The apples are cooked down until soft and syrupy before blending, which concentrates their flavor and prevents the finished curd from becoming watery. Once chilled, it sets into a thick, spreadable consistency that I use to fill my vegan apple pie cookies.
It also works particularly well in my vegan apple cinnamon rolls, where it spreads evenly through the spirals without adding wet pieces of fruit to the dough.
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Key ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this recipe. Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Apples: I've tested this with both Royal Gala and Golden Delicious and both work beautifully. They soften easily and have enough natural sweetness for the curd without needing an excessive amount of added sugar. Weigh the apples after peeling and coring for the most consistent result.
Cornstarch: This replaces the thickening you would normally get from eggs. It needs to be cooked after blending to activate properly, and the curd will continue to firm as it cools.
Vegan butter: Cold vegan butter is whisked into the hot strained curd at the end. It adds richness and gives the finished curd a smoother, glossier texture.
Lemon juice: The acidity balances the sweetness and brightens the apple flavor so the curd doesn't taste flat or overly sweet.
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How to make it
Here's a visual overview of this recipe. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.
The first important stage is cooking the apples long enough. They should become completely soft, with the liquid in the pan reduced to a syrup rather than looking thin or watery. If there's still a lot of loose juice, keep cooking before moving on - that excess moisture will carry through to the finished curd.
Once blended with the milk, cornstarch, and cinnamon, the mixture should look completely smooth and creamy. If you can still see pieces of apple, blend for a little longer before returning it to the pan.
The curd thickens quite quickly once it goes back over the heat, so stir constantly and scrape across the bottom and into the corners of the saucepan. It's ready when it looks noticeably thicker and pulls away from the sides of the pan as you stir.
Pass the hot curd through a fine-mesh strainer directly over the cold vegan butter, then whisk until the butter has completely melted and the mixture looks smooth and glossy.
Don't judge the final consistency while it's hot. The curd will still be fairly soft at this stage and becomes much thicker and more spreadable as it cools and chills.
Ways to use it
Apple curd is thick enough to use as a filling but softens easily when spread or spooned.
Try it between cake layers or inside cupcakes, spread over pancakes, waffles, toast, or scones, or spooned onto oatmeal or vanilla ice cream.
It also works anywhere you want a concentrated apple filling without introducing chunks of fruit or lots of additional moisture.
Storage: Keep it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before using.
Christina's Recipe Tips
Weigh the prepared apples. You need 400 g after peeling and coring, rather than starting with 400 g whole apples.
Reduce the apple juices properly. The cooked apples should be surrounded by a thick, syrupy reduction rather than watery liquid before blending.
Keep stirring once the cornstarch is heated. The mixture thickens quickly and can catch on the bottom of the saucepan if left unattended.
Let the refrigerator do the final thickening. If the warm curd looks a little softer than expected, don't keep cooking it unnecessarily. It firms considerably once chilled.
💬 FAQs
Yes, apple curd will keep for up to a week in the fridge. Make sure you transfer it to an airtight container or sealed jar before refrigerating.
Absolutely! It can be kept in the freezer for a couple of months in an airtight container. To defrost it, simply let it thaw out in the refrigerator overnight. You can also freeze it in individual ice cubes so that you have a serving to hand when the craving hits!
More Vegan Apple Desserts
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📖 Recipe
Apple Curd
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) apples peeled and cored *note 1
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 80 g (⅓ cup) brown sugar *see note 2
- 240 ml (1 cup) vanilla soy milk or add 1 tablespoon vanilla extra to plain plant-based milk *see note 3
- 20 g (2 tablespoons) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 45 g (1 ½ oz) vegan butter cubed and chilled
Instructions
- Prepare the apples: Peel and core the apples, then cut them into roughly ⅜-inch (1 cm) cubes. You need 400 g prepared apples. Add them to a saucepan with the lemon juice.
- Cook: Add the brown sugar and bring to a simmer. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 12-20 minutes, stirring regularly, until the apples are completely soft and the juices have reduced to a thick syrup.
- Blend: Transfer the apples to a high-speed blender or food processor with the vanilla soy milk, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Thicken: Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat for 3-6 minutes, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula. It's ready when noticeably thickened and pulling away from the sides of the pan.
- Strain and finish: Place the chilled vegan butter in a mixing bowl and set a fine-mesh strainer over the top. Push the hot curd through the strainer, then whisk until the butter is completely melted and incorporated.
- Cool: Let the curd cool briefly, then transfer it to an airtight jar and refrigerate. It will thicken considerably as it chills.
Notes
- Apples: The weight you need is after the apples have been peeled and cubed - allow an extra 100g/3.5oz or so if measuring apples before preparing them. I use Royal Gala.
- Brown sugar: Use any granulated sugar of your choice, but note can affect the color and flavor.
- Vanilla soy milk: You any vanilla-flavored plant-based milk, or plain plant-based milk with a tablespoon of vanilla extract.
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Can I use unsalted butter and full cream milk with vanilla extract (its what i have in my fridge) instead of the vegan options for this recipe? And if so, would the quantities be the same?
Hi Kimberley,
I'm sorry I can't offer advice on this, as I only test my recipes with plant-based ingredients
Can the leftover apple curd be frozen?
Hi Karen,
Absolutely, you can find more details on this in the FAQ section above the recipe card.