Maybe, like me, you made it to adulthood without tasting the tart, sweet goodness of a silky smooth lemon curd. And maybe, like me, you figure you’re not missing out on much. I mean, we’ve got lemon poppyseed muffins, right?
Yeah but . .. no.
Traditionally served in England with scones or toast at afternoon tea, lemon curd is an experience everyone should have at least once. Creamy and bursting with lemony goodness, it’s perfect for adding a refreshing twist to cakes, cookies, and more. (Ideas below!)
And the lemon curd recipe itself? Easy peasy lemon squeezy, no thermometers required!
Ways To Use Lemon Curd
The best way to think of lemon curd is as a citrus version of jam or jelly. If your favorite jam goes well with whatever you’re considering, chances are lemon curd will too. Here are some ideas:
- As a filling in these thumbprint cookies
- Whipped into lemon mousse (my favorite way)
- Smoothed over cheesecake or pound cake
- Swirled into yogurt with nuts and blueberries (or any fruit you prefer)
- Spread on these lemon-blueberry scones, homemade biscuits, or even waffles
- Served with fresh fruit and whipped cream (or whipped coconut cream if dairy-free)
- As a filling for mini-tartlets
- Iced over paleo sugar cookies
Easy Lemon Curd Recipe
Equipment
- small pot
- whisk
- medium mixing bowl
- strainer
- spoon
- glass jar
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1½ tsp lemon zest
- ½ cup light colored honey
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (how to make vanilla extract)
- 2 tbsp butter (or coconut oil if dairy-free)
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Combine the lemon juice, zest and honey in a small pot and heat over low heat until the mixture is steaming. Whisk everything together until it is well-combined.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs.
- Gradually, pour the warmed lemon/honey mixture into the bowl with the eggs, whisking constantly.
- Rinse out the pot to wash away any pieces of lemon zest, then place a fine mesh strainer over the top. Pour the honey/lemon/egg mixture through the strainer back into the pot.
- Place the pot on the stove and set the burner to medium heat. Cook – whisking occasionally – for 6-8 minutes or until the mixture is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. It should take about 3-5 minutes for the mixture to start simmering – that's what it's supposed to do. You'll know the curd is ready when you can run a finger across the back of your spoon and the little line that forms doesn't immediately fill in. Don't worry if it's not as thick as you want – it will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Once it's ready, give it one last good stir for 15-20 seconds, then remove it from heat and whisk in the vanilla and butter.
- Pour into a clean jar and refrigerate until chilled, then serve.
Notes
Tried this recipe? Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The process is the same as you would use with freezer jam. Place it in a jar or freezable container with at least 1/4 inch of space at the top and store in the freezer for up to six months. When you’re ready to use it, transfer it to the fridge and let it thaw for a day or so before using.
Definitely! This recipe can be made with any variety of lemon, and meyer is a great choice.
Love Lemon? 5 More Ways To Use It
Lavender Lemonade – This refreshing lemonade is like your fave recipe from childhood, but with added aromatic notes of lavender and a hint of thyme. If you want to add a little extra pop, use sparkling mineral water.
Lemon Bread With Vanilla Glaze – Sweet and tangy, this bread is made with wholesome ingredients, and I’ve been told by one Starbucks Lemon Loaf lover that’s it’s just as delicious as store-bought.
Lemon Pepper Seasoning – The light citrus flavor in this seasoning melds perfectly with the deep, spicy notes of peppercorns. It’s super easy to make, too.
Homemade Limoncello – The tartness of this recipe is balanced with just the right amount of sweetness for a smooth, refreshing after dinner digestif. (After dinner drink that supports digestion.)
Lemon Bars – Tart and sweet, these yummy lemon bars are like little squares of sunshine on a plate. They’re made with a chewy, lemon-zest infused crust that’s topped with an extra-thick layer of melt-in-your-mouth creamy lemon filling.
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Can yhis be made using sugar alcohol or stevia?
Yes, I found a few keto versions online. Look up keto lemon curd for four or five different recipes.
This stuff is beyond amazing! Love your detailed recipe, it was so easy to make and it’s so good! Put it on top of the no bake cheesecake cups and WOW! What a great combination!
I just successively made this lemon curd. I have tried numerous times and couldn’t get it right. This recipe is amazing and delicious! thank you, lemon curd is my very favorite part of dessert!
Wow! This recipe super easy and healthy. I will try it soon.
Can I use eggs substitute like chia or flax seeds in the lemon curd?
Honey becomes toxic when heated. You should never heat honey. It’s not meant for cooking.
It’s true that in the Ayurvedic tradition heating honey is discouraged. While it’s true that raw honey contains enzymes that contributes to its therapeutic properties and heat will reduce or eliminate these enzymes, I have never found any credible research which states that heated honey is toxic.
First of all, thank you so much for responding!! I have stopped looking at several blogs because the authors just never responded, or randomly but not often (namely your buddy WM, who has never once responded to my questions, and there have been many).
That’s interesting that you haven’t seen any science showing that… I learned it in nutrition school way back when, and have always heard it but never went looking to see if it was scientifically proven. However, I will say this, I trust the ancient healers more than science.
And I say this as someone in the process today of evaluating scientific case studies for evidence-based practice. Which I should get back to, but I’ll let you know if I find anything interesting on the subject in the future!
I’m with you on traditional medicine. I always say that if you want to know where the cutting-edge research is, ask moms. They were talking about the gut-brain connection long before major research institutions and the media. In the same way, if I want to learn about a plant or substance, I look to the cultures that have used them for centuries (or longer). Most often they’re spot on, but on rare occasions I’ve found that current research doesn’t support or even contradicts traditional use. It’s not common, but it happens. I personally think that’s the case with honey.
That is very interesting! And yes, I agree, it does happen sometimes that the old masters were wrong… happens to the best of us (just happened to me!) I’ll definitely look into it when I have some time, because now I have to get to the bottom of this, but I hope you’re right because honey can be so great in certain recipes! Thank you!
Not sure it becomes toxic, however all the beneficial enzymes are cooked out, and I prefer to use something else rather than honey if there is heating involved. I think the beneficial enzymes are good and don’t want to loosed them. Also, honey is expensive and I would rather use something else if those enzymes are going to be going bye-bye.
Thanks for sharing. This brings me back to my Suzy Homemaker days as I like to call them. The lemon curd is so close to lemon meringue pie without the crust. When you’re gluten intolerant, that’s a good thing! Is it really necessary to strain out the lemon zest? Does it affect the taste?
I’m from then UK and we also have orange curd and lime curd (although you don’t see them in the shops quite so much nowadays for some reason), both are scrummy on fresh bread with a generous amount of butter. I’m going to have a go at orange curd, using your lemon recipe. Thank you for posting, I’ll try to let you know how it turns out.
Just made this as a filling for pie. Perfect! And so simple. Thanks.
Thank you for the recipe ! Very good step by step directions ! I do curds with oranges and grapefruits. Delish!
Hi! I want to try this, but am following the trim healthy mama lifestyle. Is there a way to make this without the honey? Some kind of substitute? I really want to make the mousse! I love what you do!! Thank you!
I think THM uses glycerin in place of some liquid sweeteners. I have not tested glycerin in this recipe and have no idea how it would turn out, but if you try it please come back and let me know!
I found a few keto versions online too so you can make this sugar-free.