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!
- 1 14-ounce (414 ml) can coconut cream*
- 2 Tbsp (~4 g) lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp (14 g) arrowroot starch
- 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) maple syrup, plus more to taste
- 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 1 Tbsp) 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.
- This is so delicious you can eat it straight, but it makes an especially delicious topping for muffins, pancakes, waffles and other baked goods.
*For all other substitution questions, check out our Recipe FAQ page.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 Tbsp (of 36 total servings).
That sounds so good! Very impressive that you were able to recreate a curd from scratch. I love the photos too. Have a great weekend!
Hi Dana!
Another of your recipes I’m gonna be making ? but I don’t have arrowroot starch right now, I have potato starch, can I use it instead?
Thanks!
I haven’t tried that, but let me know how it goes!
Ive used cassava starch (also 2 T) and it turned out perfect and yummy!
Thanks for the recipe, Dana :)
Forget traditional lemon curd, lemon curd with coconut cream sounds at least a million times more delicious!
I would like to have this recipe without vegan consideration, please. I searched this site for traditional lemon curd but it only showed the vegan option. Could you please repost without vegan ingredients or just list which ones would be replaced.
I thank you~ Have a happy Easter
This is a vegan food blog so she posts vegan food. You could try a google or pinterest search instead for a traditional lemon curd. Happy Easter.
Thanks~
Happy Easter to you too :D
Cookie and Kate just posted a lemon curd (non vegan) recipe that looks delicious. I couldn’t get it out of my mind, but am dairy free, so am so glad Dana posted this one! Anyways, maybe you’ll like the cookie & Kate recipe?
Wendy, that is kind of you. I would be happy to see it~ would you have that link?
I saw this in my inbox and knew I had to make it immediately. I have made a traditional one in the past, but like the idea of eating this one as a stand alone custard dessert. I even used Meyer lemons! Here’s what my experience was: following the recipe to the letter, it was nice, but it lacked depth. So added about 2 tbsp maple sugar, so as not to dilute the curd itself. Still just okay. But then I added vanilla, and this allowed the brightness of the lemon to really come out! If the lemon doesn’t have anything to contrast against, I find that the brightness hides. So the vanilla really made it for me! I bet it would kick some serious butt with a vanilla bean! #nexttime Thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Genevieve!
This looks amazing, Dana! I remember having lemon curd years ago before I was diagnosed with lactose intolerance, but I haven’t had it since. This looks like the perfect version for me!!
Hello Dana
Can I make this in my yogurt jars instead and do I still have to place a plastic covering.
I simply put it in a glass bowl in the fridge without any covering and it’s perfect.
My mouth is watering! Thank you so much for sharing, I am definitely going to try this!
Hi Dana,
Love your blog, have done for ages now and have finally taken the leap to create one myself. This recipe looks absolutely delicious, I would like to follow a plant based diet eventually and will definitely be giving this one a go! Beautiful photos too.
Happy Easter when it comes!
Katie x
Hi there,
I was so happy when i saw you created a lemon curd recipe. I used to love lemon curd but haven’t found a plant based one and here you are answering my wants. Will have to get some lemons before i give this a go.
Enjoy always…..xoxo rm
What can I use instead of arrowroot starch?
Cornstarch?
I did! And it was delicious. Thank you. My mother loved it. :)
What about coconut flour?
tapioca starch.
Thank you so much. I love easy to make recipe with not too many ingredients. I had many beautiful meyer lemons so I wanted to make Lemon curd for vegan glutenfree pot luck Christmas. Went Christmas Eve day to trader joe’s but they were out of coconut cream so bought coconut milk (2 cans as i idoubled the recipe). and no arrowroot . so then went Vons and no cream or arrowroot so ought cornstarch. It came out great! I used extra maple syrup and I bought fresh mint and raspberries to decorate and crystal plastic cups and I know it will be a big hit today. Merry Christmas.
That sounds absolutely perfect! It’s been ages since I’ve had lemon curd, although it was my favourite topping when I was younger. I’m definitely going to make this as soon as I can get my hands on some lemons. Thanks!
A funny story about Lemon Curd. Today we were sitting at lunch with some classmates and one mentioned making lemon curd for some family coming into town….I mentioned how I was using coconut milk/cream to make recipes vegan and my favorite was the one from Trader Joes. When I got home and checked my email, yours was the first one I opened…..about vegan lemon curd and trader joes coconut cream! Pretty cool!!!
