A few weeks ago, we had a brunch with some friends and lemon curd was on the table.
Lemon curd is so delicious, but it’s so not vegan-friendly. So I set off to make my own inspired version.
This 1-pot, 5-ingredient vegan lemon curd is like the real deal, and it’s delicious enough to eat right from the jar with a spoon – the sign of any good dessert.
It’s also naturally sweetened and requires just 30 minutes hands-on prep time before going into the refrigerator to set and thicken.
The key to any good lemon curd is a ton of lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.
The creative part came with the base ingredients. And for that I went with coconut cream for rich, creamy texture, and arrowroot starch to thicken. To sweeten naturally, I went with a little maple syrup. Oh man, so good.
I imagine this would work well with lime juice and zest, too!
This curd is the real deal. It is slightly more white in color because there are no eggs, but the lemon flavor is 100% there.
I hope you love this curd! It’s:
Rich
Creamy
Thick
Lemony
Tart
Perfectly sweet
& Seriously delicious
I was so pleasantly surprised at the way this curd turned out! The coconut flavor is minimal (to none), the lemon really shines through, and it’s not too sweet.
If you’re like me, you’ll want to enjoy this straight out of the jar, pudding style. But it also makes a delicious topping for waffles, pancakes and baked goods, like these Lemon Muffins!
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We love seeing what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Vegan Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce can coconut cream*
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (plus more to taste)
Instructions
- Place coconut cream and lemon zest in a small saucepan and whisk to combine.
- Add lemon juice and arrowroot starch to a small mixing bowl and whisk to thoroughly dissolve. Then add to coconut cream mixture and stir.
- Lastly, add maple syrup (starting with lesser amount // 1 Tbsp as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and whisk again until well combined.
- Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low bubble – not boil – whisking often. Once it starts bubbling and getting thick, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until a visible ribbon forms when spooning a bit of the curd across the top. It should be thick and kind of jiggly in texture. During this process switch to a rubber spatula for stirring to ensure the curd isn’t sticking to the bottom or sides of the pan.
- Remove from heat and taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more lemon zest for acidity/brightness, or maple syrup for sweetness.
- Let rest for 15 minutes, then whisk once more and transfer to a glass bowl or jar (I prefer these) and cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap touches the curd – otherwise a film may form.
- Refrigerate for 5-6 hours, or overnight, or until completely chilled and set. Will keep in the refrigerator 7-10 days, though best within the first 4-5 days.
Notes
*For all other substitution questions, check out our Recipe FAQ page.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Lindsay says
We made a vegan rainbow trifle for a pride month party, and your lemon curd was perfect to layer with. Seriously delicious, and so similar to non-vegan curds. I used about a third of a cup of standard white sugar in place of the maple syrup, but would love to try sweetener alternatives next time I make it. Thanks so much for the awesome recipe!
That sounds SO delicious, Lindsay! Thank you for sharing! xo
Victoria Johnson says
I am about to try this for the third time. So far it has not thickened and I have had two batches of lemon soup!
Oh no! We’re so sorry that’s happening, Victoria. What brand of coconut cream are you using? We wonder if it’s not thick enough. You can try adding more arrowroot starch to help!
Kristin says
I’m planning to make a pavlova and would love to to top with this lemon curd. It’s traditionally with whipped cream. Would you suggest I use coconut whipped cream with this drizzled or is it a creamy consistency that I can just go straight curd on top? Thank you!!
Hi Kristin, sounds delish! The curd isn’t thin enough to drizzle, but we think it is thick and creamy enough that it should be good on its own! Hope this helps!
Becca says
Quick question, is there a substitution for arrowroot starch? Corn starch , flour?
We haven’t tried it but we think corn starch could work!
@chickysmaine says
I am not vegan and this blew my mind. I can’t stop eating it with a spoon. Gamechanger. Perfect recipe. Epic. Make this.
Whoop! We’re so glad you’re enjoying it. Thank you for sharing! xo
Cherish says
Yum, yum! This was just the right amount of tart. I haven’t had lemon curd since I was a kid and could still eat eggs. A definite make-again recipe. Bonus – my local Asian grocery had the coconut cream brand you recommended and it was so good that I’ll be sure to put a few cans in my pantry.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Cherish. Thank you for sharing! xo
Jenny says
I made this recently, and it turned out a lot thinner than I had hoped. Any suggestions?
Hi Jenny, sorry to hear that! A thicker brand of coconut cream and making sure to cook until a visible ribbon forms should help.
