My Granny’s Quick Lemon Curd is the best recipe for lemon curd I’ve ever come across. You won’t find a quicker or easier lemon curd recipe plus it tastes amazingly tangy and delicious!
The History of Granny’s Quick Lemon Curd
My grandma’s lemon curd recipe sat in my recipe box for at least a couple of decades before I came across it one day!
My sister had written down the ingredients along with some scant instructions at some point during a childhood visit to my grandparents. I knew it was my gran’s recipe as the words “add zest” were also on the card in her handwriting.
The instructions were scant so I set about experimenting and putting some fine detail into the lemon curd recipe. The result took me straight back to my granny’s as she always seemed to have a delicious pot of homemade lemon curd in her fridge.
What makes this the easiest and quickest Lemon Curd Recipe?
All the recipes that I’ve ever seen take ages to make and use up all sorts of unnecessary equipment. Granny’s Quick Lemon Curd doesn’t use a double boiler, there’s no sieving required and there’s no endless stirring.
That makes this the Best Lemon Curd Recipe in my eyes. It uses just 4 ingredients, takes less than 5 minutes to cook, there’s less washing up and it works every time. I see people warning against this method talking about ending up with scrambled eggs. This recipe has never let me down once!
How do you stop Lemon Curd from curdling?
My Granny’s Quick Lemon Curd has never curdled so just follow my instructions, keeping the boil on a medium heat and whisk constantly. I’ve never needed to sieve it. I think the secret is to beat the eggs well so that you don’t get any stringy bits in your lemon curd.
How do you know when the curd is ready?
After boiling and whisking for 1 minute the lemon curd should coat the back of a wooden spoon. If your pan wasn’t quite boiling as you were whisking just boil for a little longer. Remember the curd will thicken further on cooling.
How long does lemon curd last and where how should you store it?
It is best made in small batches as per this recipe as it will only keep for 2 – 3 weeks and should be stored in the fridge. But I seriously doubt it will last that long before being eaten!
What Ingredients do you need?
- Sugar – I use caster but if you don’t have any granulated sugar is fine.
- Butter – I use unsalted but have noticed other recipes use salted, so again if you only have that then I’m sure that would be fine.
- Eggs – my granny didn’t stipulate a size and I’ve made it with both medium and large eggs so I haven’t specified a size. Use what you have. The yolks help with the colour and consistency of the curd. Someone asked me recently if you could just use egg whites to which the answer is no!
- Lemons – try to use unwaxed lemons. If you don’t have any then make sure to wash the wax off as you need the juice and zest.
How do you make Granny’s Quick Lemon Curd? (Full recipe at bottom of post)
- Gather together the ingredients: caster sugar, butter, eggs and lemons.
- Juice and zest the lemons, beat the eggs and cube the butter.
- Add the sugar, butter, lemon juice and zest to a pan.
- Heat on low to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter.
- Increase the heat to medium and whisk in the beaten egg until it starts to boil.
- Keep whisking for a minute as the mixture boils.
- It will coat the back of a wooden spoon once ready.
- Pot up into hot sterilised jars.
- Seal with lids immediately.
How do you eat lemon curd?
Lemon curd is intensely lemony, sweet and tangy from all the lemon zest and incredibly versatile.
It can be used just like jam so spread on scones, bread, croissants, Scotch pancakes, waffles etc.
Alternatively you use it as an ingredient in cakes, cookies, tarts, cheesecakes, swirl it into yogurt and ice cream, make lemon meringue pie or any number of desserts!
Recipes using Lemon Curd
- Lemon Curd Muffins
- Lemon & Elderflower Curd Cupcakes
- Blueberry Breakfast Parfait with Greek Yogurt & Lemon Curd
- Lemon Curd Ice Cream
- Deep Lemon Curd & Raspberry Cheesecake
- Pistachio, Raspberry & Lemon Meringue Roll
- Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
More Fruit Curd Recipes
Once you’ve made this lemon curd I’m sure you’ll want to try some more fruit curd recipes so check out the following:
- Snowball (Eggnog) Curd
- Quick Banoffee Curd (Banana & Toffee Curd)
- Easy Cranberry Curd with power blender option.
- Easy Blackberry Curd
- Easy Lemon & Elderflower Curd
- Granny’s Quick Blood Orange Curd
- Easy Quince Curd
- 5 Minute Lime Curd – with power blender option.
