Dairy-Free Lemon Curd (gluten-free, Paleo)

Gluten-free lemon curd in a mason jar and some on a spoon.

5 from 4 votes

Dairy-Free Lemon Curd (gluten-free, Paleo)

This Dairy-Free Lemon Curd is a sweet, tangy treat! It's so smooth and creamy, you can spread it on bagels, English muffins or pancakes, or swirl it into yogurt, ice cream or whipped cream. Plus it's gluten-free and Paleo friendly!

Prep Time25

Cook Time10

chill time2

Total Time2 35

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 121kcal

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

All ingredients should be at room temperature:

½ cup + 2 tablespoons (4 oz.) palm shortening
½ cup (4 fl. oz.) honey
3 large lemons (see notes)
4 large eggs
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

Add the palm shortening and honey to a large mixing bowl.
Zest the lemons with the microplane and add the zest to the bowl. (You should have about ¼ cup of zest.)
Cut the lemons in half and juice them (I stab them with a fork over a small sieve set over a measuring glass, twisting the fork while I squeeze and twist the lemon half) until you have ½ cup of juice. Set the juice aside.
Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
Using a hand mixer set at medium high, whip the shortening, honey and zest until blended and creamy.
With the mixer still running, add the eggs one at a time, blending each one in before adding the next.
With the mixer still running, add the lemon juice and salt and blend until combined. The mixture will be loose and clumpy and, honestly, not very pretty. But that's okay! It's totally normal.
Somewhere near your stove, set a canning funnel (if using mason jars) over a mason jar and a fine-mesh sieve over the funnel. This will make about 2 cups of curd so you'll need one pint jar or two 1-cup jars. If not using mason jars, just set the sieve over whatever container you're using. You want to strain out the lemon zest and any bits of cooked egg.
Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and set it over low heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture has warmed up (after about 2-3 minutes), whisk it vigorously until it's smoother and more blended. Keep stirring until the mixture has thickened and reached 170° on an instant read thermometer. This will take about 6-10 minutes total.
Immediately remove from the heat and pour through the sieve into the jar(s).
Let cool slightly, cover and chill for at least two hours, or until set.
Recipe yields 2 cups.

Notes

Note: You may only need 2 or 2.5 lemons to get 1/2 cup of lemon juice, depending on how big and juicy they are.

Substitutions and variations

You can use ghee instead of palm shortening, but the curd might be a little softer and not quite as "set" - but it'll still be delicious.

No hand mixer? Use a sturdy spatula to whip the shortening, honey and zest together, then use a whisk to mix in the eggs (1 at a time), juice and salt.

Make ahead

The curd can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Freezer info

I do not recommend freezing the lemon curd.

Nutrition