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As a classically-trained chef with plenty of pastry classes under my belt, I love to help home cooks master classic desserts at home. Lemon Curd is one of my favorites, an easy, one-bowl recipe that simmers gently over a double boiler until thickened. That’s it!
Meggan’s notes
There are lots of ways to make lemon curd, but this is the easiest way I know how: Start with 4 basic ingredients (eggs, sugar, butter, and lemons), whisk together in a bowl, and simmer over a double boiler. You need both whole eggs and an extra yolk, and you need to zest and juice the lemon, but it really is that easy.
The biggest struggle with curd is when it doesn’t thicken. Lemon curd should thicken in about 20 minutes, but you must bring it to 170 degrees. If you don’t pay attention to your temperature, you’ll find yourself whisking away for an hour, your arm ready to fall off, your curd no thicker. Most recipes I see don’t mention the temperature, and it really is crucial.
So that’s the secret: Use a thermometer. Pay attention to your temperature. As soon as you hit 170 degrees, you’ll have a bowl of thick, tangy curd. Straining it through a fine-mesh sieve helps, too; it ensures that silky-smooth texture we all love. Spoon it over homemade crepes, drizzle it over scones, pancakes, and waffles, or use lemon curd as a luscious filling for cakes, tarts, and pastries.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Lemons: Always zest your lemons before you cut them open to juice. It’s much harder to zest half of a lemon! Here’s How to Zest a Lemon five ways.
Step-by-step instructions
- Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer and set a glass or metal bowl over the top to create a double boiler. In the bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar, butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Cook over the simmering water, stirring frequently, until very thick, about 20 to 25 minutes (the curd must reach 170 degrees on a thermometer to thicken).
- Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth, then cover and chill completely.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 2 ½ cups of lemon curd.
- Storage: Store lemon curd covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Pack lemon curd in a freezer-safe container, leaving 1 inch headspace for expansion. Label, date, and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- All the curds: Use this same recipe with your favorite citrus. Just swap out oranges for lemons to make orange curd and limes to make lime curd. Passion fruit curd is another popular flavor, too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Lemon curd adds a burst of citrusy flavor to just about anything! Spread it over warm scones or toast, drizzle it on pancakes, swirl it into yogurt or ice cream, or use it as a luscious filling for cakes, tarts, and pastries.
Runny lemon curd usually means it hasn’t cooked long enough. Simmer it gently over a double boiler, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. It will continue to set as it cools.
Homemade lemon curd lasts about 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer when stored in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Yes! While a double boiler helps prevent overheating, you can cook lemon curd directly in a saucepan over low heat. Be sure to whisk constantly, or you might accidentally scramble your eggs.
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Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup butter cubed (1 stick)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (see note 1)
- 3 ounces lemon juice
Instructions
- Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer and set a glass or metal bowl over the top to create a double boiler. In the bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar, butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Cook over the simmering water, stirring frequently, until very thick, about 20 to 25 minutes (the curd must reach 170 degrees on a thermometer to thicken).
- Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth, then cover and chill completely.
Notes
- Lemons: Always zest your lemons before you cut them open to juice. It’s much harder to zest half of a lemon! Here’s How to Zest a Lemon five ways.
- Yield: This recipe makes 2 ½ cups of lemon curd.
- Storage: Store lemon curd covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.