What’s not to love about the tangy, sweet and oh-so-smooth decadence of lemon curd?
It’s a perfect complement to so many foods, whether as a topping, spread or ingredient.
Lemon curd goes great with breakfast foods like toast, croissants, pancakes, waffles, muffins and so much more. And if you’ve never tried a cake or pastry that has lemon curd as a filling, you don’t know what you’re missing!
As you can probably tell, I’ll spread lemon curd on thick and high on just about anything, and my guess is that if you’re reading this, you’re a lot like me.
I don’t know about you, but whenever I have lemon curd around, it rarely makes it to the freezer, though I do wind up keeping it in the fridge quite often.
Yet, there could be any number of reasons why you’d want to freeze it.
Perhaps you’re making a large batch to serve at a get together or if you’re like me, you’ve got to satisfy an occasional sweet tooth craving.
So while refrigerating seems like common sense, what about freezing it?
Can you do it?
The short answer is yes, you can safely freeze lemon curd. Whether your lemon curd is homemade or store bought, you can expect it to last for up to six months in the freezer when properly prepared and stored.
So whatever your reason for freezing, we’ve got you covered with all the hints, tips and tricks you’ll need to make sure your lemon curd tastes as fresh from the freezer as the day you put it there!
How to Freeze Lemon Curd
The good news is that lemon curd freezes very well. If you take a look at many recipes for homemade lemon curd, you’ll often find that freezing is recommended over refrigeration.
Lemon curd is very stable when frozen and when defrosted, it loses almost none of its original taste and texture.
Luckily, you’ll just need to do a bit of prep and whenever you’re ready, simply remove it from the freezer, defrost and dig in!
1. Decide How You Will Use Your Lemon Curd
You don’t have to be able to predict the future with complete accuracy, but you should have some plan for how you’ll be using the curd after you defrost it.
Will it be for your own personal consumption or do you intend to use it for a party or get together?
While it may seem trivial, you’ll save yourself time later if you have a firm plan for what you’re going to be doing with it weeks (or months) from now.
2. Divide (Or Portion) It According to Your Needs
One thing to keep in mind about lemon curd when it freezes is that it’s not going to harden completely.
To complicate matters, you might find that homemade curd has a different consistency or texture than store-bought curd.
In general though, the curd will be very firm when frozen, but you’ll still be able to dig it out with a spoon.
However, that doesn’t mean that you should freeze all of your curd in a large container or freezer safe bag. If you do, you might find it difficult to properly portion when the time comes.
Instead, divide it up into smaller portions beforehand.
You can use individual freezer bags for this, silicone muffin pans, glass jars or any other airtight, freezer-safe container.
When done this way, not only do you reap the benefit of having the portion size you need but you’ll also guard against unwanted freezer burn or odors damaging your curd.
When fully defrosted, lemon curd will last in the fridge for a few days, so keep that in mind when you’re deciding on your portion sizes.
3. Label the Container(s)
The last step is optional but recommended. The reason it’s recommended is that if you’re anything like me, your life is always busy.
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve gone through the trouble of freezing something, only to retrieve it weeks or months later and have no idea how long it’s been in there.
Learn from the error or my ways and do yourself a favor – label the container(s) and you can thank me later!
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Decide how you will use your lemon curd |
| 2 | Divide (or portion) it according to your needs |
| 2.1 | Use individual freezer bags, silicone muffin pans, glass jars or any other airtight, freezer-safe container to divide the curd. |
| 2.2 | Portioning the curd will help guard against unwanted freezer burn or odors. |
| 2.3 | Consider that fully defrosted lemon curd will last in the fridge for a few days when deciding on portion sizes. |
| 3 | Label the container(s) |
| 3.1 | Labeling the container(s) is optional but recommended as it will help you keep track of the time the curd has been in the freezer. |
Does Lemon Curd Freeze Hard?
No, lemon curd doesn’t freeze hard (or solid).
In addition to extending the shelf life of your lemon curd, the fact that it doesn’t harden allows you to portion out only what you need to thaw and eat (or serve) as needed.
As mentioned previously, this characteristic of lemon curd is important to remember so that you can divide it up prior to freezing in a way that makes using it later on easy.
Can Homemade Lemon Curd Be Frozen?
Absolutely! Homemade lemon curd freezes just as easily as store-bought brands. Just follow our tips from earlier in the article and you won’t have any problems.
How Do You Thaw Frozen Lemon Curd?
The best approach to take when the time comes to thaw your lemon curd is to take things slow.
Ideally, you’ll want the consistency of your curd to be as close to it was when you made it (or opened it) as you can.
To do this properly, give yourself plenty of time. A good rule of thumb is to remove it from the freezer, then refrigerate it for at least twenty-four hours ahead of use.
If you’ve thawed more than you can use, it’s nothing to be concerned with since lemon curd will keep in the fridge quite nicely for a few days.
If you find that the consistency isn’t quite what you were hoping for after defrosting, giving it a quick stir should be all you need to do to restore its creamy consistency.
Can You Refreeze Lemon Curd?
While refreezing lemon curd is possible, it’s probably not the best approach to take.
Cycles of freezing, thawing, and freezing again will change the consistency of your lemon curd over time. In addition, you’ll also increase the chances of things like freezer burn or having unwanted odors from your freezer find their way into your tasty treat.
Instead, if you follow the advice we’ve given you about proper portioning ahead of time, the chances are good that you won’t need to refreeze it.
Can You Freeze Lemon Curd in Glass Jars?
Yes, glass jars are a great option for freezing your lemon curd. High-quality glass jars are durable and they’re also great for guarding against odors and freezer burn.
Not only that, but using glass jars goes hand-in-hand with our recommendation for portioning out your curd prior to freezing it.
Hey there, I’m Melody! I’m a lifelong foodie and love talking about it to anyone who’s willing to listen (or read!) about my opinions. My favorite pastimes include cooking, eating my cooking and thinking about what I’m going to make next!
