Do you love lemon curd, but aren’t a fan of the eggy taste? This honey sweetened lemon curd recipe is luscious, sweet and perfectly tangy without any overpowering egg flavor. It’s made with simple, real food ingredients, naturally sweetened with honey and uses whole eggs instead of just egg yolks.
Whether you’re looking for a fresh spring treat, an Easter dessert or a special addition to a Mother’s Day brunch, this recipe has you covered. This homemade lemon curd is my go-to for spring desserts, scones, pavlovas and an extra special dip for fresh berries.
Why You’ll Love This Honey Lemon Curd
Let’s face it – store-bought lemon curd (pudding and custard too) often miss the mark. They’re usually packed with refined cane sugar, flavorings that aren’t recognizable to our body and have a very distinct egg flavor that overpowers the most important part – the lemon taste. This healthier lemon curd that’s made from scratch skips all of that in favor of real food, simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
- Simple: It’s so easy to make homemade lemon curd with just 5 real food ingredients. Plus it’s super easy to prepare in about 10 minutes and only takes about 5 minutes to cook!
- Flavor: This honey sweetened lemon curd is deliciously tart and sweet, with a bold lemon flavor, no eggy taste and a perfectly smooth, velvety texture.
- Healthy Comfort Food: Lemon curd feels like such an elegant treat. When I was little, I loved getting to have high tea with my grandma and mom. The lemon curd was always served with scones in beautiful china dishes on a 3-tier stand. My version is made with healthier ingredients and fits the bill for the most delicious childhood comfort food.
This healthy lemon curd goes perfectly with fresh berries, scones, layered parfaits with whipped cream, pavlovas, high tea, shortbread cookies and more! It’s also a great addition to the tops of cheesecake like my Instant Pot Cheesecake or simply served with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
Honey Sweetened Lemon Curd Recipe Equipment
- Microplane Zester: The lemon peel is where the vibrant lemon oil is. The bold lemon flavor comes from the lemon zest – you’ll need a microplane zester to zest the clean lemons.
- Knife: A knife is necessary for cutting the lemons in half so they can be juiced.
- Cutting Board: A cutting board is helpful to have on hand for cutting the lemons in half before juicing them.
- Handheld Lemon Squeezer: It’s completely optional to use a handheld lemon squeezer to make the lemon juice – they work efficiently if you have one. It’s also super simple to squeeze lemons by hand – use whatever works best for you.
- Fine Mesh Strainer: Most lemons have seeds – it’s helpful to use a fine mesh strainer set over a measuring cup while you juice the lemons if you’re juicing them by hand.
- Glass Measuring Cup: I like to use a glass measuring cup when juicing the lemons. It’s easy to set a fine mesh strainer over the top of the glass as well as be able to see how much you have juiced from the fresh lemons.
- Measuring Cups: You’ll need measuring cups to measure the honey and lemon juice if not using a glass measuring cup.
- Medium-Large Saucepan: A heavy-bottomed saucepan is needed to make homemade lemon curd. You will cook the lemon curd in this pot.
- Whisk: A whisk is important for making lemon curd. You’ll need to whisk the mixture consistently as it cooks.
- Medium Glass Bowl or Ramekins: You’ll need a heat-proof medium-large bowl, ramekins or small dishes to store the lemon curd. I love using ramekins or glass custard cups for individual servings.
Honey Lemon Curd Ingredient Notes
- Eggs: Most lemon curd recipes call for egg yolks only – this will create a more dominant egg yolk flavor. Not my recipe! Mine calls for using the whole egg. I find that this really helps create a bolder lemon flavor with no hint of egg yolk flavor at all. I highly recommend using organic pasture-raised eggs if possible. Pasture-raised means the chickens are raised on pastures, are able to roam freely, are exposed to lots of sunlight and enjoy their opportunistic, foraging, natural diet of insects, seeds, greens and other small animal protein sources.
