This quick and easy homemade apple curd recipe is a deliciously sweet fruit spread made with a touch of cinnamon, fresh apples, sugar, eggs, and butter.
It's foolproof with a smooth and creamy texture that is perfect for a variety of meals such as on your morning toast, pancakes, pastry fillings, desserts or handmade gifts.
What better way to reap the rewards of apple season glut Summer than spreading apple cinnamon curd on your English muffins for breakfast? It tastes way better using your own apples than store-bought. Fact.
Traditionally made with lemons or citrus fruits, this British classic recipe is much easier and quicker to make than you might think with stewed apple purée. Then gently thickened with butter, sugar, and eggs.
You can spoon into sterilised jam jars or cover it with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming in the fridge. Then enjoy it as an apple curd cake filling, on toast, ice cream, waffles, fresh fruit and more!
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✔️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Packed with fibre and vitamin C
- It's a nutritious and delicious curd
- Easy with no fancy tools required
- It's a great way to use up excess apples
- Versatile to be eaten in many different ways
- Cheap and simple recipe made with basic ingredients
- The Perfect way to make food hamper gifts made with love
🛒 Ingredient Notes
Please see the printable recipe card with exact ingredient quantities and preparation instructions at the bottom of this post.
Apples - You can use apple juice or any type of apple chopped into small pieces. We foraged pink lady apples which are sweeter, but you can use tart apples such as cooking apples, golden delicious, granny smith, apples, etc
Lemon juice - this can be fresh or jarred, which creates an apple lemon curd flavour. The citric acid also prevents the chopped apples from browning. You can also stew the apples with additional lemon zest
Water - this is to help stew and steam the apples in a lidded pan without catching
Unsalted butter - it gives it a creamy taste and helps it set once cooled. Feel free to use a little bit of sea salt for a salted caramel flavour
Granulated Sugar - this is white coarse sugar which is generally cheaper than soft brown sugar and creates a paler colour. You can use a mix like me, or solely white or brown
Soft brown sugar - for a golden and richer flavour. If preferred, you can solely use brown or white sugar
Large eggs - I use whole eggs to prevent waste rather than separating them and having leftover egg whites. Although solely using egg yolks is the secret ingredient to produce a silky smooth rich spread that will less likely curdle
Cinnamon - this adds a warming, soothing, and golden combination, but it can be swapped for pumpkin pie spice
Optional - feel free to add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or seeds from a pod
📋 Instructions
Here are my step-by-step images on how to make this easy apple curd recipe. If preferred, you can also follow the video on the recipe card.
1. In a large saucepan with lid, add the lemon juice and water.
Then toss in 1 diced apple at a time to coat well.
Cover and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes until soft and mushy.
2. Remove off the heat and blend to an apple puree until smooth with either a food processor or stick blender.
By hand: if you don't have a blender, mash with a potato masher and pass through a mesh sieve.
3. Stir in the diced butter until melted and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add the eggs, sugars and ground cinnamon in a large bowl that's heatproof and big enough to securely rest on top of a pan of boiling water.
Whisk until smooth.
5. Add 1 inch of boiling water to the saucepan (or enough so it doesn't touch the bottom of the heat proof bowl).
Then slowly stir in the apple sauce mixture.
6. Cook over a low gentle heat while continuously stirring for 15 minutes until thickened and it coats the back of a spoon.
Spoon into sterilised jars or containers and screw the lids on.
Allow to cool before storing or serving.
Tip - To prevent this cinnamon apple curd from curdling, it is important to continuously stir while slowly cooking on a very gentle simmer
👩🍳 Substitutions
Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few simple ingredient swaps you can make and still result in a delicious recipe:
- Apples - Feel free to swap for a pear curd, lemons, blackberries, peaches, mango, pineapple, kiwi, or even make apple and banana curd. See here for more unusual curds here
- Eggs - For a vegan apple curd, you can mix 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 1 tablespoon cold water and mix into a slurry, then stir in to thicken
- Sugar - For a low sugar apple curd, you can use coconut sugar, a natural sweetener. Alternatively, you can use honey, maple syrup or dark brown sugar, etc
- Butter - Feel free to swap for plant based spread or baking block, or coconut oil
- Cinnamon - Some popular spiced apple curd recipes use allspice, ground spice, nutmeg, or ginger, crushed cardamom seeds, whole cloves, or star anise, etc
- Lemon juice - If you don't have lemon juice, you can use lime or orange juice
⚖️ Variations
Got extra apples? Here are some other good options you might like to try this apple butter recipe for next time:
- Deluxe - You can make it creamy by stirring in some creme fraiche
- Nutty - Add ½ cup of cashews to the puree before blending
- Chocolatey - Mix ¼ cup of cocoa powder in with the eggs and sugars for a chocolate and apple twist
- Apple and vanilla - scrape the seeds from a vanilla pod into the apples and throw in the skin to infuse the apples with a vanilla stock
🔪 Equipment
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Vegetable peeler and apple corer - peeling your apples isn't vital if you have a high powdered blender and actually offers more antioxidants, but I highly recommend removing tough cores
Chopping board and sharp knife - this is important to chop into small pieces for quicker cooking. Or you can grate the apples without coring and rotate around the core for easy holding
Immersion blender or food processor - if you don't have either, you can use a potato masher, then stain the juice through a fine mesh sieve. Or you can skip mashing for a chunky apple pie filling or mini hand pies
Large saucepan - to stew the apples in. Or you could use a pressure cooker if preferred for 6 minutes, try stewing apples in the microwave.
