This eggless lemon curd is a favourite with both my girls, given they can’t consume eggs. And no one can tell the difference!
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Why Eggless?
We use lemon curd a lot when baking; it’s a fantastic ingredient that is so much more effective than lemon juice. Its concentrated lemon flavour works wonders in so many recipes, lending both a sharp, as well as a touch of creamy flavour.
Because my girls are allergic to eggs, we are converting and creating more and more eggless baking recipes. And as lemon curd is something we love baking with, making an eggless lemon curd recipe was an obvious thing for us. I’m just amazed it’s taken me a couple of years to post about it!
The catalyst to this post was the last semolina cake that we made, Semolina and Lemon Curd Cake with Rosemary and Lemon Syrup (above). It was such a delicious creation, and a hit with family and friends that I promised my girls and a few readers that I would convert it to an eggless cake recipe. Naturally, the first step was to post the eggless lemon curd recipe!
This eggless lemon curd is sunshine in a jar!
There is hardly any difference in taste, aroma, and texture between this eggless lemon curd and a traditional lemon curd made with eggs. The creaminess that the eggs provide is replaced by the condensed milk we use in the recipe.
With the exception of peanut butter, I like my spreads smooth, no bits anywhere. So I don’t add any lemon zest to our lemon curd, but have listed it in the recipe here as optional. I shall leave that up to you.
Homemade Eggless Lemon Curd Recipe
Our eggless lemon curd is a very easy recipe to put together and takes only 15 minutes to make. It can be eaten immediately after being made, while still warm, although it will be slightly runnier at this stage. After that, store it in a sterilised jar, in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Sterilising Jars for our Eggless Lemon Curd
- Turn the oven on to a cool 130˚C/250˚F/Gas Mark ½.
- Wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water.
- Place the jars and lids upside down in the oven and leave them to dry, with the door closed for 15 minutes.
- Leave the jars and lids in there, bring them out only when you are ready to fill. Be careful, as they’ll be hot.
More on the Eggless Recipes page
Images by LinsFoodies
If you like the recipe, don’t forget to leave me a comment and that all important, 5-star rating! Thank you!
And if you make the recipe, share it on any platform and tag me @azlinbloor, and hashtag it #linsfood
Lin xx
Eggless Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5 oz) salted butter
- 100 g (3.5 oz) white sugar
- 200 ml (4/5 cup) lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
- zest of 2 lemons
- 2 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch in the US)
- 2 Tbsp cool water
- 100 g (3.5 oz) condensed milk
Instructions
- Place the butter, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest (if using) in a small saucepan on medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir, as the butter is melting, to mix.
- Let the mix simmer for 1 minute.
- Mix the cornflour and water to a smooth paste, and very slowly drizzle this into the lemon and sugar mix, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened.
- Take it off the heat and stir the condensed milk in. That’s it.
- Transfer to a sterilised jar, bring to room temperature, then store in the fridge for up to a week.
Azlin, I love lemon curd especially to add to my bakes and as a topping for desserts. I usually make the egg version. Am going to give this eggless version a try. Looks so thick and creamy and love the lemony colour.
It’s practically identical in flavour and aroma!
This is a great recipe even when I have to substitute cornstarch with 1 tbsp cassava starch and 1 tbsp all-purpose flour. It came out nice and smooth! Thank you, Azlin Bloor for sharing. will make it again. 🙂 <3
My pleasure, Vange. I’m pleased that it worked for you with a different starch. I’ll have to add that to the article.
I made this according to the recipe and used it for a Mary Berry Lemon Cheesecake on a Ginger Crust. It came out perfect! Exactly the right portion I needed, and delectable with the right amount of sweet and sour. Slightly runny and comparable to the storebought stuff.
Hi, would you have any tips on how to revert the mixture to being less firm. I’ve unfortunately added more corn flour than I should have and even though it tastes gorgeous it’s a bit firmer than i would have liked as I’m using it as a filling between cakes. Thanks so much and great recipe too. Liz
Hi Liz, just whisk it with a little liquid. If it’s not too lemony, lemon juice will be the best option. But if it’s already too lemony in flavour, room temperature water will work just fine. Be sure to add the liquid a little at a time, as you don’t want it ending up too runny.
And it’s my pleasure.
I’m assuming “cornflour” is the same as corn starch in the States?
Hi Audra, yes it is.
Hi,is it possible to substitute cornflour w something?(if yes how much?)
I have same question, thanks
Hi guys, the cornflour is there to help thicken the lemon curd. Without it, the lemon curd would be thin and runnier.
So if you don’t want to use cornflour, you need something that will do the same job, that is, act as a thickener.
