This recipe for homemade lemon curd results in a spread that’s bright, tart, and impeccably smooth. Bonus: It requires only pantry staples, calling for nothing beyond lemons (the juice and zest), sugar, butter, and eggs. It’s also the simplest method we’ve ever seen. If you’d like to double down on its silkiness (and ensure you have no unincorporated bits of lemony cooked egg), place a fine-mesh strainer in a bowl and pour the hot curd through it, pressing on the mixture with a rubber scraper (don’t forget to scrape the underside). If any solid bits remain in the strainer, discard them.
This lemon curd recipe calls for whole eggs (as opposed to just egg yolks). Incorporating both yolks and whites results in a lighter texture and a brighter lemon flavor; using yolks only would turn out a thicker, richer curd with a more pronounced eggy flavor. If you don’t have a heavy-bottomed pot, consider making your lemon curd in a double boiler with a glass bowl set over simmering water. The method will take a little more time than this easy stovetop version, but it’s relatively foolproof.
Once you’ve let your lemon curd chill—a true test of patience!—it’s ready to be spread over scones or toast, swirled into yogurt or ice cream, layered onto meringue and topped with berries, dolloped on this brown butter Dutch baby, simply folded into whipped cream, or incorporated into one of these recipes. And when you’re ready to branch out, know that you can make curd from (almost) any fruit, including Meyer lemons, limes, grapefruit, passionfruit, and more.
Recipe information
Total Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Makes about 1⅓ cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk ½ cup lemon juice, 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, ½ cup sugar, and 3 large eggs in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, and cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubble appears on surface, about 6 minutes.
Step 2
Transfer lemon curd to a bowl and cover surface of the curd with plastic wrap; chill until cold, at least 1 hour.
Do Ahead: Lemon curd can be made up to 1 week ahead; keep chilled, with surface covered directly, in an airtight container.
Editor’s note: This lemon curd recipe was first printed in the January 2001 issue of ‘Gourmet.’ Head this way for lemon bars, cupcakes, and more of our favorite lemon desserts →
Recipe notes
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