So funny! Hope you enjoy my take!
What starch is the best replacement for arrowroot?
Cornstarch.
Someone posted she used tapioca starch and it turned out perfect.
I’m a new but big follower of yours…love your recipes!
Will I need to shake the coconut cream can before I use it or do you use only the thick part that is formed in the can?
Thank you ☺
Joanna
It doesn’t matter too much with this recipe, but the thickened cream is best!
Wow! I’m obsessed! I don’t love some lemon curds because they can be too eggy. I bet this version is incredible! It may just be my new curd recipe!
Thanks friend!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m celiac, with other food allergies too, but I love lemon curd and now I can finally enjoy it. :)
Wow !! This dish looks tasty. I love curds. I cannot wait to prepare it today. Thanks Dana for sharing this recipe :)
For all those looking for arrowroot starch, you can find it at an Asian grocery store.
Another of your formulas I’m going to be making ? however I don’t have arrowroot starch at this moment, I have potato starch, would I be able to utilize it?
Cornstarch is best!
Lemon desserts are my favourite! I changed a few things up: I used cornstarch and coconut milk instead of arrowroot and coconut cream and added an extra tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of vanilla and 1/8 tsp of tumeric to give it some colour. It was so tangy and excellent paired with raspberries!
Lovely additions! Thanks for sharing, Marlee.
Hi! Do you think this would freeze well? How would you suggest storing it? Thanks!
See our recipe FAQ in the notes.
I just made this basic recipe last night (had to make a couple of changes due to what I had on hand)…used corn starch (organic) in place of the arrowroot and only had full fat coconut milk, no cream, so used that and added an extra Tbsp cornstarch….it turned out GREAT! Very lemony! I have recently began eating vegan (and dropping the refined sugars) due to having stage 4 breast cancer and I have LOVED your blog site! I think this is the third thing I have made. I made it for my mom’s bday today because she is diabetic, so also does not need a bunch of sugar and she loves lemon. She topped her whole grain waffle with it this morning! BIG hit with both of us! :D
Thanks for sharing!
So kind! Thanks for sharing, Mary!
Never actually tried lemon curd, but this looks delicious!!
This recipe was wonderful! I served it with some simple vegan shortbread cookies to maximize the focus on the curd. I added 3 extra tablespoons (5 total) liquid sweetener (I used agave) to drive out the tartness.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is so delicious. I used 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 4 tablespoons of pure Grade B maple syrup to make it perfect for my palate. It is so refreshing and is something I plan to make again & again.
Yay! Thanks Kathy!
Delicious! So tart, which I love. I could not find coconut cream, even at Trader Joe’s, so I used the cream top on two cans of full fat coconut milk and it worked great.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing!
I made this Lemon Curd yesterday following the instructions; left it overnite in fridge. It did not set at all so this morning I reheated on low boil for 20 min, then put back in fridge. It is still like milk & will not set. Why? I used Thai coconut milk. Not a happy baker.
ps. Most of your recipes that I’ve tried have been great
So odd! Hmm, did you add more lemon juice? Or perhaps your coconut milk was quite runny? I haven’t heard of anyone else having this issue – sorry you had troubles!
I used exact amounts. Coconut milk wasn’t thick. So after 2 days I put it back on the stove & added cornstarch – back in the fridge overbite – still never got thick – ate some as a sauce – sadly threw the rest away.
I just tried this recipe with corn starch, which should be fine. I am having a hard time making it thicken up. I suggest using more starch.
I made this yesterday and it was so simple and delicious! Clean, crisp and light tasting – perfect for a summer dessert :) Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Really liked this! I made some GF and vegan lemon scones and they were lacking a bit and this was the perfect accompaniment to them. I did double the lemon zest just to magnify the lemon taste. I can’t wait to to experiment further with ways to us this! Thanks!
Where do you buy your arrowroot starch from? Is it the same as arrowroot flour? Thank you! Your recipes are the best!
The brand Bob’s Red Mill makes (?) it. I got mine at Whole Foods, but I’ve been noticing a lot more “mainstream” grocery stores carrying a lot more of Bob’s Red Mill products lately. I found mine in the same aisle as the baking stuff.
Hi Dana,
This looks great and I want to include it in my Passover dessert.
We don’t have Arrowroot here in Israel.
Can I substitute to cornstarch? If so, for how much?
