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Home » Recipes » Recipes

Vegan Lemon Curd (GF)

Last updated - July 14, 2021; Published - May 3, 2018 By Rhian Williams 11 Comments

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Two glasses filled with bright yellow lemon curd topped with freeze-dried raspberries on a marble surface with half a squeezed lemon against a dark brown background

This Vegan Lemon Curd is:

  • rich and creamy
  • sweet and tangy
  • naturally sweetened!

Vegan Lemon Curd (GF)

I'd been thinking of making a vegan lemon curd recipe for a long time, especially as I plan to use it to make a Vegan Lemon Pie, Vegan Lemon Bars or a Vegan Lemon Curd Cake - the possible uses are endless!

Not only is this lemon curd dairy-free and egg-free, but it's also:

  • gluten-free
  • refined sugar free
  • oil-free
  • nut-free

...which makes it suitable for a range of other dietary requirements and allergies too.

Vegan Lemon Curd (GF)

What's more, this vegan lemon curd is super easy to make, requiring just one pot and only 4 ingredients.

The base of this vegan lemon curd is a custard made using shop-bought custard powder.

Vegan Lemon Curd (GF)

This is my favourite custard powder - it's vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free, and contains just 4 simple ingredients!

Not only does the custard powder act as a thickener, making the lemon curd extra creamy, it also adds a lovely colour without having to use something like turmeric.

Vegan Lemon Curd (GF)

So, all you need to do is to make a custard using custard powder and your choice of plant-based milk.

You can use any type of dairy-free milk, though results do vary depending on which you choose: cashew or oat milk make the creamiest curd, whilst almond or coconut milk will be less creamy. If you prefer a more jam-like consistency, rice milk works well.

What can the custard powder be replaced with?

If you can't get hold of a shop-bought custard powder, you can substitute it with the same amount of cornflour (cornstarch) or arrowroot, which will result in a similar texture, though the colour will be considerably less yellow.

To add yellow colour, I would suggest adding a tiny pinch of saffron, which I much prefer to turmeric as it has a much milder flavour.

Vegan Lemon Curd (GF)

Then all you need to do is add lemon juice - I didn't add any lemon zest as I prefer a super smooth curd and find that zest can make it grainy.

I used maple syrup to sweeten, but any other liquid sweetener would work too. I definitely suggest taste-testing the lemon curd whilst cooking, so you can add some more lemon juice or maple syrup to taste.

Vegan Lemon Curd (GF)

I flavoured this lemon curd for it to be eaten like a pudding, but if you'd like to use it to spread on toast, or as a frosting for a layer cake, you will have to add extra lemon juice and maple syrup to taste.

For more lemon desserts, check out my:

  • White Chocolate Lemon Cake
  • Lemon Blueberry Mug Cake
  • Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
  • Lemon Drizzle Cake
  • Lemon Blueberry Cake

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

Helpful tools to make this Vegan Lemon Curd:

measuring jug

Vegan Lemon Curd (GF)

Vegan Lemon Curd (GF)

This Vegan Lemon Curd is rich and creamy, sweet and tangy and naturally sweetened! 
4 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, British
Keyword: dairy-free lemon curd, egg-free lemon curd, vegan lemon curd
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 105kcal
Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

  • 600 ml (2 ½ cups) plant-based milk* (see notes)
  • 3 tablespoons custard powder ** (or sub cornflour/cornstarch or arrowroot)
  • 8 tablespoons lemon juice to taste (approximately equals the juice of 1 lemon)
  • 4 tablespoons maple syrup to taste (or sub any other sweetener)

Instructions

  • Measure out the milk in a jug or measuring container
  • Pour the milk into a pan, leaving behind a few tablespoons of milk in the jug
  • Heat up the milk in the pan 
  • Add the custard powder to the remaining milk in the jug and mix well, ensuring it has dissolved completely 
  • Once the milk in the pan is steaming, add approximately half of the hot milk to the bowl with the dissolved custard powder, mix well and transfer the custard powder mixture to the saucepan
  • Mix well and keep stirring on a low heat for around 5 minutes, until thickened
  • Add the lemon juice and maple syrup
  • Taste and add extra lemon juice or maple syrup if desired***
  • Pour into jars/cups and leave in the fridge for up to a few hours for it to set

Notes

*You can use any type of plant-based milk, though results do vary depending on which you choose: cashew, oat or coconut milk make the creamiest curd, whilst almond milk will be less creamy. If you prefer a more jam-like consistency, rice milk works well.
**If you can't get hold of a shop-bought custard powder, you can substitute it with the same amount of cornflour (cornstarch) or arrowroot, which will result in a similar texture, though the colour will be considerably less yellow.
To add yellow colour, I would suggest adding a tiny pinch of saffron, which I much prefer to turmeric as it has a much milder flavour.
***I flavoured this lemon curd for it to be eaten like a pudding, but if you'd like to use it to spread on toast, or as a frosting for a layer cake, you will have to add extra lemon juice and maple syrup, to taste.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Lemon Curd (GF)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 105
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!

Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Helen

    May 04, 2018 at 9:09 pm

    5 stars
    Lovely Rhian another great recipe!

    Reply
    • Rhian Williams

      May 04, 2018 at 9:50 pm

      Thank you!

  2. Alison

    May 06, 2018 at 5:34 am

    Looks fabulous!

    Reply
    • Rhian Williams

      May 06, 2018 at 11:12 am

      Thank you!

  3. Nicola

    May 08, 2018 at 7:01 am

    How long will it last if put in jars in the fridge

    Reply
    • Rhian Williams

      May 08, 2018 at 9:36 am

      Up to a few days if you keep it covered!

    • Anonymous

      May 09, 2018 at 6:49 pm

      Thank you very much

  4. Amna

    November 03, 2019 at 11:23 am

    Can I freeze it?

    Reply
    • Rhian Williams

      November 03, 2019 at 2:17 pm

      Sorry I don't think that will work!

  5. Shannon Compton

    March 23, 2020 at 2:59 pm

    Hi! This didn't set for me...maybe I have to cook it longer? It thickened but not enough to hold up to use in a crust like I was hoping for. I definitely let it go the five minutes then let it cook more to try to get it thicker. Should I cook even longer? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Rhian Williams

      March 23, 2020 at 10:11 pm

      Hi - so sorry to hear that! If you look at the blog post above the recipe, I have said that this lemon curd has a thin consistency like the lemon curd you get in a jar. If you'd like it to be a lemon curd that's firm enough to set in a pie crust and slice properly, then I'd recommend using the filling of my Lemon Tart recipe instead - it's very similar to this recipe but is firmer: https://www.rhiansrecipes.com/lemon-tart/

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Two glasses filled with bright yellow lemon curd topped with freeze-dried raspberries on a marble surface with half a squeezed lemon against a dark brown background
Photo of Rhian Williams

Hi, I’m Rhian! I make easy, undetectably vegan + gluten-free recipes, including healthy comfort food and naturally sweetened desserts using plant-based ingredients.

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Two glasses filled with bright yellow lemon curd topped with freeze-dried raspberries on a marble surface with half a squeezed lemon against a dark brown background

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