Vegan Lemon Curd
Sweet, creamy, and authentic-tasting vegan lemon curd made without eggs, dairy, or coconut. Perfect for scones, biscuits, or as a filling in cakes, cupcakes, or pastries.
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Traditional lemon curd is made from egg yolks cooked with sugar and lemon juice. This vegan lemon curd recipe is made in a traditional way, yet with chickpea flour instead of eggs.
I use chickpea flour as an egg replacer for a ton of my recipes with amazing results, and this lemon curd is no exception. The chickpea flour thickens the sauce and gives it protein content and structure similar to real lemon curd for an authentic texture.
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- Lemons – You want to use fresh lemons for this recipe for the best, most fresh lemon flavor. I like to use organic lemons since you are going to be using a lot of the zest.
- Chickpea Flour – this replaces the egg in traditional lemon curd and is an essential ingredient. You could use cornstarch instead, but this will just thicken the curd and not provide the protein and flavor.
- Water – to achieve the correct moisture and soften the chickpea flour.
- Sugar – I use organic cane sugar. You could use alternative sweeteners if you wish.
- Turmeric – for color
- Salt – just a dash for flavor.
- Vegan Butter – to add richness to the lemon curd. You could omit it for oil-free, but it won’t be as rich and creamy.
🔪 Helpful tools
- Saucepan – a heavy-bottomed pan will cook it evenly and work best.
- Whisk – to stir the lemon curd.
- Zester – or a Microplane to zest the lemon.
🥄 How to make vegan lemon curd
Step 1 – Add 1/4 cup of chickpea flour to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and slowly whisk in 1 cup of water stirring well to get out the lumps. Then let it sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Step 2 – Zest one large lemon into the saucepan, then slice it in half and squeeze out the juice into a measuring cup. Continue juicing the lemons until you have 3/4 cup.
Step 3 – Add the sugar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, and a dash of turmeric to the saucepan and stir well.
Cook the lemon curd
Step 4 – Turn on the heat to medium and stir frequently with a whisk. (The mixture will get foamy.)
Step 5 – Continue to stir frequently until the mixture begins to boil, then stir constantly while the lemon curd boils for 2 minutes.
Step 6 – Remove from the heat and add 4 tablespoons of vegan butter, and stir until well incorporated. (The lemon curd will be thin when hot, but will thicken as it cools.)
Eat it by the spoonful or use this vegan lemon curd on pancakes, waffles, ice cream, vegan French toast, or vegan crepes. Or spread it like jam on toast or English muffins. Use it as a filling in cakes, donuts, vegan tarts, or vegan lemon cupcakes.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- Be sure to let the chickpea flour and water mixture rest for at least 5 minutes before heating. This allows the flour to soften completely removing the funny taste that chickpea flour has.
- Don’t taste the liquid before it’s done cooking. Uncooked chickpea flour tastes terrible.
- Be sure to continue to cook the lemon curd for 2 minutes after it begins to boil.
🥡 How to store egg-free lemon curd
Refrigerate: Vegan lemon curd will keep well in the fridge for a week in a sealed container or jar.
Freeze: You can also freeze your extra lemon curd in an airtight bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight.
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📋 Vegan lemon curd recipe
Vegan Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chickpea flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/4 cup vegan sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 dash salt
- 1 dash turmeric
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter
Equipment
- Heavy bottomed pan – so it cooks evenly.
- Whisk – to stir it well.
Instructions
- Add 1/4 cup of chickpea flour to a heavy bottomed saucepan and slowly whisk in 1 cup of water stirring well to get out the lumps. Then let it sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Zest one large lemon into the saucepan, then slice it in half and squeeze out the juice into a measuring cup. Continue juicing the lemons until you have 3/4 cup.
- Add the sugar, fresh squeezed lemon juice, salt, and a dash of turmeric to the saucepan and stir well.
- Turn on the heat to medium and stir frequently with a whisk. (The mixture will get foamy.)
- Continue to stir frequently until the mixture begins to boil, then stir constantly while the lemon curd boils for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add 4 tablespoon of vegan butter, and stir until well incorporated. (The lemon curd with be thin when hot, but will thicken as it cools.)
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!
I came across this recipe quite some time ago! I FINALLY made it. Wow! Awe-mazing only begins to describe the flavor! It is easy to make and sparks the tastebuds like I expect from Lemon Curd! I will definitely make it again soon. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy that you like it.
Very easy to make and taste amazing. I highly recommend.
Glad that you liked it!
If I want to use this for church functions, would it hold up well in cupcake papers?
It is the consistancy of thick pudding. It would hold up in thick or foil cupcake papers.
Hi Monica,
Thank you for this recipe, it is delicious. By far the best vegan lemon curd I have tried – but – it was more of a sauce than a soft curd to dollop. Not sure what I did wrong. Next time I’ll try adding some cornflour to thicken it a bit more or perhaps some more chickpea flour? anyway, thanks so much, this is the BEST.
Linda
I’m glad that you liked the recipe, Linda. You can use a little more chickpea flour if you want it thicker, but mine usually comes out pretty thick, especially after it cools. Make sure that you cook it long enough too. Enjoy! 🙂
This recipe looks great, and should be pretty easy.
It seems like quite a quantity, so does it keep well in the fridge?
Also, have you any idea if it would work with Keto granulated sugar?
Thanks. I usually use it up in about a week or so, but I think it may stay good even longer than that. I think it would work with keto sugar, but I have never tested it. Let me know if you try it.
Thank you! First I need to raid my sister’s lemon tree, and then I can try it. Maybe i’ll get the powdered sugar because the ordinary sort seems to stay crunchy – those sugars are expensive so I don’t want to waste any.
Hi Monica, thank you so much for this recipe. I’ve been wanting to try a vegan lemon curd recipe. I love all things lemon and lemon curd is one of my favorites. I’m going to pin this.
Just curious how well this keeps. Could it be canned?
I usually use it up after about a week, so I can’t be sure how long after that it will stay good in the fridge. I have never tried to can it, but I think it would work.