Romeo Romeo says
I tried this, but I did mix your recipe with someone else’s. I liked that you didn’t use earth balance, but I am avoiding coconut milk and products. I used soy milk and cornstarch instead. I used small amount of sweetener. Again I liked your recipe the most because you didn’t use a lot of sweetener, other recipes uses way too much sugar! It did thicken up very nicely and quick for me. I will try it will arrowroot next time to see if it changes things up. I’ve never had dairy and egg lemon curd so I do not know what it’s suppose to taste like, but this vegan version is very nice tasting. I think this would work in baked goods like cake as well. It did seem firm up well, but I have to see how it thickens up tomorrow after it sits in the fridge. Thanks for the recipe, sorry that I changed things up a bit!
Thanks so much for the review and for sharing your experience! So glad you enjoyed!
Faye says
Hi! Can this be used as a cake filling?
Hi Faye, that sounds lovely! We haven’t tried it though so we’re not certain it will be firm enough. Let us know if you give it a try!
Natalie Hamilton says
Hi! I love your recipes! Can this be made as a plain custard without lemon or lime juice? I’m looking for a good vegan custard. Thanks so much.
Hi Natalie, we haven’t tried it that way, but we think it would work. We’d suggest adding vanilla extract.
Mar says
I just saw a blackberry curd, it looked soooo lush an delish! But not vegan, so had to look around for a vegan lemon curd and use that as a basis. THANKS!!
I want to use it in a cake 🔥
Sounds amazing! Let us know how you like this one =)
katie says
I was so excited to try (and eat) this!
Just made it – followed and double checked recipe but it just will not thicken up for me.
I used coconut cream from Thrive Market. I’ll refrigerate it as is and see what it’s like chilled. Any suggestions for how to use a runny version?
Or what to do differently next time?
Hi Katie, so sorry to hear it didn’t turn out with that brand! Perhaps refrigerating and more arrowroot would help?
Nadae Cherradi says
Hello! Could you use this curd on top of a pie base to make a no-bake lemon pie?
That should work, but it doesn’t get *as* set / firm as a traditional curd. Let us know if you try!
Lily says
Can you freeze this? I’d like to make it ahead of time.
Hi Lily, we haven’t tried freezing it, but don’t think it would freeze well. Let us know if you try it!
Kady says
I’m definitely going to try this! I love lemon curd. Have you tried a vegan cranberry curd by chance? I’d love to find a way to make that as well.
We haven’t! Sounds delicious though. We’ll add it to our ideas list.
Martha says
Kady, My Quiet Kitchen has a vegan cranberry curd tart you may like.
Kady says
Great! Thank you for letting me know!
Giselle says
Could I use this lemon curd for a lemon merengue pie? ☺️
Hi Giselle, We haven’t tried that but think it would work. Let us know if you try it!
Ilana says
Do you know how many cups this makes?
About 2 cups
Shelly says
Hi! Would this curd work well as a filling for a vanilla cake? I’m looking to do lemon curd, raspberry, and blueberry fillings with cashew-vanilla icing. Any input is greatly appreciated. Love your recipes!! Thank you
Hi Shelly, thanks so much! We think if you thickened it enough (by cooking longer) and used a high fat coconut cream, it could work as a layer between cakes, but we wouldn’t go super thick. Let us know if you try it!
Karen says
This vegan lemon curd is so wonderful! I used Let’s Do Organic organic heavy coconut cream. Like many others, I didn’t get a ribbon, and I didn’t have much time to spare so I just cooked it (stirring regularly with a spatula) for about 20 minutes and then let it rest and then put it in the fridge overnight. It was set beautifully the next morning.
Also, I stuck with 1 Tbsp of maple syrup. The next morning tasting it direct from the jar I thought maybe I should have added more maple syrup. However, when I used the lemon curd on a scone it was just the perfect amount of sweetness.
Scone + lemon curd- YUM! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Karen! xo
Claire says
Turned out delicious!
I’m not sure if the recipe really specified how long it would take to simmer down the mixture, but it took near to an hour for me with regular mixing. I added a little extra raw sugar to make it taste more similar to the supermarket ones.
Turned out a lovely golden colour because of the maple syrup. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing! Depending on the consistency of your coconut milk it can take a while!
Helen says
Would there be a way to do this curd without heating it on the stove? Would blending the ingredients in high speed blender work?
thank you!
the magic of heating is it activates the starch and that’s what helps it thicken! But you could try something like this instead.
newlyvegan says
Hi! I made this today and really bummed it didn’t work out. It didn’t thicken at all and was really runny. I didn’t want to add any more arrowroot as it was starting to taste a bit starchy. Any tips on how I could have messed up such a simple recipe?! LOL.
