Vegan lemon curd -a sweet, creamy, intensely lemony spread that is totally vegan and ready in under ten minutes!
I first made this lemon curd some time ago now to fill my vegan lemon curd layer cake, but I felt like it deserved it's own recipe post.
Recently Damian has been trying to cut down on dairy as it isn't very good for his stomach (a problem that a lot of people have I think), so I have been trying to join him.
Seeing as I am already vegetarian, this has meant that I have been making a lot more vegan recipes so expect to see more of them on here!
It is amazing just how good this vegan lemon curd is, even without all of the eggs and butter that the original variety is made with. It is just as creamy and intensely lemony and is even quicker and easier to make in fact!
The curd comes together in under ten minutes and there is no need to worry about ending up with lemon flavoured scrambled eggs instead of curd as is is thickened with cornflour instead of eggs.
You don't need any fancy ingredients to make it, unless you count almond milk and vegan spread as fancy; although they are both so ubiquitous these days that I really don't regard them as such.
This vegan lemon curd is utterly addictive; despite the fact that it will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge, it never lasts for more than a couple of days in my house... It is also incredibly versatile and can be used for so many different delicious things; why not try it:
-
- spread on toast, muffins or scones
- with crepes or pancakes
- swirled into (vegan) yogurt or ice cream
- to make lemon tarts
- on top of a pavlova (use aquafaba to make a vegan meringue and top with coconut whipped cream)
- to fill a cake or cupcakes
- or just eat it straight from the jar with a spoon...
How To Make Vegan Lemon Curd:
(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)
*For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.*
Place the lemon zest and cornflour in a pan. Gradually whisk in the water to make a smooth paste then whisk in the lemon juice and sugar.
Place over a medium-low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook the curd whilst stirring until it becomes very thick.
Turn the heat down to low and add the almond milk and vegan spread, stir until melted and smooth then remove from the heat and pour into sterilised jars.
How To Sterilise Jars:
The curd is best stored in sterilised jars. To do this, just before you begin making the curd, heat your oven to 140C/275F/gas mark 1. Wash the jars and lids well in hot soapy water, rinse them thoroughly then place the jars on their sides and the lids upside-down on a baking tray then place the tray in the oven.
Leave the jars in the oven to dry while you make the curd then carefully pour the hot curd into the hot jars (never pour hot curd into cold jars or vice versa or they may crack), place the lids on and leave to cool before putting them in the fridge.
If you like this recipe, then I also have recipes for vegan coconut lime curd, vegan mango curd and vegan blood orange curd that you might want to check out!
If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess
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Vegan Lemon Curd Recipe:
Vegan Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 30 g (3 Tbsp) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp) water
- finely grated zest of 2 lemons (optional - omit for a smooth curd)
- 200 ml (½ + ⅓ cup) fresh lemon juice (about 4 large lemons/5-6 small ones)
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 60 ml (¼ cup) unsweetened almond milk (or soya milk)
- 70 g (4 Tbsp) vegan spread (I use Flora Original) (or use coconut oil)
Instructions
- Place the cornflour in a non-reactive pan (such as stainless steel). Gradually whisk in the water to make a smooth paste then whisk in the lemon zest and juice and sugar.
- Place over a medium-low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook the curd whilst stirring until it becomes very thick.
- Turn the heat down to low and add the almond milk and vegan spread, stir until melted and smooth then remove from the heat.
- Pour the hot lemon curd into a couple of clean (preferably sterilized) jars. Seal them and place in the fridge overnight to set before serving. Store in the refrigerator and use within a couple of weeks. You may find that after a few days the curd may separate a little, this is fine, just give it a good stir.
Notes
I originally made this vegan lemon curd for DIYs, check them out for some awesome craft and recipe ideas.
Erica
I just made this recipe and it really taste great! It's not quite as "heavy" as curd made with eggs and butter, but I think I like it better this way. Feels lighter and more fresh 🙂
Jaimie
I am in need of an eggless curd for a wedding cake filling, and this looks great! However, it doesn't have to be completely vegan for this bride. Would this recipe work with real butter and milk, or would it be too thick from the additional fat? Thanks!!!
hannahhossack
Hi Jaimie, I haven't tried the recipe with dairy milk and butter but I don't see why it wouldn't work!
Renate Callahan
Hi there,
would you recommend replacing the cornstarch with Arrowroot? Just asking because I have that and would have to buy the other. 🙂
thank you!
hannahhossack
Hi Renate, I haven't tried it with arrowroot but I think it should work fine. 🙂
Renate Maria Callahan
thanks - that'd be a great help if I would not have to buy extra ingredients like cornflour. Will try this afternoon with arrowroot.