- Rhubarb Curd
- Easy Blackcurrant Curd
- Lime & Ginger Curd
Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
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Granny’s Quick Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 200 g caster Sugar
- 2 unwaxed lemons finely zested and juiced
- 55 g unsalted butter cut into large cubes
- 2 eggs, large well beaten
Instructions
- Put the sugar, lemon juice, zest and butter in a pan on a low heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved and butter melted.
- Turn the heat up to medium and whisk in the beaten egg and keep whisking until boiling.
- Whisk for another minute (the mixture will thicken and coat the back of a wooden spoon). Thickens further on cooling.
- Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal with lids immediately.
- Allow to cool, then store in fridge and consume within 2 – 3 weeks.
- Makes approximately 300 mls (1 to 2 small jars)!
Helen
I make this all the time, an amazingly easy and delicious recipe, thank you. I mainly use it to fill my lemon cupcakes, but its so moreish I find myself at the fridge with a spoon! My lemon cupcakes are always the first to disappear! The internet is a minefield and I want to substitute the lemons for orange, how many oranges should I use, there are so many different versions but I want to use your recipe, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Camilla
Hi Helen, I can’t really answer that because the same volume of juice from oranges isn’t going to give you the depth of flavour that the lemons give this recipe. This is something I would need to work on and develop. I would also be inclined to have some lemon juice in there to beef up the flavour of the orange.
Helen
I’ve made some orange curd. Using your recipe as a base and looking at about 20 different others on the web. It’s just slightly on the sweet side (but that may just me being picky, as I’ve had what couldn’t fit in the jar on some bread and rather enjoyed it!!) so some tweaking will be required next time I make it. Thank you, your recipes are great! this week I’m going to make your Italian Chicken as it looks scrummy.
Camilla
Well I’m glad it went well and can imagine it would be sweeter as lemons are very tart where as oranges are very sweet. Thank you for your kind words, so lovely to get positive feedback:-)
Danuta I Gajewski
Easy, peasy, lemon curdsy!! Still too hot to taste, but I did lick the whisk, and ran my finger around the pot after I poured the curd!! Thanks for making it so easy that you have to be a total muppet not to make this recipe!!
Camilla
Thank you Danuta, that made me laugh! So glad you like the recipe:-)
Jane Willis
I’ve tried many lemon curd recipes and always come back to this one. Now one of the grandchildren has fallen in love with lemon curd so I think next time we have her over for the day I’ll get her to make this with me
Camilla
Thank you Jane, so lovely to hear and great to get your grand children making their favourite recipes:-)
Kath
Oh my goodness! This is soooooo delicious and ridiculously quick and easy to make. Massive thank you for sharing this recipe (and video!)
Camilla
Aaw, thank you so much, it is a fab recipe isn’t it:-)
Stephanie
Hi, I’m diabetic. Can I make this successfully with an artificial sweetener? Like Stevia, maybe? Or Splenda? Thanks!
Camilla
Hi I didn’t know it was possible but I see there are sugar free lemon curd recipes on the internet so you could use the amount of sweetener they use as a guide and follow my method perhaps. I never eat sweeteners so I am not much help I’m afraid.
nikki easton
I cant believe how quick and how few ingredients it actually takes to make lemon curd. genuinely surprised as it looks amazing. well done you. definitely going to be trying this with my children over the Easter holidays. we always have a baking day. thank you!!
Camilla
Thanks Nikki, I’m sure you’ll get hooked, it’s so good and so quick and easy:-)
Jane
Lovely flavour, but afraid I cheated a little as too runny for inside my lemon cakes so added 1tablespoon liquid with 1 heaped teaspoon cornflour to thicken it at the end. Worked a treat now have thick lemon curd made on 30sec bursts in microwave. X
Camilla
Hi Jane, it would have been fine for your cakes as it sets in the fridge, my photos were taken when the curd was still warm.
Kate
Looks beautiful! I live in Minnesota (The U.S) so I will have to convert the recipe to our measurements, but so excited to try this out this weekend!! Thanks!!
Camilla
Thanks Kate, I’m sure you’ll love it-)
Lisa
Hi, I really want to make this to gift in a Christmas hamper I am making – will it keep at room temperature until opened at all?
Camilla
I wouldn’t want to advise keeping the curd at room temperature but it wouldn’t hurt to keep it in a garage or shed for a couple of days before giving. You’d need to tell recipient to put it in their fridge and eat within a couple of weeks or so though.
Stephanie Lewis
Only ever made lemon curd over a Bain Marie and was always a faff. This was so quick and easy and tastes lovely and zing. I used a bit more lemon juice and still worked great (even zingier). Thanks for sharing this!!
Camilla
Great Stephanie, so glad you like it, thank you for letting me know, much appreciated:-)