Turkey Free Eggless Lemon Curd

Total time1 hr 25 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time15 min

4.6

(4)

Bright, tangy, and silky smooth, this lemon curd delivers everything you'd want from the classic spread — without a single egg in sight. The magic here comes from cornstarch, which thickens the lemon juice and water base into a glossy, spoonable curd that sets up beautifully in the fridge. Fresh lemon juice and zest do the heavy lifting on flavor, while butter whisked in off the heat gives it that rich, luxurious finish. Because the whole thing comes together in one saucepan with pantry staples, it's surprisingly low-effort for something that tastes this impressive. Strain it into a jar, let it chill, and you've got a vibrant spread that's perfect on toast, swirled into yogurt, dolloped onto scones, or used as a tart filling. The texture is genuinely creamy and clings to a spoon the way a good curd should — nobody will guess it skips the traditional egg yolks entirely.

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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
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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