These are some examples:
all purpose flour (not gluten free) – twice as much, so 4 Tbsp
tapioca starch or flour – 2 Tbsp
rice flour – 4 Tbsp
potato starch – 2 Tbsp
arrowroot powder – 2 Tbsp
I hope that helps.
I am making a lemon tart. How much cornflour do I need to add so that it sets properly and does it need to be baked to set or refrigerated?
Hi Priyanka, I’ve not got around to using this as a tart filling with cornflour. In one of my replies below, I give the recipe for making lemon tart with this lemon curd using agar agar.
My best estimate for cornflour is 5 Tbsp cornflour PLUS 1 Tbsp salted butter. Fill the tart shell and bake it. As it cools, the butter will help the filling harden. This is only an estimate, I hope it works for you.
Have you tried freezing this? Will the consistency still be good when thawed?
Hi Terry, I’ve not frozen it before but a few of my readers have tried it. According to them, it freezes fairly well. Comes out slightly runny, but stirring it solves the problem.
I’ll have to try it myself soon, so I can add that to the post!
I have been looking for a egg free lemon curd for ages. This turned out perfect! I paired it with a pâte sucrée and it tasted just like it came from the bakery! It was so nice to be able to make something like this for my egg allergic son who has to miss out on treats a lot. Thank you so much !
That’s really great, Corrine! So good to know. I’ve been wanting to do a recipe for an eggless lemon tart for ages.
Holy moly that is delicious!! I just finished making it. My daughter is allergic to eggs so I really appreciate this egg free recipe. It turned out perfect!
HI Kelly, I am so pleased to hear that! I’ve got to that stage where I prefer this eggless version to the standard one!
I feel the lemon proportion of 200 ml is a hit too much. I suggest reducing to 150. Thank you for the recipe
A pleasure, I’ve been making this lemon curd for years and years, using 200ml, and the tartness is perfect to us. If it’s too sour for you, then yes, by all means, reduce it.
Made it ths morning and I must say I am very impressed with the results.
I actually said out loud ” I am proud of myself hahaha”
Will be making more next time, I sell cakes from my kitchen soo I ussually just bought stored bought lemon curd but from now on this will definitely be my go toto recipe.
Thanks for sharing. God bless
I’m pleased to hear that Isabella, glad I could help. I’ve had a few folks using them for their businesses.
Hi, I need help! I want to made a batch of 8 jars, with the egg recipe I’m told I am not able to keep on shelf,so I look for NO EGG recipe BUT even this recipe calls to be refridgegarated. If in a sanitized sealed jar why not on a shelf?
Hi Sharlene, I’m afraid citrus curds/jams need to be kept in the fridge for the best result and safety.
In the past, I used to give this a water bath and kept them on the shelf for 1-2 months. But current safety advice states that you need to store all citrus curds in the fridge, even if you give them a water bath.
Here is an old article that you may be interested in reading about how to can lemon curds (give them a water bath): https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_02/lemon_curd.html
However, please bear in mind that I am not suggesting you do it.
Hi…may I use this lemon curd as it is, as a filling for cakes & cupcakes, without mixing it with cream or buttercream?
Hi Rashmi, yes you can, but the lemon curd is pretty runny, like runny jam. I suggest you add one of tablespoon of cornflour to it (total of 3), so it will be thicker, which will make it better for filling cakes.
I actually added 3T cornstarch and it came out nice and thick
Thanks for letting us know.
So total 3 tablespoons cornflour right for thick consistency?
Yes, 3 tablespoons should give you a thick consistency. But it still won’t be thick enough as a filling for a tart. You’ll have to use 5 Tbsp for that.
I found this recipe while looking for an eggless lemon curd for a wedding cake. Is the condensed milk actually evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk like Eagle Brand?
Hi Mary, I’m terribly sorry, I’ve only just seen your comment. It is definitely sweetened condensed milk. Evaporated milk and condensed milk are 2 different types.
I just made this and it is delicious!!! Thank you so much for this eggless recipe!! When you bake it, how long and at what temperature do you bake it at? Thank you!!
Hi Sahar, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, it’s one of our favourites at home! When I bake it, it completely depends on the recipe itself, as it will be used as an ingredient. If you have an eggless cake recipe that you use, you can substitute some of the liquid (like the condensed milk) with this lemon curd. Then just bake as the recipe says.
Hello! How long can his sit out or does it have to be refrigerated?
HI there, it definitely wants to be refrigerated to prolong its life. In the fridge, it’ll keep for a week. Out of the fridge, only a couple of days.
