Homemade Orange Curd Recipe - A Spicy Perspective (2024)

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Homemade Orange Curd Recipe – Bright and sweet orange curd is easy to make with only 6 simple ingredients, and perfect to enjoy with breakfast or your favorite baked snack treats!

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Why We Love This Easy Curd Recipe

Creamy and bright citrus curd is a delightful condiment to serve for breakfast or with your favorite snack-time goodies. It’s similar in sweetness to a fruit jam or preserves, but made ultra-rich with egg yolks and butter for a more decadent spread.

If you love classic lemon curd, you will absolutely go nuts over this Orange Curd variation. The flavor is slightly sweeter with less of a tart bite, and pairs perfectly with all types of baked treats – from healthy muffins to decadent cookies and more!

Our practically foolproof orange curd recipe requires 6 pantry staples and takes 15 minutes to prepare. It makes a generous 2 cups of orange curd, which is just the right amount to enjoy a bit right away, and also put up in cute little jars.

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6 Ingredients You Need

  • Oranges
  • Lemon
  • Granulated sugar
  • Large eggs + egg yolks
  • Butter
  • Salt
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How to Make the Best Orange Curd

Use a zester to zest all three oranges and the lemon. Make sure to zest just the color and not the bitter white skin underneath. Collect the zest of both the oranges and lemons. You should have at least 1 tablespoon of orange zest and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Use it all!

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Now cut 1-2 of the oranges to squeeze ½ cup of fresh orange juice. Squeeze the lemon and measure out 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

Set a small saucepot over medium heat. Add the 1/2 cup of orange juice, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and all the orange and lemon zest.

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Then add sugar, eggs, and additional egg yolks, butter, and salt.

Get the Complete (Printable) Orange Curd Recipe Below. Enjoy!

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Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together as the butter melts. Once the butter has completely melted whisk thoroughly to make sure there are no clumps.

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring consistently. Once the curd is boiling, lower the heat if needed and continue to simmer and stir for 5 to 6 minutes until the mixture seems thick.

Pro Tip: I like to use a rubber spatula to make sure to scrape all the curd off the bottom, so it doesn’t burn as I stir.

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Remove from heat. Pour the orange curd into two 8-ounce jars or four 4-ounce jars. There will be a little leftover to enjoy right away.

Cover and chill the orange curd until it is set. Then keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

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Suggestions for What to Do With Orange Curd

Fresh and fruity orange curd is delicious to spread on baked treats, like store-bought or homemade cookies. Here are a few of our classic cookie recipes to try:

  • The Best Sugar Cookies
  • Cornmeal Cookies
  • Lemon Cookies (For a true citrus mouth party!)

I love to have a little bowl with biscotti to dip and a cup of coffee for breakfast. And it is fantastic to use in yogurt and granola parfaits! The curd also is great with nearly any sweet breakfast foods, like:

  • Homemade Waffles and Pancakes
  • Orange Cranberry Bread
  • Walnut Cherry Scones
  • Blueberry Muffin Cake
  • Jamaican Johnny Cakes

The citrus curd can even be used as a filling for pies, tarts, eclairs, and donuts; and as a tangy topping for Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream and cheesecake. You could even make an orange curd cake with this as a tangy orange filling!

Get creative and discover your favorite way to eat homemade orange curd!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best oranges for making curd?

Any type of ripe orange is good to use in this orange curd recipe. Oranges that aren’t ripe enough won’t be as sweet, so be sure to select fruits that are slightly soft when given a gentle squeeze.

Navel oranges are classic, Cara Cara oranges offer a delicate floral note, and blood oranges have a beautifully deep sweet flavor. You really can’t go wrong!

What other citrus fruits can be used to make this curd recipe?

Lime and grapefruit can be used in place of the orange for unique tasty citrus curds! Lime curd will have a very tart and tropical flavor that is less sweet. Grapefruit tends to be a lighter taste that likewise isn’t quite as sweet as orange or lemon.

How can I turn this into a lemon curd?

If you prefer to make a lemon curd, follow my perfect homemade lemon curd recipe instead!

Why is my orange curd not thickening?

The curd needs to be cooked for several minutes while constantly being whisked. If it isn’t thickening right away just keep cooking on medium and whisking until it becomes the consistency you like. And remember that it will continue to thicken once it cools.

How long does homemade fruit curd last?

It will keep well for up to 2 weeks stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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Looking For More Delicious Dips and Spreads?

  • Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Recipe
  • Nutella Chocolate Fondue
  • Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
  • Retro Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
  • Cherry Cheesecake Dip with Pie Crust

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Print Recipe

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Easy Orange Curd Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Bright and sweet orange curd is easy to make and perfect to enjoy with breakfast or your favorite baked snack treat!

Servings: 18 servings

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Use a zester to zest all three oranges and the lemon. Make sure to zest just the color and not the bitter white skin underneath. Collect the zest of both the oranges and lemons. You should have at least 1 tablespoon of orange zest and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Use it all.

  • Now cut 1-2 of the oranges to squeeze ½ cup of fresh orange juice. Squeeze the lemon and measure out 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

  • Set a small sauce pot over medium heat. Add the 1/2 cup of orange juice, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, all the orange and lemon zest, sugar, eggs and additional egg yolks, butter, and salt.

  • Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together as the butter melts. Once the butter has completely melted whisk thoroughly to make sure there are no clumps.

  • Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring consistently. Once the curd is boiling, lower the heat if needed and continue to simmer and stir for 5 to 6 minutes until the mixture seems thick. *I like to use a rubber spatula to make sure to scrape all the curd off the bottom, so it doesn’t burn as I stir.

Notes

You can make lime, lemon or grapefruit curd with this recipe as well.

Homemade orange curd will keep well for up to 2 weeks stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tb, Calories: 128kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 80mg, Potassium: 56mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 234IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 15mg, Iron: 1mg

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Condiment, Dessert

Cuisine: American, French

Author: Sommer Collier

Making this recipe?Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!

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Homemade Orange Curd Recipe - A Spicy Perspective (2024)

FAQs

Why is my orange curd not thickening? ›

If a curd is too thin then it usually means that it has not cooked for long enough. With a curd the heat needs to remain fairly low and sometimes you need to be a little patient. Don't whisk too vigorously while the curd is cooking, just stir gently and constantly.

What is orange curd made of? ›

Orange Curd is also called Orange Butter and is a delicious spread made of orange juice, sugar, butter and eggs. I love making fruit curd as it's such a great way of using up fruit and preserving it beyond making a jam or marmalade.

When making a citrus curd Why is a double saucepan used? ›

I strongly recommend cooking the lemon curd in a double boiler because mixing these ingredients over direct heat quickly leads to burning. Don't fret! If you don't have a double boiler, craft a makeshift double boiler by placing a heatproof glass bowl on top of a larger pot.

How do you fix runny orange curd? ›

If when completely cold your Orange Curd (or any other curd) is too runny then it was not cooked enough. You can remedy this by removing it from the jars and gently cooking again. Be sure to re-wash and sterilize the jars before refilling.

What makes curd thicker? ›

Use Full Cream Milk

Rich, full cream milk is considered best for making curd because of its high fat content. It results in a thicker, creamier texture often preferred by many people. Additionally, the fat in full cream milk can help create more flavour with a smooth, velvety texture.

How do you fix thin curd? ›

To make a thicker curd, you can also add another egg yolk to the recipe, or a teaspoon of cornflour mixed into a tablespoon of water and cook until thickened.

What's the difference between marmalade and orange curd? ›

Those delicious chunks in marmalade have been simmered with sugar until they're all but candied, whereas curd making is a very different process, which means that it's better to finely grate the perfumed zest, leaving out the spongey pith entirely.

Is orange with curd good for health? ›

Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and lemons are high in acidity. Combined with curd, which is also acidic, it can lead to an imbalance in pH levels in the stomach. This may result in indigestion, heartburn, or an upset stomach.

Why is curd gummy? ›

There are majorly two reasons that curd turns sticky, firstly the bacteria culture used to make curd can impact the taste and texture. Secondly, if you keep the curd at a low temperature, it takes a lot of time to set as well as forms a slimy texture. This is because curd needs a slightly warm temperature to set.

What happens if you add lemon to curd? ›

Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are highly acidic. Combining them with curd can disturb the stomach's pH balance, potentially leading to digestive discomfort or acidity for some individuals.

What are the two things required to make curd? ›

Answer: To make curd two things are required that are milk and a starter which contains bacteria namely as lactobacillus which helps to convert milk into curd.

Why didn't my curd set? ›

CURDS THAT WON'T COME TOGETHER

This is often caused by improper temperatures; either you used UHT (Ultra High Temperature) pasteurized milk or your curds got too hot when you were preparing for the stretching stage, or they didn't get hot enough. The temperature of the curds before stretching should be 160° to 170°F.

Why won't my orange curd set? ›

You need to keep a low heat and stir constatntly. The time it takes for the curd to thicken can vary accoding to the size of the pan and the heat used. To test if the curd is cooked properly, dip a spoon into the mixture then run your finger through the mixture on the back of the spoon.

Can you buy orange curd? ›

Currently unique to the Thursday Cottage brand in the preserves market, this fruity curd is a lovely vibrant alternative to the classic flavour curds.

Does adding lemon to milk make curd? ›

Yes we can made curd by mixing milk with lemon juice. Mix little by little lemon juice to the milk and stir frequently until the milk turned to curd.

Why is curd not thickening? ›

Trouble shooting: Most Lemon Curds are runny because they don't get cooked long enough, to 170 degrees F, to thicken the egg yolks – so cook on! If your curd isn't thickened after 10 minutes, or up to 15 if using a double boiler, then increase the temperature of the stove slightly – and don't stop whisking!

Why is my curd not setting? ›

Usually the temperature of milk determines how well your curd will set. Too cold or too hot temperature can make the curd setting process tougher. Firstly boil your milk properly and switch off the flame. Once the boiled milk cools down to 20 per cent, then the milk is ready to be set.

Why is my curd thin? ›

The temperature is too low. If the temp is below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the cultures will not ferment properly and the milk will stay runny. The temperature is too high. If the temperature is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the yogurt will ferment too fast and will also render the yogurt runny.

How do you add curd to thicken it? ›

Simply add a small amount of yogurt, like a spoonful, at a time. Stir your yogurt into the curry and keep adding a little more at a time until it reaches your desired thickness. This is great for Indian-style curries as a cream substitute.

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