Macadamia Free Cornstarch Lemon Curd

Total time1 hr 25 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time15 min

4.7

(27)

Bright, tangy, and silky smooth, this lemon curd is the kind of thing you'll want to spoon straight from the jar before it even makes it onto a tart shell. It gets its gorgeous thick texture from cornstarch rather than egg yolks, which means the process is surprisingly forgiving and the result is consistently glossy and set. Fresh lemon juice and zest do all the heavy lifting here, giving you that sharp citrus punch balanced by just enough butter richness to feel indulgent. The step-by-step whisking method ensures no lumps and a perfectly translucent finish — that moment when the mixture shifts from cloudy to clear is genuinely satisfying. Store-bought curds can be a minefield of unexpected additives, but this one is made entirely from pantry staples you can see and trust. It's equally at home dolloped onto scones, layered into a cake, or swirled through yogurt for a quick weekday treat.

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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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