This easy lemon curd recipe is a favourite rich, sweet and tangy homemade lemon curd and you can get all the tips for how to make lemon curd right here.
Lemon is by far one of my favourite sweet flavours. Growing up, we had Lemon Meringue Pie regularly and I always loved those lemon sherbet hard lollies and still do.
Today also happens to be Sugar Salt Magic’s 3rd birthday.
Woohoo! Happy Birthday, Sugar Salt Magic.
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
What better way to celebrate than with all of my favourites in one, right? I went ahead and made a Lemon Meringue Cake (that’s right cake, not pie). That one will be revealed tomorrow but I thought it was important to drop in today with a quick tutorial on how to make easy lemon curd , from scratch in around 10 minutes.
From there you can use it in these cute Mini Lemon Meringue Pies or maybe these gorgeous Fluffy Lemon Cupcakes with a lemon curd centre.
How to make lemon curd
The part I love about making lemon curd (aside from the absolute deliciousness I’m about to have at the ready for every possible need) is that fact that it takes less than 15 minutes to make. Seriously!
Simply start by whisking together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
The next step is to add the butter, a couple of cubes at a time and stir continuously until each has melted before adding more. Do this while still on the heat – my stove top is very dark so these photos are taken on my kitchen bench top where it is brighter.
Once all the butter is added and melted, cook for another 5-7 minutes until it thickens to the point of coating the back of the spoon or if you tip your saucepan to the side, then tip it back again, you will be left with a thick coating on the side of the pan.
How to store this Easy Lemon Curd
I use small weck jars to store my lemon curd. Lemon curd will keep for 3 months, in the fridge, unopened. Once opened, use within 7-10 days.
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Pretty simple huh? You must give this Easy Lemon Curd Recipe a try and keep an eye out tomorrow for my Lemon Meringue Cake tomorrow.
Easy Lemon Curd Recipe
Ingredients
MAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 CUPS
- 2 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 200 g (1 cup / 7oz) caster (superfine) sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 150 g unsalted butter, cubed and cold
Instructions
- Beat together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, zest and juice. Pour into a small saucepan and stir over low-medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the cold butter a couple of pieces at a time, stirring until each addition is melted and incorporated.
- Continue cooking the mixture for 4-5 minutes until it is thickened and coats the back of a spoon or leaves a thick coating on the side of the pan when you tilt it.
- Pour into sterilised conserve jars and store in the fridge.
Notes
- This recipe makes approximately 1 1/2 cups of curd.
- This curd will keep for up to 3 weeks in the fridge, unopened. Once opened use within a week. It will also freeze well.
- To sterilise the jars, boil them in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes then set aside to drain, dry and cool. The second way is to wash the jars well with soapy water, rinse and then place them in an oven at 120C / 250F for 10 minutes. Let them cool.
- You can swap the butter for a vegetable based spread if you would like to make this curd dairy free.
- TOOLS USED IN THIS RECIPE
- Use a good silicone spatula so as not to leave any behind
- A heavy based saucepan is best to distribute heat more gradually and evenly
- I use these small Weck jars to store all my fruit curds
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…and I’m the recipe developer, cook, photographer, and author behind Sugar Salt Magic. I’m also mum to 3 amazing fur babies and wife to the most amazing man in the world. Life is good. I love food and creating easy (mainly sweet) recipes that I can share with you. I’d love you to join along in my journey so sit back, relax and have a look around for some yum that you can feed your friends and family with. 
You have reminded me how much I like lemon..will give this a go
That’s great Robyn, hope you love it
One word. Yum! I made this to serve with cranberry scones. ? It was *perfect*.
Fast, super easy, and wonderfully lemony.
Thanks so much Stacy, I’m so happy you loved it 🙂
This was an easy recipe and very tasty too!!!!!
THANX
Thank you Donna, I’m so happy you loved it 🙂
Would this hold well if baked for thumbprint cookies? As in will it set or melt? Looks delicious!
Hi Suzanne, it will set just don’t over fill. I’ve used it in these cookies before too – https://www.sugarsaltmagic.com/jam-filled-cookies-recipe/
This turned out perfect! Thank you!
Thanks so much Kyla. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
WOW, I have never made lemon curd before, This stuff is AMAZING. Yummo. Going to fill cupcakes with this. IF it lasts ling enough.
Thanks Rose. So glad you love it.
It turned out perfect, and I couldn’t stop myself eating the lemon curd, directly out of the jar.
Excellent Dasuni. So happy you loved it 🙂
So easy I doubled the quantity and very pleased with the result, many thanks
Thats great Bronwen. So glad you loved it 🙂
Loved the recipe and tried it! It’s a hit!
Thanks Aruni, so glad you loved it 🙂
That was so easy to make and taste so good!
Thank you so much, Sue. I’m so happy you like it 🙂
This recipe came out perfect!! I made mine as a trial as I want to make lemon cakes and do a little lemon filling in the middle and what are home made cakes if you have shop bought curd (ewww). I thought it was going to take a few goes but first time round it was amazing!!!
I’m from the UK and needed to buy jars so I bought a pack of 3 jars from Poundland and this recipe fills two of them right to the top.
This will be amazing for little hampers which i always make for Christmas.
I have one question it says further up the page that the curd can keep for 3 months but further down the page it says it will only keep for 3 weeks but can be frozen. Is the 3 months if you freeze it and the 3 weeks if you keep in the fridge?
Thank you so much for this recipe.
Hello Millie, I’m so happy you love it. Isn’t it so easy to make?!! I’m sorry, I’ll make those notes a little clearer – it should read up to 3 months unopened but once opened it will keep in the fridge 2-3 weeks.
How long can this be frozen for?
Hi Jackie, I would use it within 6-7 months. If you freeze it in small portions (say an ice cube tray) then once frozen transfer it to an airtight container, then you can thaw just as much as you need at a time.
I’ve made this, however I don’t feel as it has thickened after a good amount of cooking. Will it become thicker as it becomes chilled? Flavor is good but I’m nervous.You have written 150g butter… correct?
Hello Carol, yes that’s correct. As long as t’s coating the back of the spoon well it will be fine. It thickens as it cools 🙂
Love this recipe! Way easier than Grandma’s (don’t tell)… the only thing I added was straining through a mesh sieve at the end… I had to make sure there were no little eggy bits! Thank you!
Thank you so much Kathleen, I promise not to tell Grandma 🙂
Love this, it has now over taken yet another Mary Berry recipe.
It’s sooo good that I have given the recipe to my sister in law.
I don’t know what I would do with out your recipes now ❤️
Oh my gosh, Mary Berry – I am honoured. Thank you Joanne, this means the world to hear.
Sooo delucious!! So easy to do that we do it on a weekly base. It never last long enough to make a lemon meringue pie!!🤣
Thanks so much Susanna, I’m so happy you love it 🙂
Amazing!!!
So glad you loved it Denisa