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This easy homemade lemon curd is zesty, smooth, and you only need 5 simple ingredients and 10 minutes. It is my go-to for cheesecakes, crepes, macarons, toast, and more!

How to make homemade lemon curd

Homemade lemon curd is the perfect topping to take baked goods to the next level. I love using it in frostings, fillings for macarons, or toppings for things like scones, crepes, or toast! It’s bright, zesty, and delicious. Plus, it’s very easy to make and only takes 10 minutes.

1. You start with just 5 simple ingredients – fresh lemons, eggs, butter, sugar, and salt.

2. I enjoy the simplicity of whisking it up in a small pot over the stove, but you can also use a double broiler. It’s easy to create a double broiler by placing a bowl over a pot, so that the bottom of the bowl is slightly nestled inside. This allows you to mix things over heat without direct heat scorching or curdling anything. If you’re careful though and have a stove that can moderate the heat well, you can skip the double broiler and just do it directly in the pot.

3. Whisk together all of your ingredients over heat until it thickens, usually close to 10 minutes. You know the lemon curd is ready when the curd can coat the back of the spoon and holds without running off.

4. Let it chill until ready to use!

How to store lemon curd

Lemon curd is easy to make in advance and store! You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks and it will stay fresh in your freezer for up to 3 months. I like to store mine in these small mason jars or flattened in a Ziplock bag if I’m freezing and want to save on space.

Ways to use lemon curd

If you love lemons, then you know that lemon curd is one of those things that’s amazing on practically anything. I love them using this easy homemade lemon curd with:

• BEST Classic Cheesecake 
• Lemon Cheesecake
• Macarons
• Add to a buttercream frosting
• Scones
• Toast
• Crepes
• Biscuits

If you make this recipe, make sure you tag @loskitchenco on Instagram and leave a comment below! You can also save for later by clicking the ‘Pin Recipe’ button on the recipe card. Happy baking! 

Lemon Curd

This easy homemade lemon curd is zesty, smooth, and you only need 5 simple ingredients and 10 minutes! It is my go-to for cheesecake, crepes, macarons, toast, and more!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Cooling 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• 2 large whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter*
• 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

 

• In a small pot over the stove at medium heat, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice very well.

  You need to whisk constantly and keep the temperature at a moderate heat to prevent the eggs from curdling. See my note below for double broiler alternative.
• Whisk together constantly until the mixture thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the butter into slices about 1 tbsp. Add the salt. Mix together until melted and thoroughly combined.
• In some cases of using fresh lemon juice and zest, the curd may have more texture to it than you prefer from the lemons. If this is the case, you can pour the zest through a strainer.
• Transfer the curd to a jar or container. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2-3 weeks. Use as desired. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months and thaw when ready to use.

  See the post above for some of my favorite ways to use lemon curd!

Notes

*Unsalted butter substitution: Yes, you can use salted butter. If you do so, you can omit the additional 1/8 tsp salt called for in the recipe. Bakers prefer unsalted butter to remain consistent as salted butter can vary from brand to brand. But this curd is easy and flexible. Small variations won't be noticed! 

*Double Broiler vs Not: Using a double broiler helps prevent curdling. Too much heat or too high of heat too quickly can cause that. Because of that risk, many people recommend using the double broiler method. This can be done by placing a heat proof bowl over a pot of boiling water. The bowl is large enough that it can sit on (or barley in) the pot. It just should NOT be touching the water.

I've found that as long as I keep the heat moderate and watch it closely, I don't need to do a double broiler, but if you have a tricky stove that's hard to moderate the heat, feel free to use the easy double broiler approach.