This easy vegan lemon curd is perfect. Sweet and citrusy, this thick lemony custard is the perfect sauce, filling, and condiment for your seasonal desserts. Made in just 10 minutes for a sweet treat nobody will believe is vegan.
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Apparently, I'm on a bit of a lemon kick.
I see a little bit of sun in the sky and I'm dreaming of citrus trees growing in my backyard, rosé all day, and summer songs blasting out of my open kitchen windows. Of course, this is all in my head. When the sun does come out, it lasts about 10 minutes before it's hidden behind the clouds again.
It's still mostly rainy, mostly 40, and mostly winter here in Portand, Oregon.
Let's forget about winter for a moment and celebrate the lemon. Earlier this week I shared my recipe for this Lemon Olive Oil Cake and today I'm coming at you with even more of that sweet and ultra tart lemony flavor. Why today I've got a recipe for some sweet vegan lemon curd.
But let's back up a moment. Some of you might be asking, what is lemon curd?
What is Lemon Curd
Lemon curd is a thick dessert spread that is traditionally made from lemons, butter, eggs, and sugar. While lemon is the most common flavor, you can make curds with other citrus fruits or berries. Other popular fruit curds are mango, blackberry, and passionfruit.
Lemon curd has a strong citrusy flavor that is balanced with the creaminess of butter and sweetness of sugar for a delightful spread that can be used in oh so many ways. More on that later.
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
In traditional baking, the eggs are considered essential as they provide the custard-like base of the curd.
However, as we plant-based eaters all know, there are many ways to replace eggs. Because lemon curd is a custard, it's important to look at the best egg replacers for custards when veganizing this recipe.
In the past, I've done this recipe with a cashew base. It works well but does introduce an element of fat that is inconsistent with the taste and texture of traditional lemon curd. Looking for something more subtle, I started to get curious about one of my favorite egg replacers - the chickpea flour egg.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Vegan Butter - With so few ingredients it's important to use a high quality, non-hydrogenated butter. I recommend either Earth Balance or Miyoko’s.
- Chickpea Flour - Read more about why I choose chickpea flour below.
- Lemon Juice
- Granulated Sugar - Check out my guide to vegan sugars and healthy sugar alternatives. For a healthier alternative, I suggest coconut sugar.
- Sea Salt
Why Chickpea Flour
Because of its high protein content, chickpea flour has awesome coagulation power. When few eggs are required for a custard-like base, chickpea flour may be the best option.
For example, when making French Toast the chickpea flour is the best for custard-like consistency. Also, when cooked or baked, chickpea flour has virtually no detectable taste or texture, which allows for the simple ingredients in this vegan lemon curd to stand out.
Recommended Equipment
All you need for this recipe is a saucepan, and basic utensils. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets
How to Make Vegan Lemon Curd
Good news! This recipe can be made in just one pot in about 10 minutes with just a handful of steps.
- Step one - melt the butter in a small saucepan
- Step two - remove from heat and add chickpea flour. Stir together to form a paste
- Step three - return the butter/chickpea flour to heat and add remaining ingredients. Bring lemon curd to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Step four - boil for 3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the curd begins to thicken.
- Step five - remove from heat, transfer to a glass container to let cool completely.
It's that simple!
Uses for Lemon Curd
Okay, it sounds delicious but what do I DO with lemon curd? Lemon curd has many uses.
- It can be used as the filler for cake
- A spread for scones, muffins, or quickbread
- Toppings for pancakes or french toast
- Mixed into yogurt
- Topped on your homemade granola
- Or just eat it with a spoon!
Serving and Storing
The curd will cool as it thickens. Let it cool at least 2 hours before serving.
Store uneaten curd in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Tips and Tricks
- Making lemon curd does require consistent attention. Once the ingredients are added, they need to be stirred constantly to ensure a creamy custard. The curd should be boiled for about 3 minutes but this will vary depending on the heat of your stovetop. You'll know the curd is done when it starts to coat the back of the wooden spoon and pulls away from the bottom of the saucepan as you stir.
- This lemon curd is very lemony. If you aren't sure you love the strong citrus flavor, start with ¾ cup of lemon juice and reduce the amount of chickpea flour by 1 tablespoon.
- Stir constantly to ensure a smooth and thick curd. Once thick, pour the curd immediately into a glass container and let it continue to cool at room temperature.
More Vegan Sauces
Vegan Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon vegan butter
- ¼ cup chickpea flour
- 1 cup lemon juice
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Once melted, add chickpea flour and mix together to form a thick paste.
- Return to heat and whisk in lemon juice, granulated sugar, and sea salt. Let lemon curd come to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the curd begins to thicken.
Notes
- Making lemon curd does require consistent attention. Once the ingredients are added, they need to be stirred constantly to ensure a creamy custard. The curd should be boiled for about 3 minutes but this will vary depending on the heat of your stovetop. You'll know the curd is done when it starts to coat the back of the wooden spoon and pulls away from the bottom of the saucepan as you stir.
- This lemon curd is very lemony. If you aren't sure you love the strong citrus flavor, start with ¾ cup of lemon juice and reduce the amount of chickpea flour by 1 tablespoon.
- Stir constantly to ensure a smooth and thick curd. Once thick, pour the curd immediately into a glass container and let it continue to cool at room temperature.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
shantal says
Wow wow wow!! I just made this and am currently eating it with a spoon. This is DELICIOUS. I wanted some curd to fill little tart shells and this is perfect.
I'm at about 8000 ft elevation so I had to cook the curd a few minutes longer to get it to set up.
I do notice a very slight texture from the garbanzo flour, but it's minimal and you can't taste it.
I used to make lemon curd and can it for years, but had given up hope of finding anything comparable. Have you ever tried to can this?
It's fantastic, thanks!
Cassandra says
Absolutely delicious! I've made it with both butter and coconut oil and the results are the same. One question, though: In your instructions, you say to mix 4 Tbls butter with 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour to form a thick paste and mine is never thick. My finished curd also doesn't ever get thick enough while on the heat to pull away from the bottom of the pot like you suggest. I'm wondering if I reduced the oil by 1 Tbls if I would have a thicker curd without compromising the taste and texture. Thanks!
Sue says
I used salted butter and its too buttery & thick not enough lemon flavour.
What do.you suggest to rectify it?
Kristin says
Hello!
I love the taste of this curd but I'm getting a grainy texture from the garbanzo flour... any tips here? I'm using the same brand as recommended, even cut it back by half!
Garby says
A friend gave me a jar of this...........O M GOODNESS but this is the VERY BEST!!
Jan says
Great lemon curd recipe. Like to join u r group
Nellie says
Hello! Would this work as a lemon tart filling? Will it set or should I bake it slightly in the tart shell please?
Sarah says
It would be a bit soft for a tart filling. I imagine baking it would firm it up a bit. I would try about 30 minutes. Let us know how it goes!
Nellie says
Super! Thank you Sarah. I will definitely keep you posted. I have plans for a GF Vegan lemon tart with a sablé crust. ?
Kate says
Thank you for this! I miss my mum’s lemon curd a lot. I don’t have ready access to vegan butter here in Taiwan. Do you think I could use refined coconut oil in its place?
Sarah says
No, I think butter is the only option. If you can't find vegan butter, you can try making your own. Here is a recipe I recommend.
Lacie Sheldon says
Do you think I could add blackberries at the end of the process?
Sarah McMinn says
Yes, that would be fine.