If you are a fan of citrus flavors you will love this lemon curd. It's the base of my lemon tartlets, lemon tiramisu, and lemon meringue pie!
This eggless lemon curd is TANGY. I've used more lemon juice than traditional curd recipes to give it a punchy citrus flavor.
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📖 Recipe Overview
- Minimal Ingredients - You only need 5 main ingredients, and an optional pinch of turmeric.
- Intense Lemon Flavor - With a high ratio of lemon juice, and zested sugar for an incredibly lemony taste.
- Perfect Consistency - Thick and creamy, it can served at room temp or heated for a runny consistency or chilled for a more set texture.
- Free From - Eggless, dairy-free, gluten-free, and made without coconut. You can also easily adapt the recipe to be soy-free by swapping it for another non-dairy milk.
🧾 Ingredients Needed
As promised, you only need a few simple ingredients to make this eggless lemon curd. Here's what to grab:
Ingredient Notes
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Fresh Lemons - Please steer clear from bottled lemon juice, it won't give that fresh lemon flavor. As we're also using the peel of the lemons, I recommend buying them organic if you can. Otherwise, look for unwaxed lemons and wash them well before zesting.
- Non-Dairy Milk - I use soy milk, but another plant-based milk such as almond milk or oat milk will work just fine.
- Sugar - Granulated sugar is best, as brown sugar or coconut sugar will affect the color and flavor. I don't recommend reducing the sugar either as it provides structure to the curd and balances the acidity of all that fresh lemon juice!
- Cornstarch - This is the secret to thickening lemon curd without eggs. You can swap it out for arrowroot starch at a 1:1 ratio.
- Vegan Butter - This is added for a silky texture, use block-style butter and not spreadable margarine from a tub.
- Ground Turmeric - This is optional, but just a touch will go a long way in getting that signature yellow color that's usually achieved with egg yolks.
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🥣 How To Make Vegan Lemon Curd
As mentioned, you're just a few easy steps away from the perfect lemon curd. Remember, the detailed printable recipe card is at the end of this page, but here are the step-by-images that you can use as a guide:
Step 1: Add the fresh lemon zest and sugar to a saucepan and use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar. This helps to release the natural oils in the lemons for maximum flavor.
Step 2: Add the cornstarch to the pan, and whisk in until evenly mixed with the lemon zugar. Then pour in the lemon juice and plant milk and whisk well until there are no visible lumps.
Step 3: Cook the curd on medium heat (low heat if you're using a gas cooker) and continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens (around 10 minutes). Switch between a rubber spatula and whisk so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Once it coats the back of the spatula, stir in the turmeric and remove it from the heat.
Step 4: Add the vegan butter to a large mixing bowl and pass the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl. Whisk until the butter has fully incorporated into the curd.
Step 5: Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
Step 6: At this stage, you can use it in recipes, or transfer it to a sealed jar and store it for later.
🍋 Serving Ideas
The slightly sour lemon flavor will cut through the sweetness of your favorite vegan desserts, here are just some ways to use it:
- Spread over toast, biscuits, crumpets, cookies, or scones.
- Served with vegan pancakes or waffles.
- Flavor desserts such as vegan lemon tart, lemon cheesecake, lemon layer cake, limoncello tiramisu, lemon curd cake, and lemon curd ice cream.
- For topping vegan meringue nests or pavlova.
💡Recipe Tips
Fresh lemons only. Bottled lemon juice will not work; it also has an unpleasant, fake lemon flavor from oils and preservatives.
Whisk the cornstarch into the liquid ingredients well before heating. This is called making a cornstarch slurry and helps to prevent a lumpy curd.
Cook low and slow. If you're using a gas hob, the curd will cook and thicken quicker than with a convection or electric stove. So be careful to have the heat low on a gas cooktop so that it doesn't thicken too fast.
Alternate between a rubber spatula and whisk to stir the lemon curd whilst cooking.
If you can't find vegan butter, you can use coconut cream or thick full-fat canned coconut milk in its place. Just note that the consistency may not be quite as set as with butter.
💬 FAQs
In short, no. As well as balancing the acidity of the lemons and adding sweetness, sugar helps to create a rich consistency for your lemon custard.
Generally, eggs help thicken lemon curd, but cornstarch is the thickening agent used for this eggless lemon curd recipe.
It's important to cook the cornstarch properly and for the correct amount of time to activate its thickening properties.
Homemade lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools, so fear not if it isn't quite as thick as you'd like once made. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon while warm.
It will last for at least 2 weeks in an airtight jar in the fridge. If you plan on using it on the same day you can keep it out at room temperature in a sealed jar.
