ingredients
- 4 lemons
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup lemon zest from 3-4 lemons
- 1 cup lemon juice from juicing 4 lemons
Instructions
MICROWAVE INSTRUCTIONS
Melt butter in medium glass bowl in the microwave. Add sugar and stir. Microwave 1 minute.
Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Microwave 2 minutes.
Beat eggs and yolks until smooth. Pour out about 1/3 cup of hot lemon butter mixture into a 1 cup measuring cup. Add in about 1/4 of the egg mixture. Stir constantly, then pour into the bowl with the rest of the lemon mixture. Stir, then microwave for 1 minute.
Repeat process, tempering eggs with a small amount of lemon mixture so that the eggs don’t cook. Stir after each 1 minute interval in the microwave. Continue until all of the eggs are mixed in.
Microwave 2 minutes, stopping at 1 minute to stir again. Add in vanilla extract.
Run mixture through strainer, if desired. I like to do this when the lemon curd is hot because it’s quick & easy. Straining yields a lovely smooth lemon curd, so I highly recommend it.
Transfer lemon curd to jars and refrigerate. Curd will thicken upon cooling.
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS
Combine butter, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium sized saucepan. Turn on medium-low heat and stir occasionally as mixture warms up. Cook about 10 minutes until mixture begins to gently bubble.
Beat the eggs until smooth. Ladle out about 1/3 cup of the hot lemon butter mixture into a 1 cup measuring cup. Let cool 1 minute. Add in about 1/4 of the egg mixture. Stir constantly, and then pour it into the bowl with the rest of the lemon mixture. Reduce heat slightly.
Repeat the process, tempering the eggs with a small amount of lemon mixture so that the eggs don’t cook. Stir often. Continue until all of the eggs are mixed in.
Cook on low heat for 10 minutes, then remove from heat.Add in the vanilla extract.
Run the mixture through a strainer, if desired. I like to do this when the lemon curd is still hot because it’s quick & easy. Straining yields a lovely smooth lemon curd, so I highly recommend doing this.
Transfer the lemon curd to jars and refrigerate. The curd will thicken upon cooling.
Video
Notes
Yields 3 cups of freshly made lemon curd.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 43mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
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Can You Freeze Homemade Lemon Curd?
Yes, you can! Lemon curd does very well when frozen. Simply place it in an airtight container and store it in your freezer for up to a year. Thaw in the fridge for a day or two before use, and use it within 4 weeks.
How Do You Know When Lemon Curd Is Done?
If you can run the back of a spoon through the lemon curd and leave a trail behind, you know it’s ready. It may still seem a little thinner than you’d like, but that’s okay because it will thicken as it cools.
Can You Eat Lemon Curd On Toast?
Absolutely! Scoop out some homemade lemon curd and spread it over a nice golden piece of toast and enjoy!
Check Out These Lemon Dessert Recipes!
- Lemon Drop Glazed Mini Muffins
- Lemon Cake Truffles
- Lemon Butter Cookies
- Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- Lemon Lush
- Easy Lemon Bread
- Lemon Poke Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread
- Lemon Icebox Pie
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
With a homemade lemon curd, you can make your own filling for tarts, pies, cakes, and more! The intense lemon flavor is perfect for so many lemon recipes!
