This Easy Eggless Lemon Curd is tangy, sweet, bright, and delicious! You need a few simple ingredients and it comes together on the stove in 10 minutes! Recipe includes step-by-step photos and lots of tips.
This Easy Eggless Lemon Curd is pure heaven! it’s amazing on and in everything and if you haven’t had the homemade stuff you’re missing out.
Simply sweet lemon sunshine on a spoon!
Easy Eggless Lemon Curd Recipe Highlights
- Homemade eggless lemon curd is 10x better and tastier than store-bought.
- It’s irresistibly creamy, tangy, sweet, and bright!
- Surprisingly simple to make.
- You need only 6 ingredients: lemons, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and butter.
- It comes together on the stove in 10 minutes.
What Is Lemon Curd?
Lemon curd is a dessert spread and topping made with fresh lemons. It’s buttery and sweet with an intense tart lemon flavor– like a creamy lemon jam. The traditional version is made with eggs but my Eggless Lemon Curd version is made from simple ingredients and comes together quickly on the stove.
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
You need just a few ingredients for this eggless lemon curd recipe:
- Sugar: Regular white granulated sugar, also known as caster sugar.
- Cornstarch: This will make this egg-free lemon curd creamy and smooth.
- Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half.
- Milk: For baking, I like to use whole milk. However, you can use any milk you have handy.
- Fresh Lemons: Yoo’ll need the juice and the zest.
- Yellow soft paste food color (optional).
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter handy, you can use it. In this case, skip the salt called in the recipe.
Step By Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
1 – Zest the lemons and juice the lemons.
2 – Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan.
3 – Add milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest; mix to combine.
4 – Heat on low, while stirring constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture thickens, just starts to bubble, and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
5 – Remove pot from heat, then add the cubed butter and mix until melted.
6 – Pour the lemon curd into a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the top of the curd to avoid skin from forming on top, and refrigerate until cold.
Tips To Make Lemon Curd Without Eggs
- Do not use bottled lemon juice. Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
- You can use salted butter instead of unsalted butter. Simply omit the pinch of salt called in the recipe.
- Keep the heat low! And don’t stop whisking until it’s off heat.
- You’ll know the curd is ready when it noticeably thickens and coats the back of a spoon. You can also use a thermometer to see when it reaches 160 degrees F.
- I don’t strain the eggless lemon curd. However, feel free to run the finished lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve if you want a silky-smooth finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eggless lemon curd will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 – 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to three months. If freezing, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
You can definitely swap the lemons for limes to make this into lime curd. No other changes are needed.
it’s both sweet and tangy.
Yes, you can make double batches of this egg-free lemon curd, and the cooking time should be about the same.
You can definitely make orange curd with this recipe. I recommend using at least *some* lemon juice with the orange juice.
I haven’t tried preserving eggless lemon curd that way so I am unsure of the results, but let me know if you try anything!
You may have needed to cook it longer. Also, keep in mind the curd will thicken as it cools.
Store
Eggless lemon curd will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 – 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to three months. If freezing, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Uses For Eggless Lemon Curd
There are so many ways to enjoy lemon curd. Here are a few suggestions:
- Lemon curd is amazing as a cake or cupcake filling.
- You can beat it into whipped cream.
- Use as a filling for crepes.
- Use as a topping for pound cake.
- Spread on homemade scones, biscuits, toast, or croissants.
- Stir in yogurt, cottage cheese, or spoon on ice cream.
- Eat it by the spoonful!
More Egg-Free Lemon Recipes You’ll Love!
- Best Eggless Lemon Pound Cake
- Eggless Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Easy Eggless Lemon Bars
- Eggless Lemon Cake
- Easy Eggless Blueberry Scones
- Easy Eggless Key Lime Pie
- more recipes…
Easy Eggless Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (20 g) cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 -2 drops yellow soft gel paste food color (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
Instructions
- Zest the lemons. Juice the lemons until you have about half a cup of lemon juice. Don't forget to remove out the seeds.
- Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan.
- Add milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest; mix to combine.
- Heat on low heat, while constantly stirring with a wire whisk until the mixture thickens, starts to bubble, and coats the back of a wooden spoon. NOTE: If the curd isn’t thickening, turn up the heat and constantly whisk.
- Remove pot from heat, then add the cubed butter and mix until melted. If desired, add 1 -2 drops of yellow gel food coloring to intensify the color. I added two drops of this yellow soft gel paste food color.
- Pour the lemon curd into a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the top of the curd to avoid a skin from forming on top, and refrigerate until cold. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Once cool, the plastic wrap can be removed.
- Do not use bottled lemon juice. Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
- You can use salted butter instead of unsalted butter. Simply omit the pinch of salt called in the recipe.
- Keep the heat low! And don’t stop whisking until it’s off heat.
- You’ll know the curd is ready when it noticeably thickens and coats the back of a spoon. You can also use a thermometer to see when it reaches 160 degrees F.
- I don’t strain the eggless lemon curd. However, feel free to run the finished lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve if you want a silky-smooth finish.
Nutrition
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Originally posted in August 2020, post content edited to add more helpful information, no change to the recipe in March 2022.
Hi… I really want to try this but , does the lemon not curdle the milk?
Your lemon curd sounds lovely! I want to use it as a filling for cupcakes, would I need to refrigerate the cupcakes after filling them? I’ve heard refrigerating cupcakes dries them out… I wonder if the curd would be okay at room temperature?
Hello J! Yes, the lemon curd will be fine at room temperature for a few hours, no problem! Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Filling for cake! Perfect! I’m an egg eater but didn’t have enough for what I was making. Anyway tried this and I like it better than the egg one! Sometimes lemon curd can get a weird after taste and this one doesn’t! So it must be the eggs that cause it! I doubled the cornstarch bc I’m using as a cake filling and wanted it extra thick! Also I used half Stevia half sugar no problems
Hello Missy! Great to hear that it was a hit! Thanks a lot for the review and good feedback.
Had a bunch of chopped up lemons leftover from a dinner party, and didn’t wanna throw them out, so squeezed em for this. Used all soy milk and plant-based butter to keep it vegan. Consistency seems great! (it’s cooling right now)
BTW, I made this in a microwave, using 30-45 sec bursts and stirring well in between, worked wonderfully.
Hello Anton – It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks a lot for the review and good feedback.
Awesome recipe! I have a similar recipe for an egg less chocolate pie. I’ll br trying this recipe to adapt a cranberry curd tart from ATK this season. Thanks so much for your many recipes!
Hello Karen! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know. Let me know how the cranberry version turns out.
This turned out great. I used half soy milk and half dairy milk. Next time, I think I will try all plant-based and see if it works. Yum!
Hello Christina! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
Lovely! I eat eggs I just didn’t feel like using so many just for lemon curd, this was amazing. Reminded me of my childhood for some reason but I couldn’t put my finger on what!
Hello Mellow! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
Wow, this was soooo delicious. It did take a really long time to thicken for me, so I added about 1 tsp more cornstarch.
Otherwise it’s perfect and so so so delicious, thank you! Great to enjoy without the awful eggy taste/smell. 🙂
Hello Sam! Great to hear that it was a hit! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know!
Hello,
Is this lemon curd recipe stable/thick enough to use as a layer cake filling?
Hello Gram! Yes, it is. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Excited. Can this be made with plant based milk and butter?
Hello Joy! Yes…Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Brilliant recipe. I have a lemon tree so always on the lookout for good recipes and although I have made lemon curd many times I always found it a bit eggy and I hate the little bits of white that get into it! This has set beautifully and is super lemony. I used a little bit of turmeric as I didnt have any colouring and it is a nice pale lemon colour. Thank you so much for the recipe
Hello Angie! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
Making eggless desserts is new to me so I was shocked that eggless lemon curd could be delicious! I used this to make a lemon meringue pie along with your eggless meringue recipe. I piped and baked the meringue in my oven before placing it on top of the lemon curd for my pie.
My family (all of whom are used to traditional lemonade meringue pie made with egg) told me that I should definitely make this again. Out of the four Thanksgiving pies at my house (two made by a popular local bakery), this pie was the only one practically gone at the end of the night.
Hello Allese! It sounds like you nailed it! I am thrilled that my recipes help with the inconveniences that egg allergy brings to our day-to-day life. Please reach out if you have any questions or specific recipe requests. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know – xo
Wow that’s a lot of yellow food coloring!
Hello Andy! I don’t find one drop of food coloring is too much but you can certainly omit it. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Making a lemon roll cake and wanted to use a homemade lemon curd,, just made this and so easy and yummy! Super easy and thank you for sharing!
Hello Elisia! It sounds like you nailed it! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
If i want to use this as a tart filling, how long do I bake it and will I need to add more cornflour to help it set?
Hello Priyanka! If you want to make a tart I recommend using this recipe > Easy Eggless Lemon Tart
Can I bake the lemon curd into a cookie?
Hello Radhika! I haven’t tested it personally, but you can certainly give it a try. Let me know how it turns out for you!
If I top this on cookies, tarts etc. will I still have to refrigerate it after I bake it? I’m looking for something that requires no refrigeration after it has been baked. I know that if I have extra curd it will need to be refrigerated 🙂
Hello Sadie! I have kept it a room temperature just for a couple of hours. For longer, I recommend keeping it in the refrigerator. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Will definitely try this. I’ve enjoyed making your recipes. I have also been looking for a good eggless Lemon Tart recipe. Can you post that one as well? Would love to make it!
Hello Divya! Sure…adding it to my list =)
Turned out great but a little sweet. I put 1 cup of sugar and then after I noticed 100g is 1/2 cup. Should it be 1 cup of sugar or 1/2 cup?
Hello Candace! I apologize for the confusion. For some reason, the recipe got misconfigured; it’s fixed now. It’s 1/2 cup = 100 g. Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
Only had 2 eggs & googled a no egg lemon curd recipe and I found yours.
Simple and easy to make, came out great!. Thanks for your recipe.
Hello Al! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help!
I tried making lemon curd for the 1st time and this turned out so good and tasty. Thanks
Hello Sone! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know!
Question – doesn’t the milk curdle if it’s in the presence of lemon juice?
Hello Ani! No, it won’t curdle. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Hello, I was so happy to find your recipe, as well as eager to try it. So you can imagine my disappointment when the milk curdled after I added the freshly squeezed lemon juice. In an older comment you assured us this would not happen. I tried your recipe twice because I thought I did something wrong the first time. Both times the milk curdled and white lumps were formed, so I couldn’t you use it. The milk was not expired and I opened it in the same day. The lemons were fresh. I didn’t know that if you mix lemon juice with milk you get buttermilk. It’s a shame, I was so glad I finally found a good eggless recipe for lemon curd. This was not the case.
Hello Diana – Sorry you feel disappointed. This is a tried and true recipe that I, and many of my readers, make all the time. Normally, the milk curdles when you add acid, that does not mean that it’s spoiled. If you follow the recipe instruction and constantly mix while cooking, the milk/lemon won’t curdle, and even if it does, as I mentioned before, it’s not spoiled; just keep going. I hope you give it another try because this recipe is truly amazing! Thanks for trying my recipe though.
Hi, I want to try this, but I want to ship some to my family. Will it be stable enough to ship before being refrigerated?
Hello ML! Are you going to home-canned them? If so, safe to ship. If not, you need to invest in ice packs and overnight shipping. Hope this helps!
I use the curd recipe to make lemon curd filled lemon cupcakes – all eggless for my partner who has an egg allergy. This recipe is fabby for it!
Hello Alannah! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
We have a child with a dairy allergy as well-do you think this would work with oat milk or another dairy free version and dairy free butter? Thanks!!
Hello Alicia! Yes, I think it will work fine. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Can I use this lemon curd as a tart filling?
Hello Rashmi! Yes, you can. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)