Unlock the secret to sunshine in a jar with Meyer lemon curd! Bursting with bright, tangy flavor and silky smooth texture, Meyer lemon curd takes any dish from ordinary to extraordinary. Use it for decadent desserts or just to spread on your toast. Discover how this easy lemon curd recipe adds a burst of citrusy goodness!
Making this recipe from scratch is easy and we’ll show you the secrets to getting that perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. With step-by-step instructions, pro tips, and troubleshooting advice this recipe ensures your curd turns out velvety smooth every time. Get ready to impress your guests with this easy lemon curd recipe that will definitely become a staple in your kitchen.
We just love Meyer lemon recipes because we’re always getting homegrown Meyer lemons from my family over the holidays!
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Why We Love Meyer Lemon Curd
- Only 4 ingredients!
This easy lemon curd recipe only has four ingredients and is super simple to make for an amazingly tasty spread. - Perfect for adding to other dessert recipes.
You can easily make a lemon braid, lemon curd pie, or add some to the top of vanilla ice cream for dessert. - Lasts a long time in the refrigerator.
This homemade lemon curd can stay in the refrigerator for up to three weeks! This means you can add it to your desserts or spread some on toast for almost a month before needing to make another batch. Unless you eat it all before then, that is!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Meyer lemons: these are perfect for this recipe, but if you’re not able to find them, you can use regular lemons instead.
- Butter: unsalted butter is best for this Meyer lemons recipe.
- Sugar: granulated sugar works best here.
- Eggs: bring the eggs to room temperature before using them.
TFN Pro Tip
To get the most juice out of your fresh lemons, roll them on a hard surface like a countertop for 5-10 seconds.
What are Meyer Lemons?
Meyer lemons, named after Frank Meyer, who brought them to the US, are like a sweet twist on your regular lemons and are a hybrid breed.
They’ve got a softer, smoother skin that’s more yellow-orange and they taste like a combination of lemons and mandarin oranges.
You can use them in all sorts of dishes, from sweet desserts to tangy dressings, because they’re not as tart or bitter as regular lemons.
Just remember, they’re a bit delicate, so use them up quickly before they go bad.
Meyer lemon recipes are worth it for that extra pop of flavor in your cooking!
Instructions
- Gently dissolve the sugar.
Combine the sugar, lemon juice, and butter in a pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium to allow the ingredients to melt.
It’s important to not bring this mixture to a full boil or heat it too quickly or the sugar will crystalize.
- Temper the eggs.
In order to not make scrambled eggs, you’ll want to temper them by slowly adding small amounts of the hot sugar mixture to the bowl of eggs and whisking vigorously.
Continue adding the sugar mixture until it’s all combined and then return it to the stove to continue cooking.
*Watch out for small pieces of cooked egg at this point. If this happens it means the hot mixture was added to the eggs too quickly and the eggs cooked instead of tempered. If this happens, you’ll need to throw out this batch and start over.
- Cover with plastic wrap and cool.
After the curd is thickened and cooled slightly on the stove, move it to a glass container and cover it with plastic wrap, gently pressing it directly to the top of the curd in the bowl. This prevents a thin layer of “skin” from forming.
Keep it in the refrigerator for at least two hours to finish cooling and thickening.
Meyer Lemon Curd FAQs
Yes, freezing homemade lemon curd is a great way to save it for up to three months if you want to make it ahead of time or just want to save your leftovers.
Lemon curd is done cooking when it thickens enough to coat the back of your spoon without running off. It will continue thickening as it cools.
Yes, it’s possible to over cook this dessert. Keep an eye on it to make sure you take it off the stove as soon as it’s thickened.
Storing and Reheating
You can make this easy lemon curd recipe ahead and keep it in the fridge for when you’re ready to use it. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
If you tried this meyer lemon curd recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Meyer Lemon Curd
Equipment
- large saucepan
- Medium bowl (heat resistant)
Ingredients
- 4 large Meyer lemons juiced (about 1 cup of lemon juice)
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the lemon juice, butter, and sugar. Heat over medium high heat until the butter melts and sugar dissolves.
- Break the eggs into a medium (heat resistant) bowl and whisk them until well combined. Slowly add the lemon sugar mixture to the eggs, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring between additions. This prevents the eggs from curdling.
- Return the mixture back to the saucepan and turn heat to medium-low. Whisk the curd constantly, alternating with using a silicone spatula to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom or sides of the pan.
- Once the curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes, remove it from the heat.
- Allow the curd to cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then add to a bowl, stirring before covering the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on top.
- Let cool until just lukewarm, then refrigerate until set (about 2 hours).
PREVIOUS
Kim says
I’ve never tried lemon curd before but this is definitely one of my favorite new treats!
Casey says
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it with some vanilla ice cream.
Tara says
Oh yum! I love that beautiful, vibrant color. Such a fantastic use for Meyer lemons.
Chenee says
I love lemon and this was perfect right off the spoon! Can’t wait to make it again!
TAYLER ROSS says
I put this lemon curd on my pancakes this morning and OMG was it delicious! I’ll definitely be making this all spring long!