Hi, so sorry to hear it didn’t work well! Did you use coconut cream or coconut milk? Coconut cream will make it thicker. Hope that helps!
Helen Silberg says
Looks yum! I would like to use this recipe for a vegan lemon tart. Is this recipe suitable for a 24cm tart. Also can you suggest an equally yummy pastry base for a vegan tart.
Hi Helen, we haven’t tried that, but we think it might work! Perhaps one of these for the crust: https://minimalistbaker.com/caramel-apple-cheesecake-tart/ or https://minimalistbaker.com/1-bowl-pumpkin-pie-vegan-gf/. Let us know if you try it!
Elysia says
I love lemon curd and was so excited to find this vegan recipe! I made it tonight, replacing arrowroot with cornstarch, and the texture seems to have come out great. I’m using this in place of the tofu cream for the No-Bake Lemon Cookie Fruit Tarts!
One issue: I’m not a big fan of overly sweet curd, or overly sweet desserts in general, but 2tbsp of maple syrup left mine soooo tart. It was as if I hadn’t put any sweetener at all. I ended up adding a total of around 6tbsp, and then adding more starch to make up for the extra liquid – but I don’t see anyone else having this issue from the comments. Am I unknowingly using a low quality maple syrup, or do I have some crazy lemons?
Hmm, good question! Sweetness is definitely up to preference. I’d say next time potentially scale back on amount of lemon on the front end!
newlyvegan says
I also found it very tart, and I am not a sweet person…. so just added a bit more maple.
shontai says
I tried this yesterday. But it came out gummy. Any ideal what went wrong?
Hi Shontai, we’re not sure! Did you make any modifications?
Jennifer says
With Shelter In Place in effect, I’ve been cooking more and wanting to use up the dozens of lemons ripening on my tree out back. I am so happy to have found this recipe. It’s SO easy and SO tasty! Thank you so much. I can make up a batch during my “morning 15-minute break of teleworking, and it’s cooled and ready to be topped with fresh raspberries for a wonderful, perfect after-dinner treat. BTW, I used a can of full fat coconut milk and doubled the arrowroot starch and it was to our liking.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Jennifer!
Kim says
Could you use this lemon curd as a pie filling?
We haven’t tried that, but we think it would be good in a fruit tart!
That Allergy Life Mom says
Can you use tapioca starch in place of arrowroot? I am currently out?👎🏽
Hi Monica, we haven’t tried it, but another reader mentioned using tapioca starch with success. Let us know if you try it!
Emily says
Have you tried it? how did it turn out. I’m thinking Lemon Meringue…
Zephra says
Are you putting the entire can of coconut cream in the pan(Ncluding the liquid), Or just a solid cream part from the top portion?
Hi Zephra, only use the coconut cream. But we used a whole can of coconut cream. So if using coconut milk, you would need to use multiple cans.
olivia says
Do you know how many lemons this recipe takes?
Somewhere between 4-6, depending on the size.
Hope says
I’m trying to find a good vegan version of traditional British/Scottish lemon curd to go on scones. Would an “Organic Heavy Coconut Cream” work?
Like this: Let’s Do Organic Heavy Coconut Cream, 13.5 Ounce
That might work. That specific product is a very thick coconut cream, so it could be a little too strong/thick. But let us know if you try it!
Kaisa Weathers says
Hi, I’m very interested in this type of cooking for my new son-in-law. However I was not able to get the ribbon like texture. I even added about a half a teaspoon more arrowroot starch. I tried turning up the heat but still no ribbons. I stirred for 50+ minutes. Any suggestions?
It will thicken as it cools. But you can always add more arrowroot!
Michelle says
Oh my! Tangy deliciousness and I’m not even a fan of lemons. I only picked up lemons as my 8 year old baby looked longingly at a box of lemon bars on Sunday. I picked up a bag of lemons then later realized that I am on a no-baking fast during the Lent season. This lemon curd is my solution to that! Thanks again, Dana! ❤️?
Oh my modifications: used almost 3/4 cup of lemon juice, and basically a little more than all the quantities of the ingredients since I used more than 1/2 cup of lemon juice
Aw, how sweet! Thanks so much for sharing, Michelle!
Maureen says
Followed every step exactly, but tripled the recipe. Sadly I couldn’t get it to thicken after over an hour at the stove. Finally turned off the heat and decided it will be a liquid sauce over pancakes.
