BHA & BHT Free Cornstarch Lemon Curd
Bright, tangy, and silky smooth, this lemon curd is the kind of thing you'll want to spoon straight from the jar. Store-bought versions often rely on preservatives like BHA and BHT to extend shelf life, but this recipe skips all of that entirely — every ingredient here is clean and straightforward. Fresh lemon juice and zest do all the heavy lifting on flavor, while cornstarch gives the curd its gorgeous, glossy body without the need for egg yolks or any additives. The technique is simple: whisk, cook, and finish with cold butter for that luxurious, velvety texture. Straining the finished curd through a fine-mesh sieve gives it a perfectly smooth, professional finish that looks as good as it tastes. Spread it on toast, swirl it into yogurt, fill a tart shell, or layer it into a cake — this curd is endlessly versatile and completely made from scratch.
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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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