Easy Homemade Lemon Curd

by Sofi | Broma Bakery

Bright, buttery, and perfectly tart, this easy homemade lemon curd comes together in 15 minutes with just 4 ingredients. No double boiler required! Perfect for cakes, pavlovas, scones, or eating by the spoonful.

The easiest lemon curd

This perfectly balanced lemon curd recipe is equal parts tart and sweet with the most delicious zingy lemon flavor and buttery finish. It’s basically gold, as in if we still lived in a barter economy I could make some lucrative trades with it. It’s made with just four pantry-friendly ingredients (lemons! sugar! eggs! butter!) and it comes together in under 15 minutes. Spread it on toast, swirl it into yogurt, spoon it over pavlovas, or just eat it by the spoonful. No judgment here.

So, let me tell you the tale of how this lemon curd recipe came to live on the internet. I like lemon curd. We make it all the time for various recipes (lemon cake, lemon tiramisu, lemon pavlova, etc.), but it’s never occurred to me that we need a whole blog post on it. Enter my best friend who is a obsessed with lemon curd. Like, eat-it-by-the-spoonful, “this should be its own food group” kind of obsessed. Every time I’ve ever had to make lemon curd she shows up to scrape what’s left of it out of the jar and into her mouth.

And after my lemon curd fiend had consumed so much curd she proclaimed it should get it’s moment in the sun. So, here we are.

So…what is lemon curd?

Lemon curd is a luscious, buttery, custard-like spread made from fresh lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and butter. It’s creamy, tangy, and packs a citrus punch that’s absolutely irresistible. Unlike a jam or jelly, lemon curd has a smooth, almost pudding-like texture and a rich depth from the butter and egg yolks.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Lemon Curd

Aside from being 1,000x better than store-bought, this lemon curd is:

• Made with 4 simple ingredients you probably already have on hand
• Naturally gluten-free
• Ready in under 15 minutes
• Perfectly tart and sweet with no fake lemon flavor or weird aftertaste (we all know what I’m talking about)
• Freezer-friendly for lemon emergencies (we all have them)

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what goes into the best homemade lemon curd:

• Lemons: You’ll need both the juice and zest for maximum citrus flavor. Freshly squeezed only—trust me on this.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the curd and balances the tartness.
• Eggs: Adds richness and helps the curd thicken into a silky, spoonable spread.
• Unsalted butter: Gives the curd that velvety smooth finish and a subtle richness.

How to make easy homemade lemon curd

This recipe couldn’t be easier, but there are a few tips and tricks to get that smooth, lump-free texture. Let’s break it down step by step!

Et voila! Lemon curd!

Tips for Perfect Lemon Curd

Use fresh lemons. Bottled lemon juice just doesn’t have the same zing. Plus you wouldn’t get that extra lemony punch from the zest!

Don’t skip the straining. It makes a huge difference in texture.

Low and slow is key. Too much heat and you’ll end up with scrambled eggs.

How to Use Lemon Curd

Let me count the ways:

• Slather it on warm scones with clotted cream (aka my best friend’s dream scenario)
• Dollop it over meringue or pavlova
• Layer it between vanilla cake with whipped cream or mascarpone
• Swirl it into cheesecake batter
• Stir it into your morning yogurt
• Bake it into lemon bars or tartlets
• Eat it with a spoon (IYKYK)

Storage & Freezing

If you store this curd properly in an airtight container you can make it last for awhile which means you can prep it ahead if you need it for a recipe or want it to eat with breakfast all week long. Just be sure to not double dip when grabbing spoonfuls 🙂

• Fridge: Store in an airtight jar for up to 7–10 days.
• Freezer: Lemon curd freezes beautifully! Freeze in small jars or silicone molds for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Just don’t forget to make extra. Especially if your best friend is lemon-curd-level obsessed.

Happy baking, friends!

XXX

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