How to Make Lemon Curd in just a few simple steps. Lemon curd is a bright, tart, filling made with eggs and lemon. It has lots of uses from filling for cakes and cupcakes, to simple tarts.

How to make Lemon Curd recipeHow to Make Lemon Curd

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE lemon desserts, and any lemon-lover worth their salt needs to know how to make Lemon Curd. Lemon Curd is like a little spoonful of sunshine. It is bright, sweet, tart, and perfectly lemon-y! I use it as a filling between layers of coconut cake, mixed with cream cheese for the perfect lemon cream cheese danish, or whipped up into a light, fluffy no bake lemon meringue dip. It’s super versatile and totally delicious!

Is there a difference between lemon curd and lemon pie filling?

Yes! In general lemon pie filling uses cornstarch, flour, or even gelatin, like we used in our 7UP Lemon Tart, to thicken the filling. Lemon curd is more spreadable and doesn’t firm up quite as much.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Thank you!How to make Lemon Curd on the stove top

How to Make Lemon Curd:

  1. In a small saucepan, over medium high heat, combine the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Whisk them together and cook, stirring constantly, until the curd begins to thicken. The temperature should reach about 170 degrees F (it should not boil). This takes approximately 10-15 minutes.
  2. Once the curd is thick enough that you can coat the back of a spoon, drag your finger through it and the curd doesn’t run, remove it from the heat and pour it through a strainer to remove any bits of scrambled egg.
  3. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the curd, stirring until it is fully combined. Stir in the lemon zest.
  4. Once it has cooled enough place the lemon curd in a resealable container with plastic wrap pressed down to touch the top of the lemon curd to keep it from forming a skin. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

How to make Lemon Curd from fresh lemons

Once your lemon curd is ready it’s going to take all of your willpower to keep from dipping a spoon in and taking a bite..or two…I’ll admit I usually fail miserably. The curd isn’t too sour, it is perfectly sweet with just enough tart, lemon flavor. Now that you know how to make lemon curd give it a try. You won’t be disappointed!

How to make Lemon Curd for the summer
More recipes that use lemon curd:

HOW TO MAKE LEMON CURD
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Servings: 10
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Lemon Curd

How to Make Lemon Curd in just a few simple steps. Lemon curd is made with eggs and lemon and it has lots of uses including filling for cakes and cupcakes!
How to make Lemon Curd recipe
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

  • 6 Egg Yolks, room temperature
  • 1 cup Sugar, granulated
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice, approximately 4-5 lemons (do not use the bottled lemon juice!)
  • ¼ cup Butter, unsalted, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Zest

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, over medium high heat, combine the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Whisk them together and cook, stirring constantly, until the curd begins to thicken. The temperature should reach about 170 degrees F (it should not boil). This takes approximately 10-15 minutes.
  • Once the curd is thick enough that you can coat the back of a spoon, drag your finger through it and the curd doesn’t run, remove it from the heat and pour it through a strainer to remove any bits of scrambled egg.
  • Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the curd, stirring until it is fully combined. Stir in the lemon zest.
  • Once it has cooled enough place the lemon curd in a resealable container with plastic wrap pressed down to touch the top of the lemon curd to keep it from forming a skin. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 129mg, Sodium: 46mg, Potassium: 24mg, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 300IU, Vitamin C: 5.5mg, Calcium: 15mg, Iron: 0.3mg
Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.
Author: Kat Jeter & Melinda Caldwell
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade, lemon dessert, lemon filling