Hope you can answer me :)
Thanks, I love your blog and enjoy all the gluten and sugar free options. Please keep it up :)
Dvir.
Can this lemon curd be used to make lemon meringue pie? How? My favorite pie! But I’m lactose intolerant!
Hi Brenda, I saw a recipe for aquafaba meringue it looked amazing
Hi Dana, have you ever frozen lemon curd ?
Substituted Tapioca starch for arrowroot and it worked great. Added 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar to the 2 Tbsp of maple syrup, which really helped up the brightness of the lemon! Or maybe I just have a stubborn palate. Thank you! This is going to be a great birthday gift for my lemon loving egg allergic father in law.
I run a BnB catering to any dietary need. I made this today for a breakfast. I doubled the lemon zest, and added an extra 1/4 c of lemon juice to get the tartness I wanted. I think it tastes great, thank you!
Hi Dana! Long time lover of the blog. LOVE this recipe. I’ve been thinking about using it in a pistachio creme brulee (hoping to recreate a dessert I had on vacation). But I was wondering, have you thought about trying aquafaba to make this into a vegan lemon meringue? I think it would be interesting to try it out. I just heard about aquafaba very recently (as in today), but I haven’t seen any mention of it here yet.
Looking forward to your next recipe. Ciao!
Does this recipe keep well without refrigeration? I was hoping to use the curd to make mini fruit tarts and serve them at a BBQ. Thanks!
It will for several hours, but not for days.
I made this with coconut cream and cornstarch. Filled shortbread tartlets with the curd and it was absolutely outstanding. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Why is the length of time it’ll keep for so different from egg based lemon curd? Is it the heating time, the amount of sugar, or something else?
I’m assuming I missed something or did something wrong. I made the lemon curd this afternoon, only thing I had to sub was the maple syrup, used agave instead. It’s been in the fridge for almost six hours, and has the consistency of elmer’s glue, and a really weird mouth feel. I’ve made regular lemon curd on a regular basis, and this is just, well kinda gross. It doesn’t taste bad but the texture is really off-putting.
This is so amazing, I don’t even have words. I recently had to switch to gluten free and dairy/egg free. It’s been difficult (the egg thing is killing me!) but I decided to try this recipe yesterday for a little treat. I love lemon and I love any kind of lemon pie… so I went on the hunt for some gluten free, vegan graham crackers (much harder than I thought!) and found some by Schar. I crushed them up with some cashews (a take on a traditionl pie crust) and put them at the bottom of a small bowl and then poured some of this lemon curd on top with some raspberries (because the photo above just looked so pretty). One word – epic. This is now going to be my go-to dessert recipe. I bet it would be insane to make it into a trifle with the graham crackers and curd and raspberries… and I bet I could take it to a party/picnic and no one would know it was GF and Vegan.
Hello. Many other recipes that use coconut cream drain the coconut water from the cream, this recipe dosen’t specify. Do i just put the whole can in? Thanks!
You can do either, but I did the whole can. Drain off the water for thicker curd!
Thank you. So far so good. I did drain the water. I will let you know how it turns out.
Can I substitute tapioca starch for the arrowroot starch?
I haven’t tried that, but if you do, let me know how it goes!
Do you think this would work as a filling for lemon danish?
I think so!
I’ve made this recipe a handful of times. I love it every time. I learned how to make vegan crepes & am hooked. Thank you for sharing such great recipes. I plan to purchase your online book too.
Lovely! Thanks Jacki!
Love this recipe. I have made this recipe only once and it turned really good. Since I did not have arrowroot, I used corn-starch. My family loved it.
Thanks for Sharing :)
This stuff is dangerous! It hadn’t even cooled and I was scooping it out of the jar to eat it (I had plans on spreading it on a pancake but the spoon didn’t make it past my mouth). So so insanely delicious, I have immediately saved this recipe. My only change was to increase the arrowroot to 4 tbs as it didn’t seem to thicken as much as I anticipated. Having said that I’m in Australia and I think our cup & tbs measurements are not quite the same as the US so maybe I should have used the mL and grams to measure. Either way this is so delicious!! I’m so glad to be able to eat lemon curd again!!
Just now licking the jar clean…. I made this a couple days ago and it is DELICIOUS. It’s such a treat on fresh fruit and even on it’s own that I never even got around to putting it on pancakes like I originally intended…oops!
