Food

Vegan Lemon Curd Recipe: How to Make Dairy-Free Lemon Curd

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Oct 26, 2024 • 3 min read

Use tangy vegan lemon curd in lemon meringue pie, lemon bars, or atop waffles for a sweet-tart breakfast treat.

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What Is Vegan Lemon Curd?

Vegan lemon curd is a gluten-free, eggless curd containing lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, nondairy milk, and a thickening agent. Traditional lemon curd uses egg yolks and whole eggs; meanwhile, vegan, egg-free versions rely on alternative thickeners, such as cornstarch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch. Additionally, traditional lemon curd omits milks of all kinds, but vegan recipes opt for milk alternatives to mimic a classic curd’s creamy, silky texture.

7 Ways to Enjoy Vegan Lemon Curd

Classic lemon desserts, vegan dishes, and nonvegan foods alike can benefit from the addition of a vegan lemon curd. Here are six dishes in which you can use vegan lemon curd:

  1. 1. Cheesecake: Swirl vegan lemon curd into the batter of a vegan cheesecake. As the cheesecake chills, the lemon curd sets up further, lending a silky quality to the dessert. Alternatively, spoon vegan lemon curd on top of the cheesecake with a dollop of vegan whipped cream before you serve it.
  2. 2. Ice cream: Make an egg-free lemon ice cream with sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream, and vegan lemon curd. The tangy lemon curd balances the sweet condensed milk and provides a smooth texture. Freeze the mixture in a loaf pan until it’s firm, then serve the vegan ice cream with additional whipped cream or fresh fruit.
  3. 3. Lemon meringue pie: A classic dessert, lemon meringue pie is easy to convert into a vegan dish. Make a vegan pie crust using coconut oil or vegan butter, and then fill it with a thick vegan lemon curd. Finish the dessert with a vegan meringue that uses aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) instead of egg whites.
  4. 4. Lemon cake: Use vegan lemon curd as a filling for a lemon cake or drizzle a thinner vegan lemon curd over lemon pound cake to imitate a lemon drizzle cake. Alternatively, use vegan lemon curd as a filling for vanilla or blueberry cupcakes.
  5. 5. Lemon tart: Bake a vegan tart shell until golden brown, then fill it with a thick vegan lemon curd. Refrigerate the tart until the lemon curd is set and the tart is sliceable. Top the dish with whipped coconut cream or another dairy-free whipped cream. Alternatively, make lemon bars by baking the tart shell in a square baking dish before you fill it, refrigerate it, and slice it.
  6. 6. Scones: Lemon curd and clotted cream are classic toppings for scones. Use a vegan lemon curd and a vegan alternative to clotted cream to recreate the traditional flavors and textures. It’s even possible to make vegan scones using vegan butter and a nondairy milk.
  7. 7. Waffles: Enjoy a layer of vegan lemon curd and fresh blueberries on top of crispy waffles. Alternatively, use the curd as a filling for other brunch dishes, such as crêpes.

Vegan Lemon Curd Recipe

3 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

¾ cup

prep time

10 min

total time

20 min

cook time

10 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Zest the lemons until you have 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Then squeeze the juice from the zested lemons to produce ¼ cup of lemon juice.

  2. 2

    Mix the cornstarch, turmeric, and salt with ¼ cup of cashew milk to create a slurry.

  3. 3

    In a small saucepan, heat the lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Then slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of cashew milk.

  4. 4

    Add the slurry to the lemon and sugar mixture, whisking as you do so to prevent lumps.

  5. 5

    Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the curd to a bubble, whisking constantly, until it starts to thicken, about 3–5 minutes.

  6. 6

    Turn off the heat and whisk in the vegan butter.

  7. 7

    Push the finished curd through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any lumps. Then pour the curd into a heat-proof bowl.

  8. 8

    Cover the top of the curd with plastic wrap—with the plastic wrap touching the surface of the curd—to prevent a skin from forming.

  9. 9

    Chill the curd in the refrigerator, then use it right away, or store the curd in an airtight container for up to one month.

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