Homemade Vegan Lemon Curd is tangy, perfectly sweet and SO easy to make in 10 minutes! Creamy and smooth, with no eggs or dairy. Perfect for scones, pound cake, crepes and so much more!
If you are a lemon dessert kind of person, you are going to fall in love with this best vegan lemon curd recipe! It’s so creamy, rich, smooth and intensely flavorful. There are usually eggs involved in lemon curd, but not with this recipe. No one would guess this sweet condiment is vegan!
I find myself licking it straight off the spoon, but you are going to want to put in on everything, from biscuits and scones, to pancakes and waffles, crepes and even in between cake layers!
How to make vegan lemon curd
It’s so simple to make! Simply add all the ingredients to a small pot:
- Almond/coconut milk, unsweetened – Soy or any other plant milk will work.
- Fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Sugar – Coconut sugar might work, but the curd will be darker in color.
- Cornstarch – Tapioca starch may work as well.
- Vegan butter – You could leave this out but it makes it extra rich and creamy. Homemade or any store bought brand will do.
- Optional: Turmeric or a few drops of yellow food coloring. I usually go with just a few drops of yellow food coloring.
Warm over medium heat, whisking frequently until it thickens a bit.
The lemon curd will be quite runny at first, so don’t expect it to be super thick right away. Transfer to a container or jars and refrigerate for an hour or longer. It will thicken up more as it cools.
Special tips & substitutions
- Don’t cut back the sugar unless absolutely necessary, it will change the outcome. Sugar is needed both for sweetness and structure. Liquid sweeteners will not work the same.
- You must use fresh squeezed lemon juice AND zest, bottled lemon juice will not work.
- You can likely substitute another non-dairy milk as long as it is unsweetened and unflavored, but I like either almond or coconut milk best.
- Tapioca starch might be okay to use in place of cornstarch, but I haven’t tested it. Arrowroot could work as well.
Frequently asked questions
Keep the curd in a covered container or jar for up to 2 weeks.
Yes, you can freeze it. Let it cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let it defrost in the refrigerator and stir well before using.
To make it even thicker for cake layering, substitute canned coconut cream for the plant milk. This will make it much thicker once it chills.
As mentioned above, lemon curd is perfect for serving with scones, crepes, pound cake and crepes. It also goes well with yogurt, ice cream, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, cupcakes, muffins or even on an english muffin. Or layer in the middle of lemon cake or vanilla cake.
Want more vegan lemon recipes?
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- Lavender Lemon Bars
- Lemon Poppyseed Cake with Whipped Lemon Buttercream
- 1 Bowl Vegan Lemon Cupcakes
- Vegan Lemon Bars
- Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Vegan Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric or few drops of yellow food coloring, optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small pot and warm over medium heat, whisking frequently until the mixture thickens. It will take 5-10 minutes.
- It will still be quite thin and runny when warm, which is perfectly fine and you can serve it immediately if desired. For a thicker curd, refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight. Makes about 2 cups.
- Serve over biscuits, scones, pancakes, waffles, french toast, regular toast, english muffins, in crepes or as a layer in lemon cake. Enjoy!
Notes
- Milk options – May use almond, cashew, soy, oat or coconut milk. Any plant based milk should work fine.
- Sugar – I wouldn’t skimp on the sugar in this recipe, as it provides structure as well as sweetness. You could substitute coconut sugar, but the curd will be brown.
- Thicker lemon curd – Substitute canned coconut cream for the milk. It will be much thicker once chilled and easier for layering in cakes.
- The vegan butter could be left out if needed, but it provides a silky rich texture that will be missed!
- It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a covered container. Can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Excellent! Thanks Nora! My husband said these are his new favorite!