Chestnut Free Eggless Lemon Curd
Bright, tangy, and impossibly silky, this lemon curd delivers everything you love about the classic spread without relying on eggs to get there. Cornstarch does the thickening work here, cooking down with fresh lemon juice and water until the mixture turns glossy and translucent — a genuinely satisfying transformation to watch happen in the pan. Butter is whisked in off the heat piece by piece, giving the finished curd a rich, smooth body that tastes far more indulgent than the ingredient list suggests. The straining step is worth the extra thirty seconds; it produces a curd so clean and glossy it looks like it came from a fancy jar at a specialty shop. Spread it on toast, swirl it into yogurt, dollop it onto scones, or use it as a filling — it holds its shape beautifully once chilled. For anyone navigating tree nut concerns, this recipe is refreshingly straightforward: every ingredient is a pantry staple with no hidden surprises to decode on a label.
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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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