Maria
I've made it with arrowroot and it turned out fine. I would like to know why you need to use milk, because mine was fine before I added the milk. What is the purpose of the milk in this recipe?
hannahhossack
Hi Maria, I just prefer the texture of the curd with the milk. It firms up a little in the fridge and the milk helps to keep it spreadable and creamy. You can omit it if you don't feel that it needs it. Good to know that arrowroot works well in place of the cornflour!
Lynn
Um...YUM!!! I just made this and it was so easy and DELICIOUS! I used cows milk as I didn’t have soy or almond milk at home. Will def make again! Thanks for sharing!
Shibani
Hi I just made a batch of this eggless lemon curd.. it’s amazing.. thanks for the incredible recipe..
Skyler
Could I use corn meal instead of corn flour?
hannahhossack
Hi Skyler, No. cornflour (cornstarch) and cornmeal are two very different things and cornmeal will not work in this recipe. The only possible substitute for the cornflour is arrowroot, though I haven't tried making the recipe using it so I can't say for sure how well it works.
Anna Palfreeman
This might defeat the purpose, but I'm wondering if subbing butter for the vegan spread will still work. I'm egg free but not dairy free and prefer to use butter if possible. Thanks!
hannahhossack
Hi Anna, yes that should work fine.
Raven
Love the looks of this recipe and can't wait to try it. Do you think this could be used in lemon bars? Poured over a vegan shortbread crust and baked? Would it set somewhat firm like lemon bars do?
hannahhossack
Hi Raven, I haven't tried using it that way so I can't say for sure but I don't think that it would work; this recipe is designed to be a spreadable texture so I think that it would be too soft for lemon bars.
Meghan
Hi Hannah,
Tried making this recipe today. After adding in the milk and butter, the curd became a lot runnier. I may have not cooked it for long enough to thicken it, but does it thicken while in the fridge?
Thanks for the great recipe! Tastes delicious although consistency may not be the same as yours.
Meghan
hannahhossack
Hi Meghan, The curd does set up further in the fridge. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Jane
Looking forward to trying this, thanks! Do you know if it would freeze well? I have a lemon tree and wonder if I could make a bunch and freeze it for later.
hannahhossack
Hi Jane, I've got no idea I'm afraid! I haven't tried freezing it so I'm not sure how it would react; I would maybe try making a batch and freezing a bit of it to see how it works. I hope you enjoy it!
Laurianne Giteau
Hey Hannah,
Thanks for this great recipe. I made the curd this morning and it is now all set and delicious. I find it a little bit too sweet for me though....do you think it would work with less sugar (i.e. just using 100g of sugar instead of the 200g)? Thanks in advance for your time. Best Wishes, Laurianne
hannahhossack
Hi Laurianne, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! I think it should work fine with less sugar, I haven't tested it though.
Laurianne Giteau
Thanks. I will try next time and will let you know how it turns out! 🙂
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You did not complete the recipe with the lemon juice
hannahhossack
Uuumm... maybe you should read the recipe again, I definitely didn't miss anything!
Marie
Delish! I like the lemony flavor from lemon curd but dislike the slight metallic aftertaste that seems to come from the eggs. This took care of that problem. Very happy to have found this recipe, thank you!
JOSIE
I made this to make a lemon tart, so I added an extra spoon of corn starch. I also used less sugar to have a more tangy flavor. The result was amazing. Everyone loved it & our non vegan friends couldn't believe it was vegan!
Andromeda
I made your lemon curd the other day and it is perfection- zesty, sweet, perfectly thick. Incredible.
Betty
Cor blimey! This curd sure packs some zing! And the coconut oil gives a lovely extra level of flavour, I think I will do this again with lime juice.
I did add a wee smidge of turmeric to boost the visuals , I just wish I had read the 24 hours setting bit, it's gonna be a long wait and my cake is just sitting there all lonely will my tummy rumbles.
I'm off to look at your other recipies, thanks for sharing and making vegan life easier
Roberta
I made this curd to use as a filling for a vanilla cake with chai icing. The recipe didn't call for the curd but one of the reader's comments used curd so I did likewise....glad I did - it would have been too sweet otherwise.
The curd was a bit too runny to use as a filling so I cooked up a bit more arrowroot with water and added to
the original batch. Like one of the above comments, it turned a bit stringy and snotty (sorry to be so descriptive). However, it tastes amazing and because it was between two layers of cake, no one knew it was slimy. 😉
I used arrowroot instead of cornstarch because I think I read one comment that theirs came out a bit floury using
the cornstarch.
I'll definitely keep this recipe and keep working on the perfect consistency for me. Thanks heaps!!!