This luscious gluten-free lemon curd tart is also dairy-free and refined sugar-free! It's made with a tender almond flour crust, filled with an easy lemon curd recipe and it's garnished with fresh mixed berries.
There's no need to skip pies and tarts any longer, just because you're avoiding gluten. And who doesn't love lemon pie!
With an easy press-in crust made with a combination of almond flour and oat flour, and a creamy, sweet but tart filling, this easy lemon curd tart makes a delicious dessert, fancy enough for a special occasion.
This gluten-free lemon tart recipe is part of my collection of Gluten-Free Desserts for Easter and Spring.
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❤️ Why this recipe works
It's made with your own homemade dairy-free lemon curd!
Making your own lemon curd just makes sense. You can avoid the additives that may be present in store-bought lemon curd and greatly reduce the amount of sugar by making your own. Most lemon curd recipes call for ¼ pound of butter and 1 ½ cups of sugar. This one, however, can be made with coconut oil (or butter if you like), honey and lemons. It’s a simple recipe that couldn’t be easier!
While my stovetop method (How to Make Paleo Lemon Curd) does need patient stirring time, it's not difficult at all. But I suggest that you save time, make things easy on yourself and make it in your microwave in five minutes!
Use my 5-minute Microwave Honey Lemon Curd recipe that I've described below to save time when making this tart!
🛒 Ingredients
You'll need lemons (or Meyer lemons) coconut oil (or butter), eggs and honey to make the lemon curd filling.
You'll also need finely ground almond flour, oat flour (just grind rolled oats in a blender), coconut oil or butter, and maple syrup for the crust.
🔪 Instructions
Almond Flour Crust
I've used this tender almond flour crust in other recipes, most recently to make Gluten-Free Dutch Apple Pie, Gluten-Free Cinnamon Pear Tart and Gluten-Free Sour Cherry Almond Tart. It's a favourite! It also works well to make free-form galettes, like this Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Galette.
(If you'd prefer to use a graham cracker crust as in this recipe for Fresh Fruit Tart with Vanilla Pastry Cream, it will work well with this recipe, too.)
- Combine the crust ingredients either by hand or pulse them in a food processor. Press the dough into the sides of a tart pan with a removable bottom. (either 9-inch round or rectangular.)
- Once the sides are in place, press the rest of the dough firmly into the bottom of the pan. This job takes a little while, but it's worth it! Remember to prick the crust with a fork all over (sides too) at half-inch intervals and bake.
Easy Lemon Curd in the Microwave
- Begin by melting the butter in a glass measuring cup. Set aside. Zest the lemon.
- In a medium glass bowl, whisk the eggs with honey until well combined.
- Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk again.
- Slowly add the melted, cooled butter (or coconut oil) a little at a time, while continuing to whisk.
- Microwave on 50% power for 1 minute. Remove and thoroughly whisk the mixture again.
- Return the bowl to the microwave and heat on full power for 1 minute. Whisk again.
- Repeat this process at 1-minute intervals until the mixture thickly coats the back of a metal spoon. The time will depend on the power of your microwave oven.
- Remove the bowl from the microwave and pour the mixture through a strainer into a clean bowl. Straining will remove the lemon zest and any bits of overcooked egg.
- Pour the slightly cooled lemon curd into the cooled crust and refrigerate. Once it is completely chilled, have fun garnishing with fresh berries or thinly sliced fruit.
This lemon curd dessert is equally as pretty in either a round or rectangular tart pan.
🔁 Possible Variations
Keep it dairy-free: use coconut oil instead of butter. It won't taste like coconut!
Keep it paleo: use coconut oil or grass-fed butter, and use maple syrup or honey as your sweetener.
Make it sugar-free: use Monkfruit sweetener with erythritol.
You could make this gluten-free lemon curd dessert overly decadent by topping it with whipping cream or whipped coconut milk, piping it around the edges. It's not necessary, however, as this lemon curd dessert is delicious by itself.
I like to garnish it with fresh organic berries both for their nutritional value and their beauty! I've made this tart many times, and make it differently every time! Most recently I decorated it with thinly sliced nectarines and blackberries and blueberries.
❓FAQ's
This recipe works best when made in a rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom, roughly 14 inches by 5 inches, or a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom.
Yes! This recipe can be made in stages, if you like. The lemon curd can be made and stored covered in the fridge a few days before you need it. Prepare the crust and let it cool completely, then add the curd and decorate the tart with berries. If making the day before, cover and refrigerate the tart, and add berries just before serving.
Yes. You can freeze the cooked crust and the filling separately, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before combining the two.
The crust can be frozen before or after baking for a month or two, wrapped tightly. If you've frozen it unbaked, bake from frozen and increase the baking time by 3 - 5 minutes.
I often freeze the lemon curd in glass containers. It will last for a few months.
You could also wrap the completed tart (without the berries) tightly with food wrap and place it in a sturdy container to freeze for up to 3 months. I'd suggest freezing it in the tart pan to prevent breakage. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then garnish it with berries or fruit before serving.
🗒 More ways to use lemon curd
Lemon curd can be used as a spread on pancakes or waffles, or as a filling for a layer cake or strawberry shortcake. It makes a delicious topping for pavlova, too!
Make Lemon Tarts with Blueberries, try this Mini Meyer Lemon Parfait , this Easy Lemon Curd Fruit Dip or simply serve it in tiny cups with fresh berries. It's sweet, creamy and delicious!
