• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
Sugar Spun Run
  • All Recipes
  • Desserts
    • Cookies
    • Candy
    • Bars & Brownies
    • Cake
    • Pies
  • Breads (Yeast & Quick Breads)
  • Savory
  • Breakfast
    • Muffins
    • Scones
  • Seasonal
    • Cozy Winter / Holiday Treats
    • Easter / Spring
    • Fall Recipes
    • Summer Recipes
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Me
  • All Recipes
  • Contact/Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
  • ร—
    Home ยป Recipes ยป Summer Recipes

    Lemon Curd Recipe

    April 27, 2022 Updated February 27, 2023 BySam 134 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    collage of lemon curd, top image of lemon curd in clear jar, bottom image of squeezed lemons and their juice

    Learn how to make the perfect homemade Lemon Curd Recipe! My easy version makes a tart curd that’s perfect for using as a filling or spread. Recipe includes a how-to video!

    glass jar full of homemade lemon curd on a gray marble surface surrounded by lemon halves and small white baby's breath flowers

    When Life Gives You Lemons…

    Make lemon curd! Have you ever made your own before? If so, then you already know that it’s so much tastier than the store-bought kind. My homemade recipe is bright and sunny, creamy and tart, and completely refreshing. Plus, it’s surprisingly simple to make. So simple, in fact, that you need only five ingredients!

    If you’re a lemon lover, chances are you may have already made this recipe. My lemon bars use a sweetened version of today’s recipe for their filling, and it’s a key ingredient in the bright yellow filling of my lemon cake and my lemon frosting.

    Why You Should Try Homemade Lemon Curd:

    • It cooks in just 10 minutes and is so easy to make!
    • The texture is silky smooth (as long as you strain it!).
    • It has a fresh, perfectly tart flavor that truly outshines the store-bought stuff.
    • It pairs well with so many desserts, from cakes and cupcakes to pavlova.

    What You Need

    juiced lemon halves scattered on a gray marble surface

    My lemon curd recipe uses only five ingredients for the simplest, easiest, and tastiest results! Here are a few of the key players:

    • Egg yolks. If you’d rather not throw your egg whites away, check out the list of egg white recipes I included in the recipe notes.
    • Lemon juice. You’ll need fresh squeezed lemon juice for today’s recipe. I find that I usually need about three lemons to get enough juice.
    • Lemon zest. Always zest your lemons before you juice them! It’s almost impossible to zest a juiced lemon.

    SAM’S TIP: Once you break through the yellow skin of your lemon, the bright white layer underneath is called the pith. The pith is bitter and doesn’t taste very good, so only zest until you reach that point, then stop!

    Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make Lemon Curd

    clear glass bowl covered with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the contents of the bowl
    1. Add the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and salt to a medium saucepan.
    2. Whisk until everything is combined, then set the heat to low/medium-low and add the remaining ingredients.
    3. Stir constantly and cook until the mixture is thickened, then pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a heat-proof bowl.
    4. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the curd and allow it to cool to room temperature before transferring to the fridge for several hours.

    SAM’S TIP: Watch your heat! Keep it low, stir constantly, and don’t let your curd come to a boil–you don’t want to end up scrambling your eggs!

    overhead view of a glass jar filled with yellow curd on a gray marble surface scattered with lemon halves and white baby's breath flowers

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What do you eat it with?

    While I find this lemon curd recipe to be delicious straight from the jar, here are a few (more civilized) options for enjoying:
    Add a sunny layer in lemon blueberry cake or petit fours.
    Serve it with freshly baked scones.
    Use it as a filling in my macaron recipe.
    Add a dollop to a slice of pound cake or (my favorite) angel food cake.
    Fold it with some whipped cream and use it as a filling for cream puffs.
    Pair it with crepes, pancakes, or waffles.
    Spread it on a warm slice of gingerbread.

    Why is my lemon curd runny?