I did make a few changes, though: I really have a sweet tooth, so in addition to the maple syrup I blended a couple extra tablespoons of organic cane sugar to make powdered sugar. I also used a pinch of salt and a couple drops of homemade vanilla extract. This is so amazing I’m going to have to make it again to make my pancake plan a reality. >:)
Hi, do you think I can replace lemon juice with mango pulp?
This recipe looks so great! Does anyone know if I can use agar agar in place of the arrowroot?
Thanks so much!!
This is so great because one thing I miss lately is lemon meringue and with aquafaba as your egg whites now we have a complete recipe. Can’t wait to try this. Thanks!
Hi Dana,
Is arrowroot powder and starch the same thing?
Also if it can be used as piping for some tars? how can it be stabilized, I mean instead of gelatin can we use agar agar and in what ratio.
Thanks,
Ankita
Also, do agar agar, cornstarch, arrowroot starch, gelatin, xanthum gum works the same way?
Thanks ?
gelatin is not vegan.
This looks great! I visited the FAQ page, but still have a question… Instead of coconut cream, do you think I can sub in almond milk or almond creamer and add even more arrowroot to thicken? Thanks!
Hi!
Do you know if this lemon curd would work as the filling for a lemon meringue pie? ?
I haven’t tried that but I think it would work!
It worked for me, but I would definitely add additional arrow root to ensure it is firm enough to stay together after you start slicing the pie.
So… I LOVE your recipes. But more recently I’ve been laughing hysterically because each recipe I actually try I basically end up substituting every single ingredient for something else. Allergies, LOL.
For this one I’m going to try grapefruit or orange for the lemon zest & juice, cream for the coconut, golden cane sugar syrup for the maple syrup, and minute tapioca (which is tapioca starch) for the corn starch. Wish me luck!
If it works i’ll post it on my blog epiadventure.wordpress.com
I turned this recipe into the filling for a lemon Meringue pie. Yum! It turned out incredible! I was actually quite impressed with this recipe & with myself, after this one. Delicious custard =scrumptious pie! Thank you for the recipe. I did add extra arrow root powder to firm it up a good bit more, and not become a runny mess after slicing it. Success! Truly delightful, I find your recipes & blog. Thank you again.
I’m making limoncello for Christmas gifts and thought lemoncurd would be great with all the leftover lemon juice.
Have you tried freezing/defrosting this recipe?
I haven’t! But I think it would work…
How long should this simmer (roughly) before it’s ready?
Depending on what kind of coconut you use / how thick your mixture is before simmering, somewhere between 10-20 minutes.
Thank you for the recipe, really delicious!
This seems so close to creme brulet. Have you ever made a vegan version of creme brulet? This lemon curd recipe seems simple and elegant. I can’t wait to try it ?
If I were to make a big batch, would it be able to store for a period of time (in sterile jars) out of the fridge?
Its in the fridge, so excited, tweaked it until it was perfect for me, delicious! thanks for sharing the recipe. Xx
Perfect! I used coco milk and corn starch (kind of doubled the starch to get something thick enough).
It is really tasteful, very lemony !
Hi Dana, I gave this a shot today, and the “visible ribbon” appeared before the mixture had even started bubbling. So I kept cooking it, and it never got back to that jiggly, ribbon stage…I ended up adding a bit more arrowroot slurry to the mixture, and cooking it for a couple more minutes. Gonna stick it in the fridge soon and see whether it firms up!
My question is: is it possible to overcook this, and is that what I did?
Hi! As long as you didn’t cook it for great amounts of time over what the directions say, you should be good. Let me know how it looks once you’ve chilled it! It should firm up!
(I did >_<) It thickened up slightly, but was still pretty gloopy. Not sure what the texture of lemon curd is supposed to be but it didnt really look like your picture. Tasted great though-used it to fill a lemon meringue cake!
I made this to use between a lemon layer cake with a coconut cream cheese frosting (all vegan)! I used tapioca in place of arrowroot but that’s the only modification. It was tart but paired perfectly with the cake and frosting! Love this recipe!
I tried this recipe today. It didn’t thicken up for me using the arrowroot starch so I added 2 Tbsp of cornstarch dissolved in a bit more lemon juice and reheated for a few minutes, and it thickened up very nicely. I also added a pinch of turmeric to get that nice yellow color. This will be a great addition to spring desserts!