Sorry to hear that was your experience, Maureen! What brand of coconut milk did you use? Did you try leaving the curd in the fridge overnight to see if it thickens?
newlyvegan says
is it coconut milk or cream, and could that be the issue?
Coconut cream. Sorry for the confusion!
Michelle says
I made a passion fruit curd based on this recipe and it was fantastic! In place of lemon juice, zest and maple syrup, I used a passion fruit nectar reduction and a splash of vanilla, and since I didn’t have arrowroot starch on hand, I just used the same amount of corn starch. The curd thickened nicely and the flavour was incredible! I used it between layers of chocolate cake and it cut the richness perfectly. Thank you for posting this recipe!
Wow! Thanks for sharing, Michelle! Sounds creamy.
sigret says
I followed the recipe exactly and ended up with a rubbery ball that wont cling to the spoon and is like eating some kind of strange halloween food that is completely inedible. I threw the whole lot into the garbage can.
Hmm, that’s so strange! Assuming you didn’t modify anything, I’m not sure what went wrong as no one else has experienced this issue. Sounds like it was potentially overcooked or too much starch was added?
Mel says
Taste was great but wanted color of traditional lemon curd so added some turmeric powder. Worked a treat with minimal change to flavor.
Thanks for sharing, Mel!
Justin Stevens says
Hi, I tried to make this today. The only change I made was using meyer lemons, otherwise it was verbatim, trader joes coconut cream, maple syrup. I cooked this for almost an hour and could never get it to ribbons. After about 30 minutes, i squeezed another 1/2 (regular) lemon and another teaspoon of arrowroot. After about 45 minutes, another half lemon and 1 teaspoon of tapioca… and still it would never firm up. after an hour of cooking i took it off of the heat and let it rest. It’s now (still warm) in the refrigerator covered with cling film but still sloshy.
We’ll see after it chills overnight. I was hoping to serve this for dessert monday evening…
Any thoughts?
Justin
Hi Justin, Trader Joe’s has changed their formula in recent years and we think that could be part of the problem. We now prefer Savoy Coconut Cream. We’ll take another look at the recipe and see what changes can be made. In the meantime, we’re hoping chilling will help. Otherwise, maybe even more arrowroot?
Justin says
Hi! Happy to say this firmed up nicely in the fridge! Although I really wanted ribbons and maybe cooked it way longer than i needed…
I’ll try again as written. Tasty and tart!
Justin
Maureen says
Exact same thing happened to me. The only thing I did differently from the instructions was triple the recipe. Never got it to thicken, and checked multiple times to make sure I tripled each ingredient.
Melanie says
Is it possible to substitute for some other vegan milk? My boyfriend is allergic to coconut.
Hi Melanie, we haven’t tried any other milks/creams in this recipe and aren’t sure how it would turn out. Cashew cream would likely be the best option. You may need to add additional arrowroot to help it thicken. If you do some experimenting, we would love to hear how it goes!
Dawn says
This tasted good, but I was shocked to see how much sugar was in the coconut cream. I have never used coconut cream before, and don’t know if all coconut cream has this much sugar, but the only brand I found at my local grocery was Goya, and it had 18 grams of sugar per a 2 tablespoon serving! Plus, 4 grams of saturated fat per 2 tablespoon serving.
Ugh.
Hi Dawn, the coconut cream we use does not have any added sugar and therefore has a much lower overall sugar content. We like this brand. Hope that helps!
Norma says
Great recipe. Good idea to hold off on the 1tablespoon of Maple Syrup for adjustment later. I guess I need to double the receipe for a 9” tart?
Hi Norma, this recipe makes about 2 cups, so depending on how much filling you like for your tart, that could be enough or you may like to double.
christine simmons says
hi Dana, I am wondering if I put my finished mix into hot sterilized jars and seal them, should it not keep for quite awhile? like when making pickles, jams etc……many thanks
Hi Christine, we’d say because the coconut milk is perishable it still needs to be refrigerated. Hope that helps!
makemineirish says
Given that the dairy and eggs have been omitted, what are the refrigeration requirements? I understand that it is still a perishable product, but how much so? I would like to utilize this a filling in a layer cake, but am curious as to whether it could be kept on the countertop for several days as you would with a jam-filled option (rather than the refrigeration that a “real” curd would require).
I’d say b/c coconut milk is perishable it still needs to be refrigerated. Hope that helps!