    This may happen if the curd isn’t cooked properly, for example if it is cooked too quickly on too high of heat or if it isn’t cooked until thickened as indicated. Keep in mind that the curd will thicken as it cools, so while it still may seem a bit loose as it is cooking, it’ll thicken in the refrigerator. If your curd is still runny after cooling, it may have needed a few more minutes on the stove.

    How long will lemon curd keep?

    Up to two weeks if stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. 

    close-up view of a glass jar filled with bright yellow curd with a spoon dipped into it

    Let me know if you try this one!

    Enjoy!

    Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

    close-up view of a glass jar filled with bright yellow curd with a spoon dipped into it

    Lemon Curd Recipe

    How to make the perfect homemade Lemon Curd Recipe! This recipe makes a tart curd that's perfect for using as a filling or spread! Includes how-to video!
    4.99 from 68 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Chilling Time: 2 hours hours
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 13 fl oz
    Calories: 133kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 6 large egg yolks¹
    • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
    • ½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice²
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
    • 2 Tablespoons lemon zest³

    Recommended Equipment

    • Medium-sized saucepan Must be non-reactive metal, see note

    Instructions

    • Combine egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a non-reactive medium-sized saucepan (see note). Whisk until well-combined.
      6 large egg yolks¹, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice², ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • Transfer to stovetop over low/medium-low heat and add butter and lemon zest.
      ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 2 Tablespoons lemon zest³
    • Cook, stirring constantly (do not let the curd boil) until thickened and it coats the back of a spoon (see video below if a visual is helpful to you). I also like to use an instant read thermometer to check that the curd reaches 160F (to ensure eggs are cooked all the way through).
    • Remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a heat-proof bowl.
    • Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the lemon curd to avoid a skin forming. Allow to cool to room temperature for 20-30 minutes then transfer to the refrigerator or divide into serving jars. Chill for several hours then use as desired.

    Notes

    ¹Ways to use leftover egg whites

    Looking for a recipe for your leftover egg whites? Here are a few suggestions:
    • Meringue Cookies
    • White Cake
    • Angel Food Cake (you would need even more egg whites for this one)
    ²This took 3 whole lemons for me
    ³Zest the lemon before squeezing, it’s much easier that way than trying to zest an empty lemon skin. Be sure to avoid the bitter white pith when zesting (don’t grate all the way down to the actual lemon!)

    Saucepan

    You must use a non-reactive pan when making lemon curd. Acceptable materials include stainless steel, glass, enameled cast iron. Avoid using aluminum, copper, or iron (such as non-enameled cast iron) pans, which can react with the lemon and cause a metallic taste.

    How to Store

    Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1fl oz | Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 21mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 350IU | Vitamin C: 10.7mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.2mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    Related Recipes

    • close-up view of a thick slice of lemon blueberry cake frosted with lemon frosting
      Lemon Blueberry Cake
    • Slice of lemon pound cake on a white plate.
      Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
    • Lemonade in glass pitcher
      Homemade Lemonade Recipe
    • stack of lemon cookies
      Lemon Cookies
    « Marshmallow Frosting
    Fluffernutter Cookies »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Angela

      May 10, 2025 at 9:07 pm

      5 stars
      I have been craving lemon and thought about making a lemon cake. Then I remembered the lemon curd I made once before. I could not remember where I found the recipe, so I looked and looked, with no luck. I came across this recipe and decided to try it. I will NEVER lose this recipe! Talk about tasting AMAZING! Iโ€™m trying to not eat it all and save some for the lemon tarts I decided to make instead of cake with lemon curd filling. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!

      Reply
      • Sam

        May 11, 2025 at 9:53 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Angela! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Ceil

      April 07, 2025 at 9:55 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect lemon curd! I made half of the recipe as written and it yielded a generous cup full. I have tried several recipes for lemon curd, and yours was by far the best! This will be my only lemon curd recipe to use in the future; no more searching! Thank you for sharing and inspiring!

      Reply
    3. Heather Wilkes

      December 07, 2024 at 3:34 pm

      5 stars
      very smooth and extremely tasty

      Reply
    4. Kat

      November 23, 2024 at 8:06 pm

      can the unsalted butter be replaced with salted if I omit the salt called for in the recipe? Thank You. I look forward to trying this recipe!