- Raw Honey: Honey is one of my favorite natural sweeteners to use. Make sure to use a lighter honey like clover, star thistle or orange blossom. I do not recommend using wildflower honey varieties in desserts – they often are too overpowering and strong in flavor.
- Lemon Zest: This adds the bold lemon flavor. Zesting any citrus enhances the citrusy flavor in the food being prepared because it’s rich in the natural oils of the fruit. I recommend using organic citrus when you’re using the zest. Make sure to only zest the colorful yellow part of the lemon peel, not the inner white pith – because the white pith is bitter.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is a must with this recipe! You’ll need approximately 4 lemons to make enough lemon juice for this recipe. Meyer lemons tend to be more expensive, but if you’re able to find them or you grow your own, these tend to be sweeter, less acidic and very flavorful. You can find lemons year-round, but Meyer lemons have a shorter season of winter through early spring only.
- Butter: You’ll need quality butter to make homemade lemon curd. I am a fan of grass-fed or pasture-raised butter. My favorite butters are Kirkland Grass-fed and Vital Farms.
How to Make This Lemon Curd With Honey
It’s so easy to make this delicious, healthy lemon curd – but you do need to prep it a little bit in advance. It takes about 5 hours to set and chill in the refrigerator.
Start by picking out some lemons. Organic lemons are important when you’re using the lemon zest. Lemons are not currently not on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen List, but they are on their list of produce with higher pesticide residue levels.
Tips for Which Lemons to Use
The variety of lemon isn’t really an issue with lemon curd – just use what you can find. If Meyer lemons are in season and you have access to them, they tend to be sweeter, less acidic and very flavorful. Meyer lemons are usually juicer too. Check out local farmers markets for lemons, sometimes they are more affordable there and you will directly support the farmer.
Prep & Juice the Lemons
You’ll want to wash the lemons first – please don’t skip this step. Even if the lemons are organic, you’ll still want to wash the outside because oil based pesticides and ripening agents are found (and allowed) on organic produce. Washing the lemons will help remove any leftover residue, debris and dirt and makes it much cleaner for zesting.
Once you’ve washed and dried the lemons, use a microplane zester and zest the lemons, making sure to only zest the yellow part of the lemon peel/rind, not the inner white pith. Then set the lemon zest aside.
Next, grab a cutting board and a chef’s knife and cut the lemons in half. If you have a handheld lemon squeezer, by all means use that to make the lemon juice – it makes juicing lemons a breeze. Otherwise, use a fine mesh strainer over a glass measuring cup and juice the lemons by hand. Juice the lemons until you have ½ cup of juice, then set aside.
Make the Lemon Curd
At this point, make sure you have your ramekins ready or whatever heat-safe dish or dishes you’d like to use to store the lemon curd.
In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, add the eggs and honey. Then use a whisk to combine the best you can. Next add the lemon zest, lemon juice and tablespoons of butter. Stir with a whisk the best you can to ensure the eggs don’t start to scramble (if they do, don’t worry – you can strain those parts out in the end).
Immediately place the pan over medium-low heat and continue whisking constantly until the butter melts and the lemon curd begins to thicken – this takes about 5-7 minutes (it should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon). Once the lemon curd has thickened, you will start to notice little bubbles at the surface, once this happens, remove from the heat.
Pour the lemon curd through a strainer into a medium-size heat-safe glass bowl or small ramekins. Refrigerate the lemon curd uncovered for at least 5 hours or until fully chilled. Once fully chilled, you can store it with a cover. If you prefer to cover the lemon curd while chilling, try and tilt the lid (or BPA-free & PVC-free plastic wrap) when removing it so condensation doesn’t drip onto the lemon curd. If condensation does drip on top, you can use a clean paper towel to gently blot the surface and it will absorb most of the condensation.