Elana says
After trying this recipe out, while I truly believe the amount of lemon flavor was perfect, I don’t see arrowroot being the ideal starch for this desert. I also personally increased the amount of maple syrup given the entire can of coconut milk. Arrowroot makes this lemon curd rather slimey and stringy, and now that I’ve attempted this with the hopes that I didn’t need to go to the store to get tapioca or cornstarch, I guess it’s been confirmed why the entire internet agrees that arrowroot isn’t right for creamy things. It also never entirely firmed up for me or reached a stringy stage before I added a touch more arrowroot. That said, I appreciated the simplicity of the recipe. I hope you try out some other startches and tweak this one for us, because otherwise the flavor is great!
Thanks for sharing, Elena!
Amanda says
This looks lovely! Is this “sturdy” enough to use as a filling between layers of a cake (like you would use traditional lemon curd)? I need a vegan, nut-free recipe, so this would be perfect if it works (anything with cashew cream is out). Thanks!
I think if you thickened it enough (by cooking longer) and used a high fat coconut cream, it could work as a layer between cakes, but I wouldn’t go super thick!
Manda Lynn says
Hi there! I saw back in 2016 someone asked this same question, but there was no response. Do you have any suggestions for subbing out the coconut cream? It just really doesn’t agree with me so I would like to use a different milk/cream if possible. What are your thought? I was even contemplating trying to make my own cashew cream at home and see if that works, but that sounds a little ambitious for a jumping off point. Thank you!!!!!!
Hi Manda, we haven’t tried any other milks/creams in this recipe and aren’t sure how it would turn out. Cashew cream would likely be the best option. You may need to add additional arrowroot to help it thicken. If you do some experimenting, we would love to hear how it goes!
Jeanette says
I am wondering if one could can this lemon curd, like one would jam.
We haven’t tried that, but it should work! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Dianne Fritsche says
Hi again,
So looking over all my ingredient, my can of coconut cream is 13.5 oz. But I wouldn’t think that would cause it not to thicken unless 1/2 cup lemon juice is too much. I decided to take out some of the cream and add a teas. more arrowroot and added it, but the consistency is the same. I guess I will just let it cook now and report back with the results. Also, no my arrowroot is not expired and I did not boil it while making this. :)
Dianne Fritsche says
Hmmm,
I am in the middle of making this right now. It tastes great and is silky but…I am not getting any ribbon? I do not think it is thickening enough. I am wondering if I should just keep cooking and cooking and if so for how long? :)
Keep cooking at a low temperature until it thickens. The texture of different coconut creams can vary and impact the cooking time. We recommend the brands in this post. Hope that helps!
Brianna says
Hi! I was wondering if there is anything I can use in place of arrowroot starch?
Hi Brianna, maybe cornstarch? But we haven’t tried it! Let us know if you do!
Jess P says
I follow keto diet but would like to try altering this recipe. We cannot have arrowroot/cornstarch, honey or lemon juice. I want to use lemon essential oil to replace some of the lemon juice. I have used xanthun gum in the past for thickening custard desserts. Thinking that will work for the arrowroot. But by omitting the honey I wonder if I should use canned coconut milk for more liquid. What are your thoughts?
Hi Jess, we aren’t sure how it will turn out with these modifications. We think you may need to add stevia to replace the maple syrup or it will be very tangy. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Tiffany says
I’m currently dreaming up ideas for dessert on Christmas Eve. Thinking a Cranberry or Pomegranate Curd tart might be delicious but I can’t find a recipe for vegan versions. Do you think I could swap out the juice in this recipe for one of those?
I would think that should work but can’t say for sure as we haven’t tried it ourselves.. if you give it a try, report back on how it turns out!
Theresa Everts says
Could I put into a pie shell for lemon cream pie? The recipe sounds wonderful! I love lemon ?
We haven’t tried that but I think it would work!
Liana says
I have made this twice now and I love it more! Thus is now my go to for parties!
Zahava says
The flavor was delicious. but the texture was rubbery. I might try it with a different thickener, perhaps cornstarch, tapioca, or potato starch. have you tried it with any of these?
We haven’t but please let us know how it goes!
Malcolm says
Can you suggest a substitute for the maple syrup? Would runny honey work? Using the same quantity?
That should work – same quantity – let us know how it goes!
Isabel says
Please could you tell me when referring to 1 1/4 ounces of coconut cream you are referring to the equivalent of 35.5 ml? Sounds very little amount to me.
Thank you for your reply. I am looking forward to making your recipe for lemon curd !
Best wishes, Isabel
Kyrie says
Hi! She means one 14 oz can of coconut cream, not 1.25 ounces :)
That’s correct. Thanks for clarifying, Kyrie!
Isabelle says
Can I use this for lemon meringue pie?
Hi Isabelle! We haven’t tried that but I think it would work!