Mixing bowl and wooden spoon - for a foolproof recipe, use a steel or glass mixing bowl that is heatproof to later stir over a pan of boiling water. Just like how to would melt chocolate in a water bath
❄️ Storage
Storing - We prefer to store it in an airtight container or clean jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you don't have any, place in a container and cover with plastic wrap to avoid a custard skin
Freezing - Cool to room temperature and spoon into a thick freezer bag if preferred. Alternatively, you can spoon into ice cube trays and defrost a portion at a time for up to 3 months.
💡Pro Tips
- For best results, heat your fruit curds in a double boiler which is a pan with a small amount of water in it, with a bowl of the mix resting above. The cooking time is longer, but it cooks much gentler
- Be patient while gently cooking the apple mixture, otherwise your delicious spread may curdle and produce a grainy texture
- Constantly whisk the curd while cooking to prevent the eggs from curdling
- To test whether the curd is cooked, dip a spoon in and if it coats the back, it's ready to ladle into sterilised jars
- To prevent your sticky sweet toffee apple sauce from spoiling, take the time to sterilise glass jars before filling. You can also sterilise jars in an Instant Pot
- Don't overcook the curd. Overcooking the curd will make it tough and grainy. The curd is ready when it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
- For a sweeter taste, use pink sweet apples. For a tart apple flavour, use green apples
- If the curd starts to curdle, add a dash of cold water and stir. You may need to blend again
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Here are a few serving suggestions on what to eat with this pink lady apples recipe:
Toast - one of our favourite ways to enjoy spread on buttered toast, crumpets or English muffins
Cake fillings - with the same apple harvest, I made this delicious apple cake and drizzled curd on top. Or you can slice in half and fill as an apple sandwich cake with additional dripped cream
Scones - spread this apple jam in homemade scones and a good dollop for clotted cream
Pancakes and waffles - another great option is serving with a stack of pancakes or waffles
Oatmeal - another delicious way to eat this apple pie curd is spooned on top of baked oats, in warm bowl of slow cooked porridge or easy rice pudding recipe
Pastry - spread it as a filling in these easy puff pastry pinwheels, or in puff pastry cups or tarts
Dipping sauce - it's perfect for dipping bananas, fresh fruits or cookies as a quick snack
Cheesecakes - enjoy spread on top of a no bake cheesecake
Trifles - layer in an apple trifle with finger sponges, whipped cream, and custard
Ice lollies - freeze into apple curd lollies using popsicle molds for a refreshing Summer treat
❓ FAQ
Your apple curd may have bits of scrambled egg in it because you cooked it at too high a temperature, you didn't stir it enough, or you cooked it in a pan over direct heat. A foolproof way would be to cook in a double boiler which is a heatproof bowl cooking on top of a pan with about 1" of of boiling water.
Yes, many other fruits or fruit juices work in this apple apple curd. You can use this recipe to make pear, blackberry, peach, orange curd or lemon curd recipe. The possibilities are endless!
Yes, you can make vegan apple curd without eggs by stirring in a 50/50 slurry mix of cornflour or tapioca starch and cold water. Try 1 tablespoon to start off with and repeat until you have your desired consistency. You will also need to use vegan butter and sugar.
Pink lady apples are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants. You can also swap the butter and sugar for low fat and low carb options for a healthier apple dessert if you wish.
Yes, cooking apples in an Instant Pot is perfect for a large glut of apples using the pressure cooker setting for 6 minutes. Then gently cook the egg, butter, and sugar mixture in as normal.
➕ More Apple Recipes
Looking for other recipes with leftover apples? We've got you covered!
🍽️Pairing
Here are some great recipes for pairing with this toffee apple curd:
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📖 Recipe
Easy Apple Curd Recipe with Cinnamon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 large Apples 900g (2lb), peeled, cored and finely diced
- 2 tablespoon Water
- 70 g Granulated sugar (⅓ Cup of coarse white sugar)
- 105 g Soft brown sugar (½ cup packed)
- 40 ml Lemon Juice (3 tbsp)
- 2 large Eggs Whole eggs - no separating
- 100 g Butter (7 tbsp)
- ¾ teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large saucepan with lid, add the lemon juice and water. Then toss in 1 diced apple at a time to coat well. and cover and cook over low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes until soft and mushy.
- Take off the heat and blend to an apple puree until smooth with either a food processor or stick blender.By hand: if you don't have a blender, mash with a potato masher and pass through a mesh sieve.
- Stir in the diced butter until melted and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the eggs, sugars and ground cinnamon in a large bowl that's heatproof and big enough to securely rest on top of a pan of boiling water.Whisk until smooth.
- Add 1 inch of boiling water to the saucepan (or enough so it doesn't touch the bottom of the heat proof bowl).Then slowly stir in the apple sauce mixture.
- Cook over a low gentle heat while continuously stirring for 15 minutes until thickened and it coats the back of a spoon.Spoon into sterilised jars or containers and screw the lids on allow to cool before storing or serving.
Disclaimer
*This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World. Slimming World's website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/. Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.
Video
Notes
- For best results, heat your fruit curds in a double boiler which is a pan with a small amount of water in it, with a bowl of the mix resting above. The cooking time is longer, but it cooks much gentler
- Be patient while gently cooking the apple mixture, otherwise your delicious spread may curdle and produce a grainy texture
- Constantly whisk the curd while cooking to prevent the eggs from curdling
- To test whether the curd is cooked, dip a spoon in and if it coats the back, it's ready to ladle into sterilised jars
- To prevent your sticky sweet toffee apple sauce from spoiling, take the time to sterilise glass jars before filling. You can also sterilise jars in an Instant Pot
- Don't overcook the curd. Overcooking the curd will make it tough and grainy. The curd is ready when it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
- For a sweeter taste, use pink sweet apples. For a tart apple flavour, use green apples
- If the curd starts to curdle, add a dash of cold water and stir. You may need to blend again
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