You can also freeze it for several months in a covered container and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
🍯 More Vegan Curds
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar *see note 1
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest freshly zested *see note 2
- 40 g (4 tablespoons) cornstarch or ground arrowroot starch
- 250 ml (1 cup + 2 teaspoons) lemon juice freshly squeezed *see note 3
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) soy milk *see note 4
- 50 g (1.75 oz) vegan butter block-style *see note 5
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric optional, for color
Instructions
- Prepare: Zest and then juice your lemons. Set a large mixing bowl and fine-mesh sieve aside for later.
- Flavor the sugar: Add the sugar and lemon zest to a saucepan and use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar crystals feel "wet".
- Whisk in the ingredients: Add the cornstarch to the saucepan and whisk until evenly mixed with the sugar and zest. Then pour in the lemon juice and soy milk and whisk until completely smooth and there are no visible lumps.
- Cook: On medium heat (low heat if you're using a gas cooker) and continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens - this will take around 10 minutes. (*see note 6)Alternate between a rubber spatula and a whisk to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the curd has thickened enough to coat the back of the spatula without running off of it, remove it from the heat and whisk in the turmeric.
- Sift: Place the cold vegan butter in the large mixing bowl and sit the fine-mesh sieve on top of the bowl. Pass the lemon curd through the sieve, using a spatula to squeeze it through if needed. Whisk it into the butter until smooth.
- Chill: Cover the surface of the lemon curd with plastic wrap, and let it cool slightly for 10-15 minutes, then transfer it to the fridge to cool for an hour.
- It will thicken while it chills in the fridge. Once chilled, you can go ahead and use it in other recipes, or transfer it to an airtight jar and refrigerate it until ready to use.
- Storage: It will last for at least 2 weeks in an airtight jar in the fridge. If you plan on using it on the same day you can keep it out at room temperature in a sealed jar. You can gently heat and melt it in a saucepan anytime you need a runnier curd consistency. You can also freeze it for several months in a covered container and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
Notes
- Granulated sugar: Some white sugar is not vegan, if in doubt use organic sugar.
- Lemon Zest: Use organic lemons if possible, otherwise use unwaxed lemons and wash and dry them thoroughly before use.
- Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed, not bottled juice.
- Soy milk: Swap for another unsweetened non-dairy milk of your choice. Almond milk and oat milk both work well.
- Vegan butter: You can swap this for coconut cream or thick full-fat canned coconut milk. Just note that the consistency may not be quite as set as with butter.
- Cook low and slow. If you're using a gas hob, the curd will cook and thicken quicker than with a convection or electric stove. So be careful to have the heat low on a gas cooktop so that it doesn't thicken too fast.
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*This recipe was originally published in April 2022. The recipe has since been improved with simplified instructions.
This was amazing. I usually fail any curd recipe but it came out great. Working with eggs complicates things i guess. Good thing I went vegan.
Hi Marcelina,
So glad it worked out for you 😊
Curds can definitely be tricky with eggs, so I’m happy this version felt easier and turned out well for you. Thanks so much for the lovely feedback!
I love the fact that this recipe doesn't shy away from the lemon flavour and is not the normal "juice of 2 lemons". Having my own lemon tree, I have no shortage of lemons and the taste here is lemon. It screams lemon at you which is what I want.
Like others have said, mine has set solid so next time round I'll drop 5g off the cornflour and hopefully it will be a bit less solid.
I wonder if you had considered using saffron as the colouring agent? It goes well with lemon and i think might work better than turmeric which has left my first batch kind of looking neon yellow.
Hi Emma,
This made me smile 😄 I’m fully with you, if it’s a lemon dessert, it should really taste like lemon! Having your own lemon tree sounds like a dream 🍋
And yes, reducing the cornflour slightly next time sounds like a good idea if you’d prefer a softer set. As for saffron, that’s such an interesting suggestion, I haven’t tried it, but I agree the flavour pairing with lemon would be beautiful and the colour would likely be much more natural than turmeric.
Brilliant thank! you!
Can this lemon curd be left out at room temperature in a cake or pie?
Can monk fruit be used in place of sugar?
Hi Moon,
I haven't tried this, I'm sorry. I think the flavor could be altered a little.
Love it; love your recipes...
Wow!! This is sooo good! I think I might have left it in the stove for too long because when I took it from the fridge the day after it was more in a puddin consistency but the flavour was still there and how amazing was that!!
I used it to bake the vegan lemon crumble cake which was also a delight. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Margarida,
So glad you loved it! If it firms up into more of a pudding texture after chilling, you can gently warm it next time just enough to loosen it, and it should return to the smooth curd consistency. And I’m delighted it worked well in the lemon crumble cake too! Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Hi
this looks like a great recipe … am keen to try (will accomodate my dairy and a friends egg allergies :))
How much will this amount make and can I water bath can it ?
