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This Easy Lemon Curd Recipe makes a creamy, buttery, lemony, sweet AND tart spread that is perfect on pancakes, waffles, toast, pastries, or you can just eat it by the spoonful as we do!



Lemon Curd was one of our mom’s favorite treats. We have fond memories of her justifying why it was okay to have another piece of toast so she could enjoy the lemon curd. She was always trying to think of a new way to use it. Besides toast, she would put it on waffles, or use it for filling in cakes. She even liked to eat it right out of the jar. So this Easy Lemon Curd Recipe is inspired by and dedicated to her. Creamy, buttery, lemony, sweet AND tart, this Lemon Curd is made with only four ingredients so it could not be easier to make. Gather up some fresh lemons and make a jar for your family.  They’ll thank you for it.

Ingredients You Will Need

All the ingredients you will need to make our Easy Lemon Curd Recipe including lemons, egg yolks, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar.

How to Prepare the Lemons

Close up of a Lemon Juicer filled with lemon juice, a microplane that zested the lemons, a whisk and some fresh lemons.

Step 1: You will need 2-3 Fresh Lemons depending on their size.  Squeeze the lemons, you will need 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice.  Then use a Microplane or a grater to get 2 teaspoons of lemon zest from the skin of the lemons.

How to Prepare the Sugar

Collage image showing how to add the lemon zest to the sugar to create a lemon sugar.

Step 2: Pour the sugar into a small bowl and add the lemon zest.
Step 3: Whisk the sugar together with the lemon zest to flavor the sugar.

How to Make the Curd Mixture

Collage image showing how to separate the eggs to use the egg yolks for the Lemon Curd mixture.

Step 4: Separate four eggs, the lemon curd will only use the yolks.
Step 5: Whisk the egg yolks until they are completely mixed.

Collage image showing how to mix the lemon juice, sugar and eggs to create the lemon curd mixture.

Step 6: Pour the lemon juice and the lemon zest sugar into a medium pan. Whisk together until the sugar has dissolved.
Step 7: Whisk together until the sugar has dissolved.
Step 8: Pour in the egg yolks and whisk together.
Step 9: Place the pan on the stove on medium heat and stir the lemon mixture continuously.

Collage image showing the steps for cooking lemon curd in a sauce pan on a stove.

Step 10: Continue to cook the lemon curd mixture, stirring continuously, until it reaches 165-170 degrees.  It will begin to thicken as it cooks.
Step 11: When the lemon curd mixture thickens as is at least 165 degrees, take the pan off the heat and add the cubed butter.
Step 12: Stir the butter mixture into the lemon curd until the butter has completely melted and the mixture is thoroughly combined.
Step 13: Allow the lemon curd mixture to cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

Storage Instructions

Closeup on a spoon filled with Lemon Curd hovering over a glass jar filled with our Easy Lemon Curd with lemons and a second jar of lemon curd in the background.

Step 14: Store the Lemon Curd in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.  It should be good for over a week.  If you want to keep it longer, you should freeze it. Enjoy!

A glass jar filled with Homemade Lemon Curd and a sliver spoon surrounded by fresh lemons and a kitchen towel.

Other Lemon Dessert Recipes You Will Love

Did you Make This Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!

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Easy Lemon Curd RecipePrint

Easy Lemon Curd Recipe

Yield 2 cups
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

This Easy Lemon Curd Recipe makes a creamy, buttery, lemony, sweet AND tart spread that is perfect on pancakes, waffles, toast, pastries, or you can just eat it by the spoonful as we do!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 4 Large Egg Yolks
  • 1/2 cup Butter - Cubed (Sweet Cream, Salted)

Instructions

  1. Squeeze the lemons, you will need 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice.  Then use a Microplane or a grater to get 2 teaspoons of lemon zest from the skin of the lemons.
  2. Pour the sugar into a small bowl and add the lemon zest.
  3. Whisk the sugar together with the lemon zest to flavor the sugar.
  4. Separate four eggs, the lemon curd will only use the yolks.
  5. Whisk the egg yolks until they are completely mixed.
  6. Pour the lemon juice and the lemon zest sugar into a medium pan. Whisk together until the sugar has dissolved.
  7. Whisk together until the sugar has dissolved.
  8. Pour in the egg yolks and whisk together.
  9. Place the pan on the stove on medium heat and stir the lemon mixture continuously.
  10. Continue to cook the lemon curd mixture, stirring continuously, until it reaches 165-170 degrees.  It will begin to thicken as it cooks.
  11. When the lemon curd mixture thickens as is at least 165 degrees, take the pan off the heat and add the cubed butter.
  12. Stir the butter mixture into the lemon curd until the butter has completely melted and the mixture is thoroughly combined.
  13. Allow the lemon curd mixture to cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
  14. Store the Lemon Curd in an air-tight container.  It will last in the refrigerator for over a week.  If you want to keep it longer, you should freeze it

Notes

Storage Instructions
Store the Lemon Curd in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.  It should be good for over a week.  If you want to keep it longer, you should freeze it. Enjoy!

Did you Make this Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!

© Two Sisters Crafting
Cuisine: American / Category: Desserts