Lemon lovers, rejoice! Easy Keto Lemon Curd takes only 4 ingredients and is the creamiest, dreamiest lemon dessert sauce. And it has less than 1g of carbs per serving!
I’ve been making my own sugar free lemon curd for what feels like a gajillion years now. I made my first batch in 2011 and was astonished that it worked out so well. And I’ve been improving upon that recipe ever since.
It’s one of those recipes that always surprises me when I taste it. I seemingly forget how much I like keto lemon curd between batches. And then when I make it again, I wonder why I don’t make it more often.
If you love lemon, I dare you not to eat the whole batch in one sitting. If you can resist the temptation, then you can use it to make Keto Lemon Curd Tart. Or spread it over Keto Cheesecake for an out-of-this-world keto dessert experience!
Why you need to try it
When I embarked upon writing the Easy Keto Desserts cookbook, I struck upon a trick for making sugar free lemon curd even easier than before: using whole eggs.
Typically, lemon curd calls for just the yolks. But using the whole egg works just as well and eliminates the step of separating the yolks from the whites. Less fuss, less muss, and nothing sitting in your fridge, waiting to be used up.
I’ve been making it this way ever since. It’s a little creamier and a little fluffier, and it doesn’t curdle quite as easily. And it takes only 20 minutes to make!
Reader Reviews
“I love this recipe. I can’t count how many times I’ve made it. Today I was out of fresh lemons, so I made it with bottled key lime juice and it was awesome. Thank you!!!” — Martha
“Amazing recipe!! Much easier than the lemon curd I used to make before I went keto!” — Sarah
“Wow, this stuff is delicious! I could sit and eat it with a spoon. I doubled the recipe and it took about 20 minutes to get thick. I can’t wait to make your ice cream with it!” — Becky
Ingredients you need
- Lemons: Curd uses both the zest and the juice of the lemons. Make sure to wash the lemons well before zesting.
- Eggs: No need to separate the eggs for this easy keto lemon curd recipe!
- Butter: This helps firm up the curd and makes it extra creamy. You can also use coconut oil for a dairy-free version.
- Sweetener: I find that a combination of Swerve Confectioners and allulose gives the best results. See the Expert Tips section for more options.
Step by Step Directions
1. Use a double boiler: Set a glass or ceramic bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
2. Whisk and cook: Whisk together the eggs, sweeteners, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully as it will thicken all of a sudden.
3. Add butter: Immediately remove from heat and add the butter. Let sit a few minutes to melt and then whisk until smooth and creamy.
4. Refrigerate: Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours to set.
Expert Tips
Always use a glass or ceramic bowl when making lemon curd. Lemon juice reacts with metal bowls and can give the curd a tinny or metallic taste.
The trick to perfect keto lemon curd is to take it off the heat at just the right moment. Keep a close eye on it at all times. The mixture will start to move more slowly and your whisk will begin to make tracks through it. The mixture will also become more opaque. Once it does, remove the bowl from over the pan to stop the cooking process.
Sweetener options: Curd relies on eggs to set properly so you can use your preferred sweetener. But do note that curd made with allulose alone takes a long time to thicken properly. It also stays a lot softer, even after refrigeration. Do not use liquid allulose, as it will introduce too much liquid into the mixture.
Using erythritol based sweeteners alone will cause some recrystallization. This is why I recommend a combination of sweeteners like Swerve and allulose.
Dairy-free option: You can make dairy-free lemon curd by replacing the butter with coconut oil. Use only 3 tablespoons in place of the 1/4 cup of butter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conventional curd has about 20g of carbs per serving of 2 to 3 tablespoons. However, this keto lemon curd recipe has only 0.7g carbs per serving. So you can enjoy it with abandon!
Homemade lemon curd can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 7 days. I recommend storing it in glass jars so that the acidity doesn’t react with the container. You can freeze this sugar free lemon curd, but it does change consistency a little during the freezing and thawing process.
