Go Back
–+ servings
An image of easy homemade lemon curd in a jar next to fresh lemons.
Print Recipe
4.85 from 13 votes

Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe

This easy homemade Lemon Curd is smooth and bright with the best sweet-tart lemon flavor that tastes like a jar of liquid sunshine! There are countless ways to use a batch of lemon curd from filling cookies, cakes, and tarts, to spreading over biscuits and scones!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Additional Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Spreads & Sauces
Cuisine: French
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 155kcal
Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 4 Tablespoons salted butter

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients except butter in double boiler over simmering pot of water. Heat, whisking constantly, for 10 minutes until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon (betweeen 160-170°F on a candy thermometer).
  • Remove from the heat, then add the butter, whisking until combined.
  • Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed right onto the curd. Refrigerate until cold.

Notes

  • Yield: This recipe makes about 1 ½ cups of lemon curd.
  • Storage and Freezing: You can keep the lemon curd in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about 2 weeks. Or freeze for 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight, stirring well before serving.
  • Using whole eggs: I made this recipe with whole eggs instead of just egg yolks and it turned out fine. I just prefer the richer, more concentrated flavor of lemon curd made solely with egg yolks.
  • No double boiler? No problem. If you don't have a double boiler and don't want to bother with the bowl nestled in a pot approach, you can make this recipe in a saucepan over direct heat. Just be careful not to overcook the eggs, and consider straining the finished lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer to remove any possible bits of scrambled egg.
  • Variations: This recipe will work with other types of citrus as well, including meyer lemons, limes, and grapefruit.

Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg