This Easy Eggless Lemon Curd is tangy, sweet, bright, and delicious! It requires only a few simple ingredients and comes together on the stove in 10 minutes! The 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: You’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.
Storage
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…
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Recipe Card 📖
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
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
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
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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.
Super easy to make and tasted delicious! Was definitely a winner all round
Hello Kara! Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that the recipe was easy to make and tasted delicious. It’s wonderful to know it was a winner all around. Happy cooking, and we hope you enjoy making it again! 😊🎉
Hi, I’m new to egg free, wheat free, dairy free eating due to allergies.
Can you substitute pinch of turmeric powder in place of food coloring?
Hello Olga!! Yes, you can. 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!
Can I use margarine instead of butter for the lemon curd recipe?
Hello Stacy! Margarine and butter are different. Margarine has more water. I recommend using butter. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Hi… I really want to try this but , does the lemon not curdle the milk?
Hello Ann! Yes, when you mix milk with any acid, the milk tends to curdle; that is normal. This lemon curd is silky; just make sure to follow the recipe. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
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.