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 24, 2024 at 6:40 am

        Hi Kat! That will work just fine here. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    5. MJ

      October 31, 2024 at 10:05 pm

      Hi Sam,
      Can I use limes instead of lemons for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 01, 2024 at 9:54 am

        I haven’t personally tried it, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    6. Perry

      July 09, 2024 at 4:53 pm

      Hi Sam, I had a dreadful experience with Lemon Curd and Iโ€™m hoping you can help. I followed your recipe, but increased it slightly. The result was a little thicker which is what I wanted as this was to be the top cover of a blueberry cheesecake! But, upon tasting the curd, it was delicious at first, but within seconds the most unpleasant (read foul) aftertaste set in. No way could I put that on my cheesecake. My wife thinks the aftertaste tasted of something like bad eggs. I thought I sensed a metallic taste. But it was so bad I had to throw it out. So here are some facts about my process.

      The eggs were the same eggs we ate for breakfast, pasture raised and organic. I used a citrus juicer for the lemons and a micro plane for the zest. I used a glass double boiler to keep it non-reactive.
      The lemons were organic. I used a flat stainless steel whisk to stir the curd on the stove and a silicone spatula to pour into a screen mesh strainer. Nothing in this list should cause a reaction. Everything was clean. Once finished I put the curd in a 1 quart pyrex measuring cup, placed the plastic wrap directly onto the curd and refrigerated it for couple days until my cheesecake was ready to be topped. Any suggestions?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 16, 2024 at 1:32 pm

        Hi Perry! I’m so sorry to hear this happened! It sounds like you took all the necessary precautions to not use something reactive so honestly I am quite stumped. I could say it’s possible it was over-cooked, but that doesn’t sound like the case. You would be able to tell from the texture that it was overcooked. I wish I had more helpful information for you here. ๐Ÿ™

        Reply
      • Deb

        March 31, 2025 at 12:16 pm

        Maybe the lemons needed a soap/water cleaning? Or the silicone spatula wasnโ€™t meant for heat? Even if the eggs you had in the morning were ok, the ones in your recipe could have been cracked slightly/contaminated, going bad. I feel your frustration. Been there.

        Reply
    7. Amanda

      June 28, 2024 at 12:39 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious. Easy to make – even for beginners – and so tasty.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        June 28, 2024 at 2:43 pm

        We’re so happy you like it, Amanda! Thanks for the review ๐Ÿ’›

        Reply
    8. Anna Rozansky

      June 20, 2024 at 9:20 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for the second time and I assume this time I didnโ€™t cook long enough as itโ€™s runny. First time was excellent. Is there any way to salvage this batch or do I need to start over? ;(

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        June 21, 2024 at 9:17 am

        Hi Anna! Unfortunately there’s really no good way to fix it after it’s cooked ๐Ÿ™ Hopefully it still tastes great though! We do provide a few serving suggestions in the FAQ section that can handle a thinner curd ๐Ÿ˜Š

        Reply
        • David Tuer

          January 28, 2025 at 4:38 pm

          Use the runny lemon curd as a sauce over icecream.

        • Diane

          April 27, 2025 at 10:54 am

          Can I use European style butter?

        • Sam

          April 28, 2025 at 1:05 pm

          That sounds delicious. ๐Ÿ™‚

    9. Audrey

      April 27, 2024 at 9:45 am

      Hi Sam. I want to make lemon tartlets, and would like to know if I could use this recipe to fill the mini shells, or would it be better to use your Lemon Tart recipe (which includes whole eggs in the filling)? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 30, 2024 at 10:42 pm

        Hi Audrey! I would personally use the lemon tart recipe. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    10. Melissa

      April 10, 2024 at 2:13 pm

      5 stars
      This is so delicious and has a great texture. Easy to make.

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 10, 2024 at 4:02 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed, Melissa! Thank you for trying my recipe!

