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
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Can this be made ahead and frozen?
It doesn’t fare well, I am afraid. It gets a bit lumpy and re-crystallized.
This was INCREDIBLE! I can’t believe how easy it was and it was a total crowd pleaser. I made both this and topped with vanilla bean whipped cream and also created the mousse from Easy Keto Desserts and both were amazing. Thank you for yet ANOTHER awesome recipe that I can add to my collection of keepers!
So delighted to hear it!
Can you use grandular swerve? There’s no powdered at mine!!
I worry that it will get gritty but you can certainly try.
I know this is late but if you have a nutri-bullet or something like it you can put it in there and whiz it around. Voila…powdered sugar!
To make it powdered just put it in a food processor or blender and poof… powder!
Sorry, it simply doesn’t work that well. There is always a grittiness that you can’t get rid of when trying to powder it at home.
All I have right now are limes. Do you think a lime curd would taste good?
Sure would!
Wow! Excellent turnout. I didn’t have real lemons (so no zest!) So I used bottled lemon juice instead. This is delicious. It was my first time using the double boiler method and it’s very easy!
How long will it hold in the refrigerator?
I plan on making an almond flour crust and topping it with whipped cream.
THANK YOU
Because this is made with eggs, it really should be used up within three or four days.
My mouth was watering just reading this.
We made this to put over our pancakes this morning and LOVED it! Thanks for helping to make eating Keto a delicious and satisfying experience!
Glad you liked it!
Is it possible to make this without butter? I have an intolerance for it. Can I use oil in lieu of it?
You could try ghee or coconut oil. I can’t promise it will firm up properly but it’s worth it.
I haven’t made the recipe yet but sure want to try it. I am dairy free but can use ghee. Would ghee work in place of the butter?
Thanks.
I would imagine so.
Hi…I want to make this so badly but I don’t use sweeteners like Swerve.. could I replace it with liquid Stevia…would it effect the final product…..Please help!!!
Sorry I have no idea. I didn’t test it with stevia. It might.
Hi. In the UK we tend to weigh most things in baking. I am OK with cups however but I’m puzzled as to how to measure/weigh tablespoons of butter. Is the butter softened and then scooped? Is it a flat tbsp or rounded? Any advice would be helpful as I really want to make this lemon curd. Type 1 diabetic but don’t want to give up sweet treats. Thanks.
Our butter comes marked with tablespoon markings so it’s easy, but 1 tbsp = 14g.
Is the recipe for the lemon tarts with a raspberry on top in your new book? I just bought lemons and will be making the curd today. But I want the recipe for the tarts. If it’s in your new book I’ll be buying it!! I’ve been following your food for several years now and I love the recipes. You’re my inspiration to stay Keto! Thank you.
It is in my Desserts book! https://amzn.to/2NEocFg They are wonderful tarts!
Just bought it today and can’t wait to make them. Thank you!
Thank you!
Marvelous! Super delicious! I substituted the 1/2 cup of Swerve with a bit less than 1/4 cup of Pyure because that’s all I had on hand, and also because I prefer more tart than sweet when it comes to lemon, but other than that I followed the recipe exactly. My husband and I could not even wait for it to chill and ate it warm from the stove, much to the delight of our tastebuds. Thank you for sharing!
Just curious, has anyone used this in place of the pastry cream in a tart?
I just made this for the second time and it turned out perfectly. I had to get the plastic wrap on quick so I wouldn’t eat the whole thing by the spoonful. I tried it in a small tart shell. YUMMY!! And, it’s delicious on flaxseed/psyllium husk toast. Thank you for this recipe. The best.
Wonderful!
Yum!
Looks good. Just posted the same thing on my blog 2 days ago.
I love lemon! Can’t wait to try this!