Barley Free Eggless Lemon Curd
Bright, tangy, and impossibly silky, this lemon curd delivers that classic sunshine-yellow spread without a single egg in sight — and without any grain-based thickeners either. Cornstarch does all the heavy lifting here, creating a smooth, glossy texture that sets up beautifully in the fridge and holds a clean line on a spoon. Fresh lemon juice and zest give it a bold citrus punch that bottled juice simply can't match, while the butter whisked in off the heat adds a richness that makes the whole thing feel luxurious. The technique is straightforward — constant whisking over medium heat until the mixture goes from cloudy to translucent — and the payoff is a curd that's thick, spreadable, and deeply flavorful. It's wonderful dolloped onto scones, swirled into yogurt, layered into a tart shell, or honestly just eaten by the spoonful straight from the jar. Straining the finished curd through a fine-mesh sieve gives it that perfectly smooth, professional finish you'd expect from something far more complicated. Once you have a jar of this in the fridge, you'll find yourself reaching for it constantly.
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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
- ½ cup water
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
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 remaining.
- 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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