The recipe possibilities are endless and the flavor is unbelievable. You won’t regret taking a little extra time to make your own Homemade Lemon Curd.
My mom has been making her own homemade lemon curd for as long as I can remember. She makes these to-die-for shortbread cookies – I’ll share the recipe one day – and stuffs some with chocolate ganache and some with lemon curd. She uses it in other recipes, too, and of course it’s amazing straight from the spoon.
I’ve used my homemade lemon curd to make Baked Lemon Hand Pies and Lemon Meringue Pie Bites. I’ve also got about a dozen more ideas brewing that I’ll hopefully get to share sometime soon.
What would you make with homemade lemon curd?
Homemade Lemon Curd
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 tbs cornstarch
1 tbs grated lemon peel
6 tbs lemon juice
6 tbs water
6 eggs
1/2 cup butter, diced
Instructions
Separate out egg yolks and place in a medium bowl (keep whites for another recipe). In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and lemon peel. Add the lemon juice and water, and then cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture gets thick and begins to bubble.
Pour half of the mixture into the egg yolks, and then return the mixture to the pan. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture reaches a low boil, and then cook and stir one minute more. Remove the pan from the heat, add the diced butter, and continue to stir until butter is melted. Allow the curd to cool for a few minutes and then press a piece of plastic wrap over the top. Refrigerate for one hour.
Store homemade lemon curd in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
- Be sure to separate your eggs carefully. If white get in with your yolks, they’ll cook when you make the curd and result in white chunks in the finished product.
- I love to use homemade curd to make Baked Lemon Hand Pies.
I have never made my own lemon curd before, but you make it look so easy! Fresh lemon curd is totally the way to welcome spring!
Yup, fresh lemon curd is SO spring, and it is surprisingly easy.
When I lived in London about a million years ago I used to buy lemon curd to eat by the spoonful 🙂 I’m so glad I stumbled upon your recipe to make my own!
I definitely ate a few spoonfuls of this stuff!
I love love love fruit curd! Interestingly, I’ve made so many flavors (blueberry cardamom is my favorite!) but never the classic lemon curd. I need to give it a go!
You really do, and I need to get busy making all those other fun varieties!
I have never tried making a lemon curd at home before. But your recipe makes me to try this one soon. Looks so good!
You should, Kushi! I think you’d love it.
Loooooove homemade lemon curd, this recipe looks like a keeper!
Thanks, Paige! It’s a favorite for sure.
I never realized how many eggs you need for lemon curd – I’d better make sure to stock up next time I go to the store!
It does take several yolks. I’ve got a recipe coming Thursday that puts those leftover whites to delicious use!
I have never made my own lemon curd but always wanted to! I always thought it was pretty difficult but you make it look so easy!
It’s surprisingly easy! You should definitely give it a try.
I love lemon curd, especially at this time of year when spring is in the air!! Your recipe looks fabulous!
I so enjoy making my own lemon curd…easier than you think and taste gorgeous!
Oh man am I ever craving some lemon meringue pie now after checking out this recipe! Well done Abby!
This lemon curd looks so simple and wonderful! My favorite way of using lemon curd is over a homemade simple white cake that my family has made for decades from an old Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. We serve the cake with the warm lemon curd and sweetened whipped cream (basically like strawberry shortcake but lemon instead of strawberry) and it is so, so good!
This looks like a great lemon curd recipe that can be used in so many of spring and summer’s favorite dishes. Pantry staple!