Claire
Hi Claire,
Thank you, Claire! I’m so glad you’re planning to try it. The recipe makes about 580g (around 1½ cups), and there’s no need for a water bath for this one.
This is my Go To for Lemon Curd! This turns kinda boring vegan cheesecake into something spectacular! I really am grateful that you shared this recipe with us - thanks!
Hi Arielle,
Ahh, I love hearing that, thank you! So glad it’s become your go to!
Absolutely delicious. ALL my non-vegan friends wanted the recipe. Thank you
Hi Susan,
That’s the best kind of feedback — thank you! I love hearing that it was such a hit with your non-vegan friends too.
This was AMAZING! So easy to make, so easy to prep ahead of a gathering, and EVERYONE loved it (you never know with lemons). It will be a go-to recipe for entertaining. I added a few raspberries on top. Thanks so much!
Hi Taya,
So happy to hear that, thank you! I love that it was such a crowd-pleaser and easy to prep ahead, and that it’s earned a spot in your go-to recipes for entertaining!
This is delicious beyond comprehension. I’ve always made lemon Meringue pies but this was vegan and much tastier.
Hi Rika,
That is such an amazing compliment - thank you!! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it, and that the vegan version was even tastier truly means the world. So glad it hit the spot!
Amazing!! Thank you so much!
So happy you loved it Emilia!
Tried to cook low and slow on my gas stovetop and after 30 minutes it was still liquid. Turned the heat up to get it going. It bubbled and slightly thickened and it slowly turned brownish. I eventually took it off the heat after another half an hour and followed the last few steps. It’s tinted brown and is a caramel-like texture. Where did I go wrong? I am cooking at altitude in the US so it may be impacting the heat/boiling point. Any advice?
Hi Jessie,
From what you've described it sounds like the cornstarch did not activate at all and instead created a caramel sauce. I don't have any experience with high-altitude unfortunately but I did see via Google that it does not thicken well at high altitudes, so interesting! Have you tried cooking with other starches before with success?
So good! I used half raw sugar and half granulated white, and added some extra lemon zest (2 large lemons’ worth total). I only had about half the required amount of lemon juice so made up the rest with water and a pinch of citric acid. Turned out perfect! Looking forward to using it in the lemon cheesecake recipe.
Hi Marta,
Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback. That's incredible how were able to adapt with them amount of lemon juice, thanks for sharing!
Is it possible to make it without sugar?
Hi Filip,
I´m afraid not, the sugar balances the sourness of the lemon and also provides structure.
Excellent recipe!
Thank you
Hi Moran, Thank you so much for your lovely feedback!
I was looking for a good lemon curd recipe for Easter, and this is a BLESSING! Thank you so much!!!! xx
So happy it helped, Jaina! Happy Easter x
Hello!
Thank you for this delightful and delicious recipe!
Question: can I bake with this? I want to make lemon squares and the other recipe calls for baking the crust with the filling.
Thank you!
Marianne from Calgary, Alberta Canada
Hi Marianne,
You're most welcome! I think so, but I haven't tested it. I would hold on the butter just in case as it *could* split during baking. I hope this helps, and please let me know if you give it a try!
Does it matter if it’s salted vs. unsalted vegan butter? My local grocery store only has salted butter. Thanks!
Hi Emma,
I think the salted butter should be fine seeing as the quantity needed isn't huge
Update— I made it with the salted vegan butter and it tastes great! Thanks!
So unbelievably good. It was too sweet for me as written so I made a half batch with no sugar at all and then mixed the two and it was AMAZING! Thank you!
Hi Jami,
Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback!
When making citrus curds I find that using more zest is preferrable. To make it easier to add zest, I use a vegetable peeler, peel all of the zest from the fruit (lemons in this case), and then put it in a bullet blender with the citrus juice to completely integrate it with the juice. This really allows the oils from the zest to be released, does not leave any undesirable textures in the curd, and takes far less time than grating or microplaning. I do reserve some of the zest and microplane it to add flecks throughout the curd as desired.
This is really delicious. Tangy and creamy as described. I required 5-6 big lemons for 250 ml lemon juice and zests. Will use it today with the vegan lemon cheesecake... 🙂 Thank you for this and the many other recipes, Christina!
You're so welcome Franziska,
Thank you so much for your lovely review and I hope you enjoy the cheesecake too 🙂
Hi. This looks amazing. Aside from a color change, would it turn out okay if I replaced the white sugar with coconut sugar? (I can't have white sugar).
Hi Sue,
Thank you, the flavor would also be affected as coconut sugar leaves a more caramelized taste.
I would like your recipe in US measurements.
Hi Carol,
Absolutely, those have been added to the recipe now 🙂