I have not tried canning this sugar free lemon curd but it should work. Lemon has a great deal of acidity, which significantly reduces the risk of spoilage and contamination. Make sure your jars seal properly and store in a cool dark place for up to 3 months.
How to use Keto Lemon Curd
So once you’ve made this sweet and tangy lemon spread, what do you do with it? I mean, besides just eating it with a spoon! Here are some delicious ideas:
- Use as a spread for keto scones. It’s amazing with keto blueberry muffins too!
- Serve as alternative to syrup for almond flour keto pancakes.
- Make this gorgeous Keto Lemon Lush.
- Use it as the filling for Keto Lemon Bar Cookies.
- Churn up a batch of Keto Lemon Ice Cream.
Keto Lemon Curd Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup Swerve Confectioners
- 3 tbsp allulose, or BochaSweet (use granular varieties)
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup butter, cut into 3 or 4 pieces
Instructions
- Set a glass or ceramic bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
- Whisk together the eggs, sweeteners, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully as it will thicken all of a sudden.
- Immediately remove from heat and add the butter. Let sit a few minutes to melt and then whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours to firm up.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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this is the best sugar-free lemon curd that I’ve ever tasted. It’s true to the 10 minute mark and it taste great on top of a sweet chaffel, with blueberries or blackberries I didn’t try it with strawberries, but I’ll bet it’s sensational. I am so glad I found this recipe. Enjoy.
Yum Yum Yum. I LOVE this recipe. So many fun things to do with Lemon Curd! I have made it probably 10 times and it is perfect every time. Added an extra Tbls of Bocha Sweet for sour lemons still perfect! Thanks Carolyn.
Just made this today – absolutely amazing!
I LOVE LEMON CURD AND HAVE MADE IT THE “TRADITIONAL” WAY OFTEN BUT WANTED TO TRY THIS VERSION BECAUSE IT’S SUGAR FREE. MY QUESTION AND CONCERN IS IF THE EGGS COOK THOROUGHLY IF THE WATER BENEATH THE MIXTURE IS ONLY BARELY SIMMERING. IS IT A NON-ISSUE BECAUSE IT TAKES UP TO 15 MINS. TO THICKEN/COOK? WOULD IT BE A PROBLEM IF I TURNED THE HEAT UP UNDER THE WATER JUST A PINCH MORE ALONG WITH WATCHING IT VERY CLOSELY?
They get cooked through just fine in a double boiler. Please do NOT turn up the heat or you will end up curdling them.
First time making Lemon curd & OMG it’s amazing! Wasn’t sure I’d taken it off the heat quick enough but with firm whisking smooth & creamy, had to stop myself eating the whole lot before it cooled. Thank you for a great recipe.
This will be one of those Go To recipes from now on! WOW – such an easy but amazing recipe! I love lemon and this is perfect and so versatile to use for so many things!
Hi I wanted to make turnovers with this lemon curd recipe will this curd bake ok in the oven? Thank you!!
I really can’t say. I guess you will need to experiment!
So I went to brunch today and they had lemon ricotta pancake on the menu, I really wanted to try so my husband looked up the nutritional facts and they had 170 carbs in them, my jaw literally dropped open. That is more carbs than I eat in over 3 days!! Then I thought maybe I could make own and found you have saved the day yet again with the delicious recipe!!!
170 carbs??? In one breakfast? That’s nuts!
Good but wicked sweet. would make again with 1/2 the sweetener
I suspect you are an “over-taster”. Remember that everyone experiences these sweeteners differently and it tastes overly sweet to YOU but not to most.
Absolute PERFECT sweetness for me. I used the same amount, but used monkfruit/erythritol . blend.
Best ever lemon curd. Almost made a double batch, its soooo good! I put mine on chaffles with whipped cream. Tastes so decadent.
I made your recipe in my vitamix, 5 min 30 sec!!