Almond Free Cornstarch Lemon Curd
Bright, tangy, and impossibly silky, this lemon curd delivers that classic sunshine-yellow spread without a nut in sight. Many store-bought curds and even homemade recipes that call for egg yolks can feel fussy or risky when you're navigating ingredient labels, but this version keeps things refreshingly straightforward. Instead of eggs, cornstarch does the thickening work here — whisked right into the lemon juice and water until the mixture transforms from cloudy to glossy and translucent on the stovetop. Finishing with cold butter pieces stirred in one at a time gives the curd that luxurious, smooth body you'd expect from a far more complicated recipe. Straining it through a fine-mesh sieve ensures a perfectly clean, velvety texture with no lumps or stray zest. Spread it on toast, swirl it into yogurt, dollop it onto scones, or spoon it straight from the jar — it's that good. Once chilled, it sets into a luscious, spoonable curd that tastes like it came from a fancy bakery.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3–4 lemons)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- ½ cup water
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- 1
Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan until evenly combined. Add the water and lemon juice and whisk until the cornstarch is fully dissolved with no lumps visible.
- 2
Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and turns from cloudy to translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Once it begins to bubble, continue whisking for 1 full minute — the curd should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and hold a clear line when a finger is drawn through.
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