Artificial Flavors Free Cornstarch Lemon Curd
Bright, tangy, and impossibly silky, this lemon curd is the kind of thing you'll want to spoon straight from the jar. Store-bought versions often sneak in artificial flavors or "natural flavor" blends that can be hard to trace, so making it from scratch with fresh lemons and a handful of pantry staples is genuinely the better move. Cornstarch steps in as the thickener here, giving the curd a beautifully glossy, translucent finish without any mystery additives. Fresh lemon juice and zest do all the heavy lifting on flavor — bright, floral, and just tart enough to make your mouth water. Whisking in cold butter piece by piece at the end creates that luxurious, smooth texture that coats a spoon and holds its shape once chilled. Straining the finished curd through a fine-mesh sieve keeps it perfectly clean and lump-free, ready to layer into tarts, swirl into yogurt, or pile onto scones.
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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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