Enjoy the Honey Sweetened Lemon Curd
Once the lemon curd is chilled, serve the lemon curd as is in individual ramekins or top it with fresh whipped cream, serve it with fresh fruit (it’s especially delicious with fresh berries), spread some on a scone, use it in parfait layers or as a delicious layer in a cake, top it on a Pavlova, add it to a fruit tart, slather it on shortbread to make a lemon bar, top in on vanilla ice cream or make a lemon cream milkshake (add some to a blender with vanilla ice cream and milk) – or simply just eat the lemon curd buy the spoonful!
Recipe FAQs: Tips for the Best Honey Lemon Curd
- How much lemon curd will this recipe make? The finished yield is about 2 cups. One serving is about ¼ cup.
- What is the best way to store this honey sweetened lemon curd? Once the lemon curd has fully cooled, store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Ramekins or individual serving bowls should be covered with BPA-free & PVC-free plastic wrap if they don’t come with lids. If condensation forms and drips on top of the lemon curd, use a clean paper towel to gently blot the surface to help remove the condensation. For longer storage, you can freeze the lemon curd for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
- Can this homemade lemon curd recipe be doubled? I have never doubled this recipe before, but usually lemon curd, puddings and custards can be doubled and work just fine. In a lot of recipes, doubling the recipe is usually safe, but sometimes tripling recipes tends to cause issues. If you test out doubling the recipe, please let me know!
- What kind of honey should be used in this healthy lemon curd recipe? I only recommend using a mild, light-colored, quality honey for this recipe. Honey flavors like orange blossom honey, clover honey, thistle honey or alfalfa honey are known to be the most mild in flavor. This is my favorite raw honey - I love their “orange blossom” and “original” honey. I also love using this raw honey in their “white clover blossom” and “light and mild” honey – some grocery stores carry this brand.
- Can you substitute the honey for another sweetener in this recipe? I personally do not recommend it because this recipe is a honey sweetened lemon curd. If you try another sweetener like maple syrup, it will alter the flavor.
- How should this homemade lemon curd be served? Chilled lemon curd can be enjoyed as is by the spoonful, served with fresh fruit (it’s especially delicious with fresh berries), spread on scones, used in layered parfaits, added in between cake layers or piped into cupcakes, topped on a Pavlova, added to a fruit tart, slathered on shortbread cookies to make a lemon bar, topped on vanilla ice cream or added to a blender with vanilla ice cream and milk to make a lemon cream milkshake, served in individual ramekins topped with homemade whipped cream, added as dollop on top of a smoothie and more!
Lemon season is typically winter through early spring, although lemons are available year-round. So give this delicious, tangy lemon curd recipe a try! It’s the perfect sweet citrus treat!
If You Like This Lemon Curd Recipe, You May Also Like These Delicious Recipes from Recipes to Nourish:
- Healthy Lemon Squares with Cassava Flour Crust
- Naturally Sweetened Homemade Lemon Jello
- Slushy Blended Watermelon Lemonade
- Strawberry Cucumber Lemon Water
- Sugar Free Stevia Sweetened or Honey Sweetened Mint Lemonade
- Strawberry Ginger Switchel (electrolyte drink)
- Orange Creamsicle Smoothie
- Homemade Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream (no sugar, paleo, dairy-free option)
- Honeydew Melon Agua Fresca with Lime (no sugar, honey-sweetened, paleo)
- Healthy Concord Grape Gummies (no sugar, paleo, dairy-free)
- Healthy No Bake Berry Cheesecake Tart (grain-free)
- Creamy Vegetable Lasagna (gluten-free, grain-free option}
- Easy Refrigerator Pickles (real food, paleo, no sugar)
- Easy DIY Natural Lemon Herb Refrigerator Cleaner
If you love this recipe, please give it a star rating and leave a comment below! Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for more!
