Easy Lemon Curd Recipe from The Food Charlatan. (2024)

Last night Eric and I were sitting around the dining room table eating ice cream withhis family. There was a lull in the conversation, so Aunt Joy poked her 9-year-old son Blake. “Tell us a joke, Blake.” Mumble mumble mumble. “What?”

“They wouldn’t be appropriate for the table.” 9 YEARS OLD MY FRIENDS.

Speaking of inappropriate jokes, we were at my sister-in-law’swedding reception last week, and I went over to Nana and Bumpa (Eric’s 85-year-old grandparents) to get them on the dance floor. Uptown Funk was playing. I was singing. The first time I said“Uptown funk don’t give it to you,” Nana gives me this shocked look and says, “Oh!” with her mouth hanging open. “No, no, no, Nana, FUNK, not the other one, you know, funk, like funky music.”It was a lost cause from the start.

This recipe for Lemon Curd is so tart and creamy!

What is lemon curd?

Lemon curd is a smooth, sweet, buttery lemon spread. It’s made with four simple ingredients: lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and butter. The consistency is like pudding, but it’s less creamy. It’s cooked (no raw eggs) and usually served cool or cold on top of or inside other things (like gingerbread, toast, or cupcakes). I personally eat it warm, with a spoon (and put it on everything in my kitchen).

Now, have you bought lemon curd at the store? That stuff is like pure corn syrup plus gelatin I think, and I’m not even talking about the cheap brands. The homemade stuff is absolutely incomparable. It is perfectly tart and creamy and gives you that little zing in your mouth that is a must for any citrus dessert.

It’s a super easy recipe, too. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool down in the fridge, although I certainly wouldn’t say no to a nice hot spoonful of lemon curd.

Best Lemon Curd ingredients

Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!

How to Make Lemon Curd

Here’s a quick overview of how to make this recipe. Full instructions can be found in the recipe card below!

1. In a small saucepan, stir together lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Set over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat together 3 eggs and 4 egg yolks. Whisk very well.
3. When the liquid on the stove is ready, slowly pour some of it into the bowl with the eggs, whisking constantly.
4. Return the pot to the stove and add the rest of the eggs while stirring. Continue to whisk pretty constantly over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. When you drag your whisk over the top of the mixture, it should leave marks.
5. Pour the curd through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Stir the chopped butter into the lemon curd until it’s completely melted.
6. Press a square of plastic wrap directly on top of the lemon curd and refrigerate until cold, about 2-4 hours. Transfer to a Tupperware.

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe tips

How to thicken lemon curd

Lemon curd will thicken as it cooks. If you haven’t cooked it long enough (meaning that a whisk dragged across the top doesn’t leave marks), no worries–just keep cooking it. Remember that it will thicken more as it cools, especially after you’ve added the butter (a solid at room temperature).

Can you overcook lemon curd?

Yes, you definitely can. The goal is just to cook the lemon curd until a whisk dragged through the curd leaves marks. After that, you risk scrambling the eggs in it. Now, if you overcook your curd (you’ll know because it will have little lumpy egg bits in it), don’t despair! You can put it in the blender or food processor and blend it until the egg bits are gone.

Best Lemon Curd Recipe storage

Lemon curd can be kept in any regular storage container–plastic Tupperware, fancy jam jars you’ve washed and saved, whatever you like. Just keep it in the fridge so it won’t spoil.

How long does lemon curd last?

Lemon curd lasts for 1-2 weeks in the fridge. You can also freeze it for several months (perfect for early Christmas prep to give out as neighbor gifts).

Good luck with all these suggestions, by the way. When I make lemon curd I hardly ever make it past thespoon.

Lemon Curd Recipe FAQs