This quick and easy Microwave Lemon Curd becomes thick and creamy in five minutes or less. It’s perfect for pies, tarts, cream puffs, cakes, and more.
What is Lemon Curd?
Lemon curd is a citrus preserve with a smooth, custard-like texture and an intense lemon flavor. Thicker than a sauce but softer than a jam, it’s versatile for spreading, filling, or topping desserts.
It spreads nicely on toast and scones, makes a classic filling for lemon meringue pie, and works beautifully between cake layers. Later sections list more serving ideas and recipes that use lemon curd.
Stovetop vs. Microwave Lemon Curd
Traditional lemon curd is made with lemon juice, butter, eggs, and sugar, cooked slowly on the stovetop for the smoothest texture. This microwave method is much faster and still yields a rich, thick curd.
This microwave recipe uses a small amount of cornstarch to ensure the curd sets firmly enough for fillings and slices cleanly in pies. Cornstarch slightly changes the finished appearance—cooled curd is a bit more opaque—but it helps stabilize the texture for practical uses.
Instructions
Start by combining the dry ingredients to prevent lumps: whisk the cornstarch into the granulated sugar before you add any wet ingredients.
Add lemon zest and egg yolks next and whisk until combined. Note: this recipe uses only yolks because whole eggs produced a texture and flavor we preferred less.
Zest brightens the flavor significantly; it will be strained out later, so don’t skip it. Slowly whisk in freshly squeezed lemon juice after the zest and yolks are mixed.
Stir in small cubes of room-temperature butter. Leaving the butter in pieces helps prevent overheating and graininess; melted butter can cause a less desirable texture.
Microwave on full power in 60-second intervals, stirring or whisking between each minute. Depending on your microwave, the curd will thicken and coat a metal spoon in roughly 3–5 minutes. Avoid overheating, which can make the curd grainy.
When thickened, strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jar or container to remove zest and any bits of cooked egg. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate once fully cooled.
Lemon Curd Uses
Ideas for using lemon curd:
As a topping: Spread on scones, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, cheesecake, or simple toast.
As a filling: Use between cake layers or in cupcakes, tarts, pies, crepes, cream puffs, éclairs, macarons, and sandwich cookies.
By the spoonful: Layer into parfaits, stir into yogurt, or enjoy straight from the jar.
Recipes That Use Lemon Curd
Here are a few favorite recipes that pair well with this curd:
- Lemon Cream Cheese Pie – no-bake cheesecake layers with lemon curd in a vanilla wafer crust.
- Lemon Curd Bars – shortbread crust topped with lemon curd and a coconut-almond topping.
- Lemon Curd Dessert – a shortbread base, cream cheese layer, lemon curd, and whipped cream.
- Lemon Strawberry Sweet Rolls – sweet rolls filled with lemon curd and fresh strawberries, finished with a light glaze.
- Strawberry Shortcake with Lemon Cream Sauce – flaky biscuits topped with lemon curd sauce and fresh strawberries.
How Long Does Lemon Curd Keep Fresh?
Homemade lemon curd is best eaten within one to two weeks when refrigerated. If you need to store it longer, freeze the curd—properly sealed, it can keep for up to a year without noticeably changing texture.
Microwave Lemon Curd
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2-3 tsp cornstarch (more for firmer fillings, less for softer spreads)
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 3 large egg yolks (no whites)
- ¾ cup (177 g) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature and cut into small cubes
Instructions
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In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch.
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Add the lemon zest and egg yolks; whisk together while slowly adding the lemon juice. Stir in the small cubes of butter.
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Microwave on full power in one-minute intervals, whisking after each minute. This will take about 3–5 minutes depending on your microwave. The curd is ready when it thickens and coats a metal spoon. Do not overheat.
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Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jar or container to remove zest and any cooked bits.
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Allow the curd to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools and will keep up to two weeks refrigerated.
Notes
- Yield: 1 ½ cups.
- This microwave method will be slightly less silky than stovetop lemon curd but is much faster and still very flavorful.
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