Honey Sweetened Lemon Curd
Do you love lemon curd, but aren’t a fan of the eggy taste? This honey sweetened lemon curd recipe is luscious, sweet and perfectly tangy without any overpowering egg flavor. It’s made with simple, real food ingredients, naturally sweetened with honey and uses whole eggs instead of just egg yolks.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, preferably pasture-raised or organic
- ⅓ cup light-colored mild raw honey, see notes
- Zest of 3-4 organic lemons
- ½ cup freshly squeezed organic lemon juice, about 4 lemons
- 7 tablespoon quality butter, cut into tablespoons, preferably grass-fed/pasture-raised or organic
Instructions
- Wash the lemons to remove any residue, debris and dirt.
- Once you’ve washed and dried the lemons, use a microplane zester and zest the lemons, making sure to only zest the yellow part of the lemon peel/rind, not the inner white pith. Then set the lemon zest aside.
- Next, grab a cutting board and a chef’s knife and cut the lemons in half. If you have a handheld lemon squeezer, use this to make the lemon juice – it makes juicing lemons a breeze. Otherwise, use a fine mesh strainer over a glass measuring cup and juice the lemons by hand. Juice the lemons until you have ½ cup of juice, then set aside.
- Get your ramekins ready or whatever heat-safe dish or dishes you’d like to use to store the lemon curd and set aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, add the eggs and honey. Then use a whisk to combine the best you can. Next add the lemon zest, lemon juice and tablespoons of butter. Stir with a whisk the best you can to ensure the eggs don’t start to scramble (if they start to, don’t worry – you can strain those parts out in the end).
- Immediately place the pan over medium-low heat and continue whisking constantly until the butter melts and the lemon curd begins to thicken – this takes about 5-7 minutes (it should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon). Once the lemon curd has thickened, you will start to notice little bubbles at the surface, once this happens, remove from the heat.
- Pour the lemon curd through a strainer into a medium-size heat-safe glass bowl or small ramekins. Refrigerate the lemon curd uncovered for at least 5 hours or until fully chilled. Once fully chilled, you can store it with a cover. If you prefer to cover the lemon curd while chilling, try and tilt the lid (or BPA-free & PVC-free plastic wrap) when removing it so condensation doesn’t drip onto the lemon curd. If condensation does drip on top, you can use a clean paper towel to gently blot the surface and it will absorb most of the condensation.
- Once the lemon curd is chilled, it’s ready to enjoy!
Notes
ADVANCE PREPARATION REQUIRED
Yield: About 2 cups.
Equipment: Microplane Zester, Knife, Cutting Board, Handheld Lemon Squeezer (optional), Fine Mesh Strainer, Glass Measuring Cup, Measuring Cups, Medium Heavy-Bottomed Saucepan, Whisk, Medium Heat-Safe Glass Bowl or Ramekins or Glass Custard Cups
Serving Suggestions: Serve the lemon curd as is in individual ramekins or top it with fresh whipped cream, serve it with fresh fruit (it’s especially delicious with fresh berries), spread some on a scone, use it in parfait layers or as a delicious layer in a cake, top it on a Pavlova, add it to a fruit tart, slather it on shortbread to make a lemon bar, top in on vanilla ice cream or make a lemon cream milkshake (add some to a blender with vanilla ice cream and milk) – or simply just eat the lemon curd buy the spoonful!
Raw Honey: I only recommend using a mild, light-colored, quality honey (not wildflower honey) to ensure the flavor stays mild and doesn’t alter the flavor. Honey flavors like orange blossom honey, clover honey, thistle honey or alfalfa honey are known to be the most mild in flavor. I like and use these honey brands:
- GloryBee Simply Raw Honey in their “White Clover Blossom” or “Light and Mild” (some grocery stores carry this brand)
- Local Hive Raw & Unfiltered "Clover" or their "Orange Blossom Honey" (some grocery stores carry this brand)
- Honey Gardens Apiaries Unfiltered Raw Honey
- Honey Gardens Apiaries Unfiltered Orange Blossom Honey
Storage: Store the lemon curd in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Ramekins or individual serving bowls should be covered with BPA-free & PVC-free plastic wrap if they don’t come with lids. If condensation forms and drips on top of the lemon curd, use a clean paper towel to gently blot the surface to help remove the condensation. For longer storage, you can freeze the lemon curd for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
The photographs of this recipe, recipe and all content above are copyright protected. Please do not use my photos without prior written permission. If you choose to share this recipe, please feel free to share by using proper etiquette and providing a link back to my original recipe on my blog, not a screenshot, with proper disclosure [the original recipe - "title of recipe" by Recipes to Nourish]. Copying/pasting the full recipe text to websites or social media is prohibited. If you make significant changes to the recipe or adapt the recipe in any way, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and provide a link back here with proper disclosure for credit. Thanks for understanding!
