Microwave Lemon Curd

I first tasted lemon curd at a tea party and was instantly hooked. When I got home, I found a recipe in Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens and tried it. I found the stovetop version a bit fussy, so I experimented with microwave lemon curd. After a few scrambled eggs and too-sweet batches, I finally nailed the measurements—and I’ve made it this way ever since. It’s smooth, bright, and comes together in minutes. A few readers say it’s their only lemon curd recipe.

Ingredients For Microwave Lemon Curd

Ingredient Notes

• Butter (Salted): Adds richness and helps thicken the curd.
• Lemons (Medium): You’ll use both the zest and the juice. Zest one lemon directly into the bowl for the most flavour, then juice all three. Fresh lemon juice gives the curd its bright, tangy taste—bottled juice won’t work the same way.
• Sugar (Granulated): Sweetens the curd and balances the sharpness of the lemon juice. Letting it sit for 10 minutes helps it begin to dissolve before cooking.

Recipe Variations

Try any of the following for a twist on this microwave lemon curd recipe:

• Berries: Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of strained raspberry or strawberry purée.
• Ginger: Add ½ teaspoon of finely grated fresh ginger.
• Lavender: Replace 2 to 3 tablespoons of the sugar with lavender sugar.
• Orange: Replace the zest and juice of the lemons with orange for a milder curd.
• Passion Fruit: Substitute ¼ to ⅓ cup of passion fruit purée for part of the lemon juice.
• Vanilla: Stir in ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract after cooking.

How To Make Microwave Lemon Curd

STEP 1: Add the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and salt to a large microwave-safe bowl. Whisk until smooth, then let it sit for 10 minutes to help dissolve the sugar.

STEP 2: Break the butter into small pieces and add them to the bowl. Microwave the mixture for one minute on full power.

STEP 3: Remove the bowl from the microwave. Whisk well and take a temperature reading. Return the bowl to the microwave and cook for another minute. You should start to see the curd thicken around the edges of the bowl as it heats.

STEP 4: When you reach the range of 150ºF (65ºC), switch to cooking the curd in 30-second increments. When the curd reaches 170ºF (76ºC), it’s done. Give the curd one final whisk before spooning it into clean jars or containers.

Expert Tips

1. I highly recommend using a digital thermometer. Curd thickens properly at 170ºF (76ºC), and it’s easy to undercook (thin and runny) or overcook (scrambled eggs) without one.
2. After the 10-minute rest, give the mixture another good whisk before microwaving. This helps evenly distribute the sugar and eggs for a smoother curd from the start.
3. Whisking vigorously between cooking intervals prevents hot spots from cooking the eggs unevenly.

Recipe Notes

• Zesting the lemon directly over the bowl helps release the oils and captures more flavour than zesting onto a cutting board or plate.
• If seeds or pulp are in the lemon juice, strain it before adding it to the bowl.
• Microwave ovens vary in power, so keep a close eye on the temperature after the second minute.
• The curd will continue to thicken as it cools, so don’t worry if it seems a little loose when it reaches 170ºF (76ºC).

Storage

• Let the lemon curd cool completely before sealing the jars to avoid trapping steam. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Related Recipes

• Lemon Curd Ice Cream: Rich, smooth, no-churn vanilla ice cream swirled with ribbons of homemade lemon curd.
• Lemon Posset: A pretty little no-bake dessert that tastes like a cross between lemon pudding and lemon curd.
• Lemon Thumbprint Cookies: Shortbread thumbprint cookies filled with homemade lemon curd.
• Lemon Bars With Shortbread Crust: These easy, one-bowl bars have a tangy filling, buttery crust, and bright flavour from real fresh-squeezed lemon juice.