Brighten your day with this gorgeous Lemon Curd made with Pink Lemons! This vibrant curd is smooth, tangy, and deliciously lemon-y! Making Lemon Curd is easier than you think, with simple, step-by-step instructions that ensure you can’t go wrong. Try this curd on scones, tarts, ice cream, or swirled into yogurt!

One of my 2025 resolutions is to get better at baking. I’ve posted some of my baking foibles on Instagram, where you can see some of the ridiculous issues I’ve had trying to put together baked goods. But recently, I am approaching baking as more of an academic pursuit than anything. For example, I’m researching how butter, flour, sugar, and eggs interact; and more importantly, what results from different ratios of these ingredients. And I think that the subsequent recipes I plan to post will be all the more beneficial because I come from a very humble baking background. So many times I see bloggers, or even cookbook authors, write paltry instructions because they assume people already have baking knowledge. But recipes fail when assumptions come into play! And because I have had more baking disasters than I can count, I know where to add instructions to prevent failure!

This Lemon Curd recipe isn’t technically baking, but I put it under the general category of sweets and desserts. I got the idea to make it because of (bizarrely) soap! For Christmas, my sister-in-law Renée got me a set of lemon soap bars. They smell SO good, and I recently opened one of the bars to use in my shower. Suffused with the lemon-y scent, I all of a sudden got a craving for a lemon dessert. So here it is!

Be sure to check out the FAQs below to find out more about pink lemons, and the ways you can use this Lemon Curd recipe. I know you’ll love it! Enjoy! :)

If you love lemons, try out my Lemon Garlic Hummus recipe, Lemony Greek Roasted Potatoes,  or my Mediterranean Dense Bean Salad with Smoky Lemon-Cumin Dressing!

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Lemon Curd made with Pink Lemons

Brighten your day with this gorgeous Lemon Curd made with Pink Lemons! This vibrant curd is smooth, tangy, and deliciously lemon-y!

Ingredients

• 6 Pink Lemons
• Zest from 2 Pink Lemons about 2 Tbsp
• 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar
• 5 Egg Yolks
• 1/2 Cup Juice from Pink Lemons freshly squeezed
• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter cubed

Instructions

• First, prepare your lemon zest sugar. Wash and dry the lemons. Pour the sugar into a bowl, then zest 2 pink lemons directly into the bowl. You will want about 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Then, with clean hands, press the lemon zest into the sugar, so that the sugar takes on the lemon flavor. It's okay if the sugar clumps up a little.
• After the lemons have been zested, cut them in half and juice them, straining out the seeds and any pulp, until you have 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Because pink lemons are so small, you may need up to 6 lemons for this.
• Then, separate the egg yolks from the whites. (You can save the egg whites in the fridge for another recipe!) Place the egg yolks in a saucepot (do NOT put the pot on heat yet).
• Whisk in the sugar and lemon zest mixture with the yolks until they're evenly combined. Then, slowly mix in the strained lemon juice and whisk until everything is smooth and evenly combined.
• Now put the pot on low heat on the stove. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. This may take up to 10-15 minutes. Be sure to constantly whisk so that the eggs don't set!!
• Once the curd has thickened, remove it from the stove and add in the cubed butter. Whisk the butter into the mixture until totally melted, and the curd is smooth.
• Finally, strain the curd through a wire, mesh strainer to remove any pieces of zest that may be left over. This step is optional but recommended.
• Once the curd has cooled slightly, put it in a glass jar in the refrigerator to chill and set for at least 1 hour.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• This Lemon Curd will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks, for best flavor and quality.
• You can make this recipe with any type of lemon – pink, regular, or even Meyer lemons!
• If your curd is a little runny after its time in the saucepot, don’t worry – it sets more as it chills in the refrigerator.
• If you’d like to make this lemon curd pink, add in a little beet juice to your 1/2 cup to lemon juice to get a pink color! (Just make sure the total liquid volume is 1/2 cup.)

Lemon Curd FAQs

What does lemon curd taste like?

Lemon curd is kind of hard to describe! But it’s a sweet, tangy, and slightly buttery mixture that sort of has the consistency of a pudding/jello hybrid.

What do you eat curd with?

If you’re wondering what to use curd for, I’ve got you! In these photos, I show the lemon curd swirled into strawberry yogurt with blueberries and pomegranate seeds. However, you can use curd:

• As a filling for pies or tarts
• As a topping for ice cream, waffles, or pancakes
• In a layered yogurt parfait
• As a layer in lemon tiramisu
• As a filling for cupcakes or cakes

Is lemon curd the same as lemon pie filling?

It depends on the pie! Some pies use lemon curd as the main “bulk” of the pie, and others don’t. It completely depends on what recipe you’re using.

Is this lemon curd recipe easy?

Making curd does have several steps, but none of them are difficult. If the instructions seem long, it’s because I always try to anticipate any question a reader may have! I also prefer to write detailed instructions so that there is less room for error.

What are pink lemons?

Pink lemons, or Variegated Eureka lemons, are a type of lemon that was discovered in California in 1930. Yes, discovered! Pink lemons weren’t cultivated to be pink – they were an accidental result of a spontaneous mutation of the Eureka lemon tree. They can be identified by their yellow and green-striped skins, and pale pink insides. The juice isn’t extremely pink when you squeeze it, but it’s definitely more on the pink side than regular lemons!

What do pink lemons taste like?

They taste like lemons (of course) but with a slightly sweeter flavor. The brand I used for this recipe, Frieda’s, boasts subtle berry and floral notes in their pink lemons.

Can I use regular lemons in this recipe?

Of course! This recipe will work just as well with regular lemons. You can also use Meyer lemons here as well!

P.S.

For more plant-forward recipes and New England lifestyle inspiration, be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!