Homemade lemon curd is so easy to make – either on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot – and it tastes amazing! You’ll never buy it again, it’s so good!
Have you ever made homemade lemon curd? I actually never had until this year, but after trying it I can tell you that I will be making it often!
It is so easy to make. Seriously so easy. And you can make it on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot – and we all know I like recipes that give me options so I’m clearly a fan of that.
This homemade lemon curd tastes fresh and bright, is the perfect combination of tart and sweet, and it freezes well so you don’t have to eat several jars within a couple days or anything before it goes bad! I made several batches while testing this recipe so we had about 8 jars of lemon curd and clearly we wouldn’t be eating that much of it within a week or two so most of it is in the freezer. But it thaws beautifully and tastes just the same as when it was fresh so that’s okay!
This homemade lemon curd can be used in so many things too – I have way too many dessert ideas that I want to try it in, but I’m going to try and operate with a little self control and not make all the things in a matter of weeks. We will try to spread it out a bit. It does freeze well, after all!
I have tried this lemon curd in a few dessert recipes already, so you’ll be seeing those here over the next little while. I’m also anxious to try it out in crepes for breakfast some Sunday morning because I think that would be fantastic.
Also, if you like to mix your own fruit into yogurt – plain Greek yogurt with a spoonful of this lemon curd mixed in is maybe the best breakfast ever. Promise. If you’re a yogurt fan you should make this homemade lemon curd just for that!
Tips for perfect Homemade Lemon Curd:
- I use this style of lemon zester, and I love it, but it does take the zest off in long strips which isn’t great for this recipe. The zest needs to be finely chopped which is why I process the ingredients in the food processor before cooking it. If you have a zester like this that grates the zest finely you could skip this step and whisk everything together instead.
- I use a Pyrex 1 quart oven safe glass dish to cook the lemon curd in the Instant Pot – any one quart sized oven safe dish would work. Don’t worry about how it looks a little funny when it’s finished cooking, once you whisk it it will be smooth and creamy looking.
- Here are a few more great lemon recipes for you: Lemon Berry No Bake Cheesecake Cups, Glazed Raspberry Lemon Bread, and Lemon Raspberry Sweet Rolls
Homemade Lemon Curd
Homemade lemon curd is so easy to make - either on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot - and it tastes amazing! You'll never buy it again, it's so good!
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
Instructions
For the Instant Pot:
- In a food processor or blender, process the sugar and lemon zest until the zest is finely chopped.
- Add the butter and cream the mixture until it is smooth. Add the eggs and lemon juice and process again until it is well combined.
- Alternatively, if your zest is already finely grated, you can use melted butter instead of softened butter and simply whisk all the ingredients together in an oven safe, one quart sized glass dish.
- Pour the mixture into an oven safe, 1 quart (one litre) sized glass dish. Cover this tightly with aluminum foil.
- Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot and place the trivet inside.
- Place the aluminum foil covered dish on the trivet and secure the lid with the valve set to sealing.
- Cook on high pressure for 9 minutes.
- Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 10 minutes, and then quick release the rest of the pressure.
- Remove the foil from the dish and let it cool for 15 minutes, then stir it and let it cool completely in the refrigerator.
For the stovetop:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, eggs and lemon juice until well combined.
- Over medium heat whisk in the butter and lemon zest.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the lemon curd thickens and coats the back of a metal spoon.
- Transfer the curd to jars or another container to store it and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before refrigerating it to cool completely. It will thicken more as it cools.
Notes
The lemon curd will keep in the refrigerator for one to two weeks, or it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Source: Adapted from Taste of Home.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
2 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 89Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 16mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 13gProtein: 1g
Nutrition Information is estimated based on ingredients used and may not be exact.
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