There’s nothing quite like homemade lemon curd. And when you have a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance, there’s nothing better than homemade Dairy-Free Lemon Curd!

Why You’ll Love This Dairy Free Lemon Curd

It’s incredibly delicious! This lemony delight is beautiful, bright, light, tangy, smooth and creamy. It’s so good that you’ll want to eat it straight off the spoon.
This is an EASY lemon curd recipe. Decades ago, before I was allergic to dairy, I bought jarred lemon curd, assuming it was difficult to make. I was wrong! It’s so easy … and tastes SO much better made from scratch.
It’s naturally gluten-free. It’s both gluten and dairy free. Win-win!
Fresh tastes best and costs less! Homemade with no preservatives, it’s so much better than any jarred curd you can find! You’ll also be able to ensure it’s dairy-free, and it’s typically less expensive.

Ingredient Notes

Lemons. Use fresh lemons! You’ll need about 3 lemons, and you’ll be using the lemon juice and lemon zest. If you’re desperate, you can use bottled lemon juice and jarred zest, but the lemon flavor won’t be the same.
Egg yolks. Some people make lemon curd with both egg yolks and egg whites, but I prefer to make it with just egg yolks. They’re brighter, and I think it makes the lemon curd less fussy to make and more delicious (especially with organic eggs).
Dairy-free butter. Use dairy-free or vegan butter (I use Earth Balance buttery sticks). If you don’t need to avoid dairy products, you can use real butter instead.
Sugar. One cup. I use organic, but you can use regular sugar.

Dairy-Free Lemon Curd Kitchen Gone Rogue

How to Make This Lemon Curd Recipe

STEP 1: Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. You will be using 6 eggs and using ONLY the egg yolks.

STEP 2: Zest your lemons. You’ll need 2 1/2 tsp of lemon zest. Make sure you zest your lemons before you cut them open and zest them! (guess how many times I have been in a hurry and messed the order up?)

PRO TIP: If you’re new to zesting citrus, don’t let it intimidate you. It’s easy, especially if you use a microplane rather than a regular grater. A grater will work – it’s just a little more work. If I could go back, I’d buy a microplane zester much earlier in my life. Click here to see the microplane zester I use (same color and all). Note: if you purchase through the link, you pay the same, and I make a wee bit of money to help pay for all the things that keep my blog going. 🙂

STEP 3: Juice your lemons. You’ll need 1/2 cup of fresh lime juice.

STEP 4: Combine all your ingredients except the dairy-free butter on the stove and whisk continuously until it comes to a boil.

STEP 5: As soon as it comes to a boil, turn down to low heat and continue whisking until it thickens. It will turn a brighter yellow.

STEP 6: After it has thickened, turn the heat off, then add the vegan butter. Stir in, melt, then set aside to cool. When cool, it’s ready to store or eat!

What can you make or eat with this dairy-free lemon curd?

Oh, let me count the ways …

Eat it straight out of the bowl (seriously, it’s that good)
Spread it on toast (yum!)
Spread it on muffins, scones, English muffins, pound cake, bagels … you get the idea 😉
Fill your favorite vanilla or lemon cupcakes with the lemon curd and/or “ice” your cupcakes with it
Make a lemon tart with it (and top with fresh fruit)
Spread it on top of a favorite cookie or as a filling for thumbprint cookies, like my Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Lemon Almond Wine Cookies

Pin it/save it and try it!

Dairy Free Lemon Curd Recipe

A fresh, delicious dairy-free homemade lemon curd that's easy to make and soooo delicious!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Condiments & Jellies, Dessert

Cuisine Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

Equipment

1 large pot
1 Whisk
1 microplane citrus zester

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest
1/2 cup dairy-free butter (if you don’t have a dairy allergy, you can use real butter)

Instructions

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites (suggestion: save the egg whites to make yourself an omelette with toast and spread lemon curd on your toast!)
Wash 2-3 lemons, depending on the size of the lemons, dry with a paper towel and zest the yellow part of the lemon rind using a microblade zester (or the smallest holes on a box grater). Be careful not to get the white part (pith) of the lemon rind – it’s quite bitter. Zest enough for 2 1/2 tsp of lemon zest for the recipe.
Cut the lemon(s) in half and juice into a liquid measuring cup or bowl until you have 1/2 cup. Note: if you run out of lemons and need a little more liquid, add a little water or bottled lemon juice to get you to 1/2 cup of liquid.
Combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest (all of the ingredients except the dairy free butter) in a saucepan on the stove. Whisk constantly over medium or medium-high heat until you bring it to a boil.
As soon as it comes to a boil, turn your burner down to low heat and continue whisking until it thickens. It will turn a brighter yellow.
After it has thickened, turn your burner off, cut the vegan butter into pieces (if you haven't already) and add it to the pot. Stir until melted, then set aside to cool. When it’s cooled, it’s ready to eat! Spoon it into your favorite jar or bowl; store lemon curd in your refrigerator. Or use your fresh, creamy lemon curd to fill your favorite vanilla or lemon cupcakes.