Instant Pot Lemon Curd

This Instant Pot Lemon Curd is so smooth, bright, and lemony, and takes less than 40 minutes to make, mostly unattended time.

I love a good kitchen shortcut, especially when it comes to Instant Pot recipes. I admit though, I was an Instant Pot custard skeptic, not believing that a pressure cooker could be as gentle on eggs as the stovetop. That is, until I tried it for myself.

Why Use The Instant Pot For Lemon Curd?

When testing this recipe, I experienced some of the same pitfalls The Kitchn described when they tried Mel’s Kitchen Cafe method, which were easily fixed by reducing the cook time, and using a round casserole dish that allowed the curd to spread out for even cooking—cooking in a wider vessel, not taller, made a big difference in the texture of the curd. 

Rightfully so, because most of us don’t enjoy washing dishes, TheKitchn also mentioned their pain points about having to clean multiple appliances after using the Instant Pot lemon curd method. As long the blender is rinsed and filled with soapy water after use, cleanup is easy. I didn’t mind washing out the blender and later the Instant Pot because (1) it was effortless, and (2) I could have thrown both into the dishwasher if I didn’t feel like washing them by hand. Having to wash both was worth the time I saved from not having to stand over a pot, while constantly stirring and watching for it to hit a certain temperature so it didn’t scorch. 

My Instant Pot Lemon Curd recipe is so perfectly thick and smooth, lemony, and puckery in the best way, and taking less than 40 minutes to make (mostly unattended time!). Even the prep is quick and easy, with the blender doing all of the heavy mixing (just remember to rinse it right after using it for easy cleanup).

Set all of the ingredients on the counter about an hour before you begin so they can come to room temperature, which will keep everything blend-able.

How To Make The Best Instant Pot Lemon Curd

Prep

The prep for this recipe really couldn’t be easier: crack eggs, juice lemons, mix all ingredients in a blender. 

Start by cracking three room temperature eggs into a bowl, and separating four more, adding just the yolks to the same bowl (the whites can be saved up to three days, covered, in the refrigerator for other recipes). Set this aside and juice the lemons.

To get the most juice out of each lemon, use a citrus reamer or citrus press. Four medium lemons will yield one cup of juice. Lemon sizes vary though, so you may need one less or one more, depending on their size.

Measure the rest of the ingredients, and add everything to a blender. Blend on medium speed until everything is well combined and smooth. At this point, the mixture will appear a little bit frothy, and the butter will begin to rise to the top. This is also the point where you might be doubting how this could ever turn into a smooth lemon curd. It does, and it’s amazing, so keep going.

In The Instant Pot

Add the rack to the Instant Pot and then add the water. Select a round, heat-proof casserole dish, like a large ramekin, that fits into the Instant Pot and holds at least four cups of liquid (1 quart). Pour the lemon mixture into the casserole dish, and lock the Instant Pot lid in place.

Set the valve to Sealing, select the Pressure Cook button, and set the timer for five minutes. After cook time is complete, turn the Instant Pot off. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, and then move the valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure.

When you unlock and open the lid, be careful not to let any moisture that has collected on the inside of the lid to land on the lemon curd. Using oven mitts, grab the handles of the rack and carefully lift the casserole dish out of the Instant Pot and onto a flat, heat-proof surface, like the stove top or a kitchen towel placed on the counter.

Finishing Your Lemon Curd

The lemon curd will look lumpy and bumpy, with pools of butter swimming around the sides. Don’t feel discouraged because all it needs is a good stir with a large kitchen spoon or spatula to become perfectly smooth.

Briskly stir the lemon curd, I like to use a wooden or metal spoon for this part, and don’t stop until the butter is completely incorporated back into the warm curd. Let the curd sit on the counter for about 10 minutes, uncovered, and then it’s ready to be refrigerated. 

The lemon curd can stay in the same ramekin, or be transferred into jars. To prevent a skin from forming on the top, cover the lemon curd with plastic wrap before refrigerating, pressing the wrap directly onto the curd. As it cools, the curd will begin to firm up and take on the consistency of a thick pudding.

Uses For Lemon Curd

There’s so many delicious ways you can use this Instant Pot Lemon Curd.

Spread lemon curd on toast instead of jam, or onto pancakes or scones. Use it as the filling for a lemon tart or mix with ricotta to fill crepes. Swirl some lemon curd into ice cream or whipped cream to add some tangy brightness to your dessert. I’m sure you have even more great ideas, share them in the comments below!

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