This homemade lemon curd is smooth, zesty and the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Made with fresh lemon juice, eggs, butter and sugar, it comes together in just one saucepan, no fancy equipment needed. Whether you’re filling cookies, layering cakes, or spreading it on toast, this versatile curd adds a bright, citrusy pop to any bake. Plus, with step-by-step instructions, it’s beginner-friendly, lemon curd isn't as scary as it can seem

Homemade Lemon Curd – Easy, Zesty & Silky Smooth
Easy Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Dessert
Cuisine
Mediterranean
Author:
Ashley’s Place
Servings
4-6
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
5-8 minutes
I love lemon curd it is such a versatile little thing to make, packed full of flavour with sweetness and tartness but not too much of either of them. Once you understand how to make it, it really is simple. There is loads of methods and recipes out there but here is how I make mine and how I have taken inspiration from things like making custard to make sure this curd is easy to do and you don't curdle your eggs.

Ingredients
- 40g unsalted butter (you can use salted if that’s all you have on hand)
-
100g lemon juice (approx. 2 medium lemons) (See Note 1)
- 115g caster sugar
- 2 whole eggs
-
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest (approx. 1–1.5 lemons) (See Note 1)
Directions
Start by measuring everything out. Zest your lemons first, being careful to only get the outer yellow layer, not the white pith underneath, as it’s quite bitter. Then juice the lemons, and measure remaining ingredients.
In a small saucepan over low heat, add the lemon juice, zest, and butter. Let it slowly melt and warm through you don’t want it bubbling or boiling, just gently warmed until the butter is melted and combined. (See note 2)
While this is heating, in a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and caster sugar together until light in colour and slightly thickened. Only add the sugar and eggs together when you are ready to mix them, as the sugar can start to “cook” the eggs if left untouched. It's not anything to stress about just best to do it when your ready to mix which is why I recommend to weigh everything first. (See note 3)
Once the eggs are whisked and the lemon juice/butter is ready start to slowly pour the warm lemon mixture into the egg mixture, whisking continuously. Add a little at a time, this step is super important because it stops the eggs from curdling. We’re gently bringing up the temperature of the eggs so they don’t scramble when added to heat. (See note 4)
Once fully combined, pour everything back into the saucepan. Keep the heat low and stir constantly with a whisk. This part takes around 5-8 minutes, but it can feel like nothing’s happening at first. Then, all of a sudden, it will start to thicken. When it reaches a custard-like consistency and coats the back of a spoon, it’s done! I use my small burner for this on the stove as well as the big one gets too hot.
- Pour the lemon curd into a bowl and cover it immediately with cling wrap (plastic wrap), press it directly onto the surface of the curd so it doesn’t form a skin. This is a tip I always use for curds and custards, and I learnt it during my training in Italy. Pop it into the fridge overnight to cool and set.
Once it is set you can add it into an airtight container it will last about 7-14 days as long as it is stored properly, you can also make freeze this too. (See Note 5)
Recipe Video
@_ashleysplace_ 🍋 Baking Series Ep 1: Homemade Lemon Curd A little jar of sunshine you’ll want to eat with a spoon ✨ Here’s how I make a beautiful batch of lemon curd, it’s smooth, tangy, and so simple to whip up and helps with not curdling your eggs. I promise you can do it 🤎 Save this post and follow @_ashleysplace_ & @Bake it by Giovannellis for more baking recipes You only need: 🧈 40g butter 🍋 100g lemon juice (about 2 lemons) 🍬 115g caster sugar 🥚 2 whole eggs 🍋 2 tsp lemon zest (1-1.5 Lemons) 🍋 Measure all your ingredients out first 🍋 Add the lemon juice, zest, and butter into a small saucepan over low heat. Let it slowly melt and warm through you don’t want it bubbling or boiling, just gently warmed until the butter is melted and combined. 🍋 While this is heating, in a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and caster sugar together until light in colour. Onlg add the eggs to the sugar when your ready to whisk if you leave them sitting they can cook so just add and mix its why I say measure everything first 🍋 Once the eggs are whisked and the lemon juice/butter is ready start to slowly pour the warm lemon mixture into the egg mixture, whisking continuously. Add a little at a time, this step is super important because it stops the eggs from curdling. We’re gently bringing up the temperature of the eggs so they don’t scramble when added to the hot liquid 🍋 Pour back into the saucepan. Keep the heat low and stir constantly with a whisk. This part takes around 5-8 minutes, but it can feel like nothing’s happening at first. Then, all of a sudden, it will start to thicken. When it reaches a custard-like consistency and coats the back of a spoon, it’s done! I use my small burner for this on the stove as well as the big one gets too hot 🍋 Pour the lemon curd into a bowl and cover it immediately with cling wrap (plastic wrap), press it directly onto the surface of the curd so it doesn’t form a skin. Pop it into the fridge overnight to cool and set This batch is perfect for shortbread cookies as you saw on @bakeitbygiovannellis, tarts, cupcakes, or just on toast the next morning It keeps in the fridge for 1–2 weeks if it lasts that long 🤎 #ashleysplace #lemoncurd #lemon #dessert #dessertrecipes #desserts #baking #lemoncurd🍋 #dessertrecipe #dessertideas #lemonmeringue #foodblog #foodblogger #bakingseries #homemade #homebaked #bakingtok #foodtok #recipetok #cookingtok #desserttok #bakingtiktok ♬ original sound - Ashleys Place
Recipe Note
FAQ's and Notes:
- The amount of lemons depends on the size and the amount of juice that comes out, some are juicier than others. I used about 3 lemons to juice and 1.5 to zest just because of the size. This is why we use the measurements rather then saying 2 lemons because it isn't consistent enough as a measurement.
- When we heat the butter and lemon juice we really need to do this low and slow so that it doesn't boil or get too hot. Because we want to add this into our eggs to temper them if its boiling hot it can cook the eggs. So just keep it on a small burner on low, your better off taking a little bit extra time rather than rushing and overheating it
- I don't tell you this about the eggs to stress you out but I truly believe that if I can teach you why we do a specific thing it means you will understand it more and become a better cook or baker, where as if I said to you don't add the sugar and eggs and let it sit you might think why does it matter who cares. But it is just a little trick in baking that we do we don't let eggs or egg yolks and sugar sit together for too long otherwise it affects or cooks the eggs slightly.
- This process is called tempering the eggs and we do this so that we don't curdle the eggs, sometimes when you add a hot liquid (the lemon juice) to a cold liquid (the egg mix) it can shock the eggs and curdle them. Where as if you add a small amount of the hotter liquid to the cold while mixing it continuously it slowly raises the temp and has time to mix properly without shocking it. We do this in custards etc all the time, I even use it in cooking when adding sour cream etc to things too.
- Once it is set it will be ok in an airtight container. If you are making this for a dish I recommend making it the day before to set, you can make it a couple of days in advance which works well with the holiday or events season as you can prep ahead of time.
FAQS:
Q: What can I use this on?
A: You can use this on so many dishes, it can be used on pavlovas, in cookies I made lemon and poppyseed shortbread over on Bake it by Giovannells you can check it out here we also have a lemon meringue tart or pie coming soon too so keep an eye out for that.
Q. Can I make it in advance
A. Yes definitely it is best to give it 24 hours to chill and thicken so I always recommend making it the day before. But you can make it a couple of days in advance if you like too.
Q. Can I freeze it?
A. Yes it can be left in the freezer in an airtight container for about 1 year. When you are ready to use it take it out and thaw it for 24 hours and give it a really good mix. If you won't use all of it at once store it in smaller containers or freezer bags portioned out so you can just grab what you need.