Easy Lemon Curd Recipe

Enjoy homemade lemon curd with simple ingredients and quick steps for a tangy, velvety texture perfect for toast, pastries, and desserts.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 148.9kcal

Medium Saucepan: used to cook the lemon curd.
Whisk or Wooden Spoon: to mix and stir the ingredients together as they cook.
Microplane or Zester: To zest the skin of the lemon without the bitter white pith.
Citrus Juicer: handy for extracting the juice from the lemons.
Strainer: useful for straining the lemon juice to remove any seeds or pulp before adding it to the mixture.

Wash the lemons thoroughly to remove any dirt or wax then zest the lemons to get about 2 tablespoons of zest.
Cut the lemons in half and juice them to yield about ½ cup of lemon juice.
Fill the bottom pot of your double boiler with 1–2 inches of water or fill a medium-sized pot with about an inch of water and bring it to a gentle simmer over low heat. This creates a double boiler.
In the heatproof bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, the eggs and salt and whisk until the mixture is well combined and smooth. Add the cubed butter to the bowl and place the bowl over the simmering water in the double boiler.
Keep whisking the mixture gently but consistently as it cooks until it becomes smooth and the butter is fully melted. The mixture will gradually thicken, becoming smooth and glossy. This usually takes about 8-10 minutes.
To check if the curd is ready, dip a spoon into the mixture. If the curd coats the back of the spoon and holds a distinct line when you run your finger through it, it's done.
Once the curd is ready, remove the bowl from the double boiler.
Optional: Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the zest and any cooked egg.
Let the lemon curd cool for a few minutes before transferring it into clean jars or containers.

Use ripe, fresh lemons for a bright flavor in curd.
Use a microplane or fine grater to zest lemons without scraping bitter pith.
Strain lemon juice to remove seeds and pulp before adding to ingredients.
Cook lemon curd on low to medium heat; avoid high heat for a lumpy texture.
Stir constantly to ensure even heat distribution and prevent curd from sticking.
Place plastic wrap on the curd surface to prevent skin formation during cooling.
Allow lemon curd to cool before refrigerating and transferring to the container.
Store lemon curd in glass jars to prevent acidic reactions.