Very good lemon curd. I usually make curd with egg yolks but hate collecting the whites. The taste is in some ways better, ie no eggy flavour. Has anyone tried baking with this curd? I have a recipe for lemon squares and I wonder if it can be baked.
Thank you, Rosemary. Yes you can bake with it, treat it like you would regular lemon curd. I bake with it all the time, and I know a few of my readers have done the same from their tags on social media.
Thank you. Good to know.
I made this yesterday and it’s absolutely delicious!! for baking with it, how long do you bake it for and at what temperature? Thank you for such an awesome eggless recipe!!
Yes, the sugar can definitely be reduced. You could cut it down to half, then have a taste, and add a little more if you need it, BEFORE adding the cornflour in. And it’s a pleasure.
This sounds great. I’m going to try it. Could this be used for a lemon tart filling or is it too runny?
Thanks Ellie. It’s too runny as it is for a tart. You have 2 options to make it sturdier.
1. Increase the cornflour (I would say 6 Tbsp)
2. Use some sort of gelatine (vege gel, if vegetarian) or agar agar
I’ve not actually used it as a tart/pie filling, so the cornflour amount is a guess. But I think I’ll make that next weekend and post it.
Hi, since condensed milk already has a lot of sugar… Will the additional sugar make it too sweet?
Hi Mekhla, yes, you are right but we are only using a relatively small amount of condensed milk. It’s all about balance: too much condensed milk, and it will be too creamy. So with that amount, you still need a little sugar because lemon juice is very sour and needs to be tampered down.
I hope that helps.
Can the amount of sugar or condensed milk be reduced a little bit in order to lessen how sweet it is? Will it affect the texture?
Hello, your eagles lemon curd sounds just what I need. I’m making a wedding cake using your Madeira recipe and I wonder how long the lemon curd will last inside the cake and out if the fridge. Many thanks for some wonderful recipex
Hi Roberta, the lemon curd will be perfectly fine out of the fridge all day. It doesn’t have any eggs, and as the milk is condensed and full of sugar, that will also be fine.
Any leftovers will want storing in the fridge and then lightly warmed up in the microwave oven before eating. I usually cut out whatever slices I need and give them a 10-second blast, depending on how many slices I’m warming up. The cake can also be frozen.
I hope it all goes well. Thank you!
How lovely, printed and making this weekend, thank you.
Thank you, I hope it went well.
I never had this before. I am saving this 🙂 And thanks a lot for sharing the tips to sterilized the jar as well. It will help a lot..
Thank you
have a good day!
Thank you, Priya, have a great week!
Oh wow, I never would have thought that you could make lemon curd without eggs. This is so cool. Thank you for the recipe, so easy too!
A pleasure, thank you.
Thank you, Azlin. You are just amazing, you always deliver! I’m going to make this today, so my son can enjoy it. We are looking forward to the cake!
Thank you, Angela. I hope he liked it!
Hi there,
Just read someone’s comment above about using this lemon curd for tart fillings. Read your reply Azlin about using agar agar to thicken it. Just needed to know how to use the agar agar in this recipe and at what stage? Would appreciate your feedback. Many thanks.
Hi Roma, I’ve not got around to trying it out with agar agar. If I had to make a guess, I would use 1 flat tablespoon of agar agar powder. Add it to the lemon juice BEFORE it’s heated up, and proceed with the recipe. This may give a filling that’s too firm, I’m not a hundred percent sure without trying it. Because of the high acid content (the lemon juice), we need to use slightly more than normal.
I’ve just ordered some agar agar powder, hopefully it’ll get here before next weekend, I’ll try it out myself and post back here. If you do try it before me, let me know how it goes.
Roma & Angela,
So I’ve made an Eggless Lemon Tart with this lemon curd. Hopefully, the recipe will be posted in the next week or two.
This is the lemon curd recipe for the filling:
200 ml (4/5 cup) lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
1 Tbsp agar agar powder
100 g (3.5 oz) salted butter
60 g (2 oz) white sugar
100 g (3.5 oz) condensed milk
1. Add the agar agar powder (or flakes) to the lemon juice in a saucepan and leave for 10 minutes.
2. Heat gently on medium-low heat and stir when it starts to bubble at the edges. Cook for 30 seconds on LOW heat, then add the butter and sugar, and stir until the butter has melted.
3. Slowly drizzle the condensed milk into the mix and stir for 20 seconds, while still on the low heat.
4. Take off the heat and leave for 5 minutes to cool.
5. Stir, and pour into your tart case. That’s it, leave it to set NO NEED TO BAKE AGAIN like a regular lemon tart.
** The amount above is probably enough for only a 7″ tart tin.
** For a 9″ tart tin, you’ll need 1 1/2 times more.
** Will last for 2 days.