[Updated May 2025]
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 271Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 125mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 36gProtein: 4g
This nutritional information was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Krystal
Wow this sounds just divine!
Emily Criswell
Thank you!
Tash
I have always been wary of store bought lemon curd for the very same reason! I can't stand eggy smells or tastes unless they are of course, well, EGGS! My fiance loves lemon desserts so this will be a lovely surprise for him! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Emily Criswell
I feel the same way! 🙂
The Food Hunter
It's citrus season and I haven't made anything yet. Think I will try this
Emily Criswell
Citrus is so wonderful this time of year.
Renee Kohley
Ooo! I think I need to make this this weekend. Citrus is about the only fruit around here these days!
Emily Criswell
You'll love this! I bet the girls would too 🙂
Megan Stevens
We make something similiar, very similar 🙂 at our Paleo/Traditional cafe, for lemon meringue pie filling. It's my youngest's (is that a word, lol??) favorite. This is lovely. Thanks for sharing. And I love the light coming in in that top photo, so pretty. 🙂
Emily Criswell
Thank you Megan. I would love to visit your cafe one of these days!
Andrea Fabry
I've tried something similar with a coconut flake crust. This is even easier and my kids will love it!
Emily Criswell
I bet that was so yummy with the coconut flake crust. Yum.
Jennifer Margulis
Double yum. I make a whole grain coconut cake with lemon curd frosting. Never been happy w using sugar. Now I will try making it with honey.
Emily Criswell
I think you will enjoy it Jennifer, it adds a really lovely flavor. 🙂 That cake sounds amazing!
Raia
I really need to try this. And of course make some scones to go with it... 😉
Linda
Can you use any other fat? Has anyone tried a vegan margarine? I tried to make key lime pie for Christmas but it did not set up. The recipe I was using called for corn starch and flour- I ended up using rice flour and the vegan margarine. It was very thick after I cooked the flour and sugar, added it to the egg yolks, still thick. Then I put in the lime juice and it never was thick again. I ended up freezing it so we could eat it with a fork. My son and I are both allergic to dairy and gluten.
Emily Criswell
Hi Linda. I'm not an advocate of vegan margarine, but I'm sure you could substitute coconut oil for the butter in my recipe. I have no idea about the recipe you used to make a key lime pie. I did just see this recipe for Paleo Key Lime Pie today, maybe that would be helpful?
Renee Kohley
My mouth is watering - I really want to make this!
Emily Criswell
Thanks Renee! 🙂 It's an oldie, but a goodie. Warning, you'll want to eat it by the spoonful 😉
Erica
Hi I'm wondering if I HAVE to use butter in this recipe or can it be replaced with something else?
Emily Criswell
Hi Erica, I have never made it with anything other than butter. I'm sure you could try using coconut oil or ghee, but I'm not sure what the end result or flavor will be since I haven't tried it. 🙂
Kari
I never make my own lemon curd but this definitely looks easy enough!
Kari
Emily Criswell
It's so good Kari! I hope you get to make some.
Candy
Perfect for Easter. Going in my recipe file.
Emily Criswell
Yes! It's so fun for Easter 🙂 Thanks Candy!
kristen
I dont think I've ever had lemon curd, but man oh man, your description makes me want too! I love tangy fruit flavored things! thanks for sharing!