        Reply
      • Helen

        December 21, 2024 at 12:43 pm

        5 stars
        Have made this a few times with great success and my whole family loves it! I’m wondering, though, if it’s possible to keep it on hand for longer by either preserving it like jam (in a boiling-water canner) or freezing it. Have you ever tried this? Thanks!

        Reply
        • Sam

          December 22, 2024 at 1:10 pm

          Hi Helen! I’m not sure about the canning process, but you should be able to freeze this without issue. ๐Ÿ™‚

    11. Ann J

      March 16, 2024 at 7:59 pm

      5 stars
      This is my go to recipe for lemon curd! I make mine with Meyer lemons which make a beautiful orange yellow color. I always double and use the whites for a homemade angel food cake. Thanks, Sam, for such a delicious and easy to follow recipe!

      Reply
    12. Chris

      February 08, 2024 at 1:45 pm

      Hi Sam! I live in California and while I don’t have a lemon tree I do have a key lime tree that is dropping tons and tons of key limes. Would this recipe work with key limes in place of Lemons? Would it have the same quality or would I need to adjust? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 14, 2024 at 9:21 am

        Hi Chris! Key limes should work. You shouldn’t have to change anything, just exchange the lemons for limes. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Chris

          February 14, 2024 at 12:10 pm

          Thank you Sam!

      • maureen

        June 13, 2024 at 5:49 pm

        Can I add more lemon juice or will that make it runny?

        Reply
        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          June 14, 2024 at 8:54 am

          Hi Maureen! We recommend sticking with the recipe ๐Ÿ˜Š

    13. Jane

      January 19, 2024 at 11:39 am

      5 stars
      Great instructions. Just the right amount of detail. Love this curd. It has a perfect depth of flavor and an ideal texture.

      Reply
    14. Leslie Lyons

      November 17, 2023 at 2:01 pm

      5 stars
      I used this recipe for a lemon mousse that called for lemon curd. Your recipe was spot-on! The directions were perfect & it tasted delicious. Will definitely make this again- ThankYou so much.

      Reply
      • Renee

        May 22, 2025 at 5:24 pm

        5 stars
        I’ve made this several times now and every single time everyone compliments me on how delicious it is! I made a batch yestesterday for a lemon lush to take to work today- not a single piece was left over. it’s quite simple to make and you won’t be sorry choosing this recipe I can guarantee that! I can (and have more than once) just ate it by the spoonful. Sooo good!

        Reply
        • Sam

          May 23, 2025 at 9:40 am

          I’m so glad it’s been such a hit, Renee! ๐Ÿ™‚

    « Older Comments
    4.99 from 68 votes (30 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

    Warm Weather Recipes

    lemon cake on white plate

    Lemon Cake

    Glasses of homemade raspberry lemonade garnished with fresh berries, lemon slices, and striped straws.

    Raspberry Lemonade

    salsa in bowl

    Pineapple Salsa

    glass jar full of homemade lemon curd on a gray marble surface surrounded by lemon halves and small white baby's breath flowers

    Lemon Curd Recipe

    sugar cookies shaped and colored like watermelon slices

    Watermelon Sugar Cookies

    Close-up view of peach cake topped with sliced peaches in jellyroll pan

    Peach Cake

    More Spring Recipes

    Most Popular

    flaky biscuit on white cloth

    Easy Homemade Biscuits

    Pizza dough in glass bowl, after rising

    The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

    Slice of cheesecake

    The Best Cheesecake Recipe

    Potato soup in bowl, with toppings

    The Ultimate Creamy Potato Soup

    one bite missing from a slice of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting

    The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

    Stack of cookies made from this chocolate chip cookie recipe with melty chocolate chips and a bite missing from the top cookie

    The WORST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

    places sugar spun run has been featured (Women's Day, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Country Living, the huffington post, People, Delish, MSN, TLC, Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed)
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube

    Privacy Policy

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    ABOUT

    • About Me
    • Policies, Disclosure & Privacy
    • Terms of Use

    CONTACT

    • Contact
    • Work with Me!

    ยฉ 2020 Sugar Spun Run. All Rights Reserved

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.