I LOVE lemon curd but love when everyone gets to eat my desserts more. I baked for my parents and siblings for about 5 years, then recently started bringing my desserts to family events and parties. After my anorexia I wanted to start making more vegan dishes to help me recover. I’ve been baking vegan for about 2 years but one thing I never stopped eating was lemon curd. It’s my birthday and I wanted to make a lemon curd tart (my favorite) but some of my family is vegan and they know how great my desserts are, I don’t want them left out! So I searched the internet for vegan lemon curd. This recipe along with extra corn starch worked great as a tart, the taste and texture were less of a lemon curd and more of a posset, a dessert even better tasting than lemon curd. I added a blueberry-chia compote to the top. Thank you and maybe you could try making a vegan posset sometime in the future (a posset is made of three basic things: heavy cream, sugar, and lemon, lime, or passion fruit)
I have made this vegan lemon curd twice now, and it’s an outstanding recipe, simply genius Dana! Thank you so much for sharing your culinary masterpiece with the rest of us! I used cornstarch and more of it as I didn’t have any arrowroot on hand and the extra cornstarch firmed it right up when it seemed too runny initially. Some in my family can’t have eggs, gluten or dairy and it was definitely not missed here!
I forgot to mention; (forgive me if this is obvious) several posts are questioning about draining the water from the coconut cream. If coconut cream (it’s not coconut milk in the can) is used, I found it does not have to be drained, but if starting with the coconut milk in the can instead of the coconut cream in the can, it will definitely have to be drained and two cans will be necessary to get the same amount of “cream” that is on the top of canned coconut milk if you refrigerate it for several hours, or can be scooped out and used if you drain the “water” from the coconut milk. Do not throw the water away it can be used in many recipes. Hope this helps.
I tried this with lime so and it didn’t work so well, stick with lemons.
Made this with some of the lemons given to me from a friend. Delicious and creamy! Super easy and fun to make. It made about 2 and a half little jars and I’ll give one away for a gift and keep the rest for my hubby and me to spread on muffins.
Thanks for this! I love lemon A LOT and lemony desserts are my absolute favourite <3
Do you have any idea about how many days it last in the fridge?
Im sorry, just read again and got the answer. Thank you!!!
Hi! It will keep in the refrigerator 7-10 days, though best within the first 4-5 days!
Just made this – had to double the maple syrup – I must have really strong / sour lemons or the maple syrup wasn’t very sweet… lol
Hello,
I love your recipes!
I was wondering if this would be firm enough to use as a tart filling with a vegan jelly-like top?
Thanks, Tasch x
I think so!
I’m about to make your coconut vegan cream pie but initially I wanted to find a recipe for a lemon pie using coconut cream. I’m wondering if this lemon curd would work as a pie filling and I can just top it off with a coconut cream meringue. What would you say?
I love, love, love your recipes!!!
I’m wild about this recipe, Dana, and so is my 11 year old daughter! As dairy-feee eaters, and refined sugar concisous bakers, we needed this. I doubled the maple syrup because I’m using this in a lemon meringue pie for my mom’s birthday, but we tasted it with just the two tablespoons of maple syrup and liked it that way, too. Can’t wait to make another bowlful for our waffles and pancakes. Really, really, really tastey! Thank you, Dana!
I made this and it came out pretty stringy (almost like melted mozzarella). I really did not enjoy the texture although I thought the flavor was really great. I used all of the ingredients exactly as listed. I wonder what I could’ve done wrong to make it come out this way?
Hi Dana,
First of all I wanted to say over 5 years ago when I first became gluten-free I made your carrot vegan muffins for the holidays and everyone was devouring them!!! I make your recipes all the time and they are so wholesome and delicious! I really want to make your custard but I’m on the verge of giving up! Everytime I attempt to make a vegan custard I’m stirring for hours and it doesn’t thicken or I overcook it and it’s clumpy and I basically throw a burnt gloppy mess in the garbage! What a waste! Please help me see what I’m doing wrong! I follow the instructions exactly put it on med fire it starts to boil then I lower it to med low and it takes forever to thicken up , sometimes it stays liquid, sometimes I reboil it even on max and it never thickens afterwards! I’m wasting hours in front of the stovetop! How often am supposed to stir ? I stir every minute to prevent burning. Also, if I succeeded to sort of to get a custard but the bottom is burnt should I throw out the entire thing?
Will it keep for longer in the freezer?
Hi Davin! We don’t recommend freezing it. It will keep in the refrigerator 7-10 days, though best within the first 4-5 days.