Emily Criswell
It's so good Kristen! I hope you get to try some 🙂
Leah
I love lemon curd and scones! I have never used honey as the sweetener though! I will have to try, thanks for the idea!
Emily Criswell
I love lemon curd with scones too 🙂 Thanks Leah.
Ashleigh
This lemon curd recipe looks really great! I can't wait to try this recipe, thank you for sharing!
Emily Criswell
Thanks Ashleigh! 🙂
Jenn Slavich
The lemon curd sounds amazing. With spring right around the corner it's the perfect time to start using this in recipes. I totally love lemon curd, we had it in our wedding cake. It is so light and delicious! I have never made it. Thank you for the recipe now I can!
Emily Criswell
I love lemon curd in cake. How special that you had it in your wedding cake. It's super easy to make, I hope you get to make some. 🙂
Frugal Mom of 8
I love Lemon Curd! That looks amazing!
Emily Criswell
Thanks! 🙂
Angie Scheie
I LOVE lemon curd, but have never made it from scratch! Definitely pinning this for my next tea....or just when the mood strikes:).
Emily Criswell
I hope you get to make some Angie 🙂 Thanks for the pin!
Matt - Plating Pixels
This sounds amazing. My mom always made us lemon bars with a curd type of topping, but this is a much healthier option!
Emily Criswell
How fun! My mom made lemon bars too - probably more like the ones your mom made too. 🙂
Angie
Yum, I love lemon anything, but I've never made lemon curd myself. I bought some lemon curd at the store and it was so gross... Tasted like boiled eggs and lemon and sugar. lol
Emily Criswell
Oh no! Yes, that's how I think store-bought lemon curd tastes too. I can't stand when it tastes eggy! That's why I started making my own 🙂
Andrea Wyckoff
This sounds so delightful! I have only ever had lemon curd at a real food restaurant in Portland, OR called The Brooklyn House (highly recommended!) and it was soooo good! I would love to make it myself and follow your recipe next time!
Emily Criswell
I hope you get to make some at some point Andrea, you always make beautiful food. I'm sure yours would be delicious. 🙂
Christina
I read all the comments and not a single person actually tried this recipe. That's disappointing because the comments on recipes can be very helpful in determining if the recipe is reliable or how it should be modified. I always check the comments on marthastewart.com, bonappetit.com, etc.
Emily Criswell
Hi Christina, thank you for leaving a comment. I wanted to start by saying that the average reader does NOT leave a comment on the blog even when they make the recipe. In all of the years I've been doing this, my most loyal readers email me directly or message me on Instagram or Facebook when they've made a recipe they love. In fact, just yesterday a woman messaged me on Facebook to thank me again (she has contacted me off my blog several times) for the grain free chocolate cake recipe that she made for her daughter's birthday and how the whole family loved it, but specifically because she's so grateful that her son (who up until my recipe) had never been able to eat chocolate cake because of all of his food allergies. That being said, there is a real live person behind the blog - hi, nice to meet you, my name is Emily. This lemon curd recipe is a family favorite and a true love of mine and I've been making this recipe for over 15 years. I have never had one complaint at any family gathering - in fact, only compliments. If you need more reassurance beyond my word, you can find my lime version, lime curd over at Delicious Obsessions where I shared my recipe and there is indeed a commenter who said it's delicious as well as my lime curd bars that are on shared on her site as well (again, I have gotten several compliments on these). I hope that helps and that you come back again. If you'd like me to steer you towards recipes that I know for sure are loved by my readers, let me know and I'd be happy to share those with you.
Eva
I just made this lovely curd. Excellent recipe and so easy to use the whole eggs. I was a little nervous about cooking the eggs too much so I used a double boiler. It Took longer to thicken but I didn't have to strain it.
Emily Criswell
I'm so happy to hear that Eva! 🙂 It's so yummy isn't it? Using a double boiler will take a bit longer - I'm so glad it turned out well. As long as you're whisking consistently, eggs shouldn't scramble when cooking them in puddings, curds, custards, etc.