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Lemon Curd Tart with Berries
Equipment
Ingredients
Almond Flour Crust
- 1 cup almond flour, finely ground
- 1 cup oat flour certified gluten free, if necessary
- ¼ cup coconut oil or butter melted (or grass-fed butter for paleo diet)
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup
Lemon Curd
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup honey or Monkfruit with erythritol
- ½ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed, not bottled, from 3 or 4 lemons
- 6 tablespoon coconut oil, or butter or grass-fed butter for Paleo diet
- fresh berries or thinly sliced fruit, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round or 13" x 4" oblong tart pan with a removable bottom with parchment paper and grease the sides.
- Combine finely ground almond flour and oat flour and stir in melted coconut oil (or butter) and maple syrup until well blended.
- Transfer to tart pan. Press firmly into the edges of the tart pan first, then press into the bottom of the pan, as evenly as you can.
- Prick all over with a fork at ½ inch intervals. This technique will allow the steam to escape and it prevents the crust from puffing up while it bakes.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden. Edges will begin to brown slightly. Remove and let cool completely before adding the filling.
Lemon Curd: 5-Minute Microwave Method
- Begin by melting the coconut oil or butter in a glass measuring cup. Set aside.
- In a medium glass bowl, whisk the eggs with honey until well combined.
- Zest the lemons. If using Meyer lemons (which are often smaller) you may need 2 to get enough zest. Squeeze the juice and measure ½ cup.
- Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest to the bowl and whisk again.
- Slowly add the melted, cooled butter (or coconut oil) a little at a time while continuing to whisk.
- Microwave on 50% power for 1 minute. Remove and give the mixture a thorough whisking.
- Return to the microwave and heat on full power for 1 minute. Whisk again. Repeat at 1-minute intervals until the mixture thickly coats the back of a metal spoon. The time will depend on the power of your microwave oven.
- Remove the bowl from the microwave and pour the mixture through a strainer into a clean bowl. Straining will remove the lemon zest and any bits of cooked egg.
- Pour the slightly cooled curd into the cooled crust and refrigerate. The curd will thicken as it cools. When completely chilled, garnish however you like with fresh berries or thinly sliced fruit.
Wendy
An easy light dessert that looks impressive 😉 This recipe never fails and it's made with ingredients we always have in the house. I could eat this every day!
Elaine
Thanks Wendy! I agree--I never tire of this dessert. Thanks so much for commenting and for the 5-star rating!
Anca B
My son said this belongs to Tous Les Jours.
Ajs
Thanks for this alternative. Though, mine came out very pale yellow, looks like mayo. Even using organic eggs. I used coconut oil and the oil taste does come through. So, it’s great for myself, but I could never serve this to guests
Flavour & Savour
Hi, The colour of the yolks will depend on what the chickens were fed. I made it once with eggs advertised as having "golden yolks" and it turned out almost orange in colour! Lemon curd made with coconut oil instead of butter will definitely be a little paler in colour. Happy to hear you liked it.
Memo
Can you make curd using stove top please
Elaine
Yes, you can. Here's the stovetop recipe: How to Make Lemon Curd
Margot
I've made this twice before, turns out beautifully, and I'm making it again for Easter. It's delicious! I use your recipe for microwave lemon curd.
Angie
Can the oat flour be substituted with something else?
Flavour & Savour
Hi Angie,
If you're trying to make this crust keto-friendly, just use all almond flour. It may be a little more crumbly as the oat flour adds a little structure, but it will still taste delicious! Thanks for your question! Hope you enjoy it.
Laura
Easy and DELICIOUS!!! I could put this curd on everything 🙂
Susan
Have a bad back so trying to do some things the night before
Would the lemon tart be fine made the night before? Or the base done?
Flavour & Savour
Yes! You can certainly make it the day before you need it! Enjoy.
Lou
This lemon curd is amazing. I could eat it every day.
Flavour & Savour
Hi Lou,
It's so versatile! It's great as a tart or pie filling and it's delicious as a spread on pancakes, too. Thanks for commenting.
Lotus
Thank you so much for this recipe--it's delicious!! I'm not much of a recipe review poster, but I've used this recipe several times and it's delicious and makes me so happy, so I felt compelled to leave a review! I've had luck replacing the oat flour with whatever combination of whole grain gluten free flour I have--buckwheat, teff, white rice... I have also been making the lemon curd with vegan butter and it's very tasty!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks so much, Lotus! I love it when my readers let me know that they have made one of my recipes. And thanks also for sharing your experience using other flours. That will be helpful to others, too!
Vivian
Can I make it egg-free? Any substitute for eggs?
Flavour & Savour
Hi Vivian, I have never tried it with an egg substitute, so I'm not sure. The eggs act as the thickening agent in this recipe. The only substitute I know of is a flax egg, but I don't think this would work in this recipe. Thanks for your question!
Dierdre
I just wanted to let you know that I have made this beautiful dessert twice and my friends loved it! They are following a gluten-free diet and were so appreciative that I had made a special dessert for them. I decorated it with blueberries and it was so pretty! Thanks so much for this recipe!
Flavour & Savour
That's so thoughtful of you! I'm sure they felt very lucky to have you make this dessert just for them! Thanks so much for letting me know!
Lisa
I really want to try this recipe since I am gluten free not by choice, however my son is alergic to tree nuts and so I can't use almond flour for his,what would be a good substitut? Ty
Flavour & Savour
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your question! You might want to try this recipe for a gluten-free pie crust. It uses a gluten-free flour blend. https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/extra-flaky-gluten-free-sour-cream-pie-crust/ OR If he can have coconut flour, you might try the crust from this recipe: https://www.texanerin.com/paleo-vegan-raspberry-coconut-tart/ Good luck! I'd love to hear your results.