Our homemade apple curd recipe is a delicious, luxurious dessert spread with a silky-smooth texture and a rich apple flavor. It’s like a cross between apple pie filling, apple butter and a thick custard, with the sweet flavor of fresh apples and a little bit of warmth from a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Similar to other types of fruit curds, this delicious spread makes a great topping for a variety of goodies. Try it on our einkorn English muffins, barley biscuits, sourdough pancakes, or oat groats.
Whether it’s apple season or not, you can enjoy this rich spread as long as you have sweet apples on hand!
While fruit curds made with citrus fruits are typically a bit more common (like our velvety egg yolk lemon curd!), this apple cinnamon curd is just as simple and versatile.
With a concentrated apple flavor and smooth texture, apple curd is a great way to add a sweet touch of fruitiness to breakfast items like sourdough scones, yogurt, or ricotta pancakes, or even savory dishes like a grilled cheese sandwich.
There are so many great options for enjoying apple curd, and best of all, it’s so easy to make!
Why This Curd Recipe Works
The combination of ingredients results in a decadent apple curd that will remind you of autumn and apple pie. 🙂
If you have extra apples on hand and just a few other simple ingredients, you’re well on your way to making your own apple spice curd right at home! Bonus: your entire house will be filled with the incredible aroma of sweet apples and cinnamon cooking on the stovetop.
Our apple curd is:
- easy to make
- a great way to make use of fresh apples
- smooth, rich and flavorful
- versatile- enjoy it in a variety of ways!
Curd lovers will totally dig this unique twist on a classic favorite!.
Ingredients for Homemade Apple Curd
Just 10 basic ingredients are all you need to make your own apple and cinnamon curd, no “special” ingredients required! And if you’re making it without the optional cinnamon and nutmeg, you will need even less.
Here’s a look at the ingredient list:
- apple juice. Using apple cider or juice instead of water will give the curd a more concentrated apple flavor.
- lemon juice. Lemon adds a bright flavor and helps prevent browning.
- apples. Any type of apple will work in this curd recipe, sweet or tart.
- unsalted butter. Adds a rich, creamy flavor to the curd and helps balance the tartness of the apples.
- sugar. We used granulated sugar and brown sugar.
- egg yolks. Using egg yolks instead of whole eggs will make a richer, thicker apple curd.
- spices: We used ground cinnamon and nutmeg. You can also use cloves, ginger, allspice, or cardamom.
How to Make Apple Curd
This simple recipe is one to save and revisit time and time again! We’re sharing a look at the steps below but make sure to check out the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all of the details and ingredient amounts.
Peel, core, and slice the apples thinly or dice them into small cubes. We love using an apple peeler which helps speed up the peeling process. Using fresh apples guarantees that the curd has a vibrant flavor. If you’re pressed for time or don’t have fresh apples on hand, you can cook down a jar of applesauce.
- Add the apples, lemon, and juice to a large pot.
- Cook until the apples get soft.
- Puree the apples until smooth.
- Blend in the eggs, sugar, butter, and spices.
- Stir the sugar mixture into the puree.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly.
When cooking down the apples, stir it constantly for about 10-12 minutes or until it is thick and a bit glossy. You can use an instant read thermometer to cook the curd to 170°F.
After it is done cooking, pour the apple curd into a large bowl and cover it with a layer of plastic wrap. Place the curd in the fridge and chill it for at least four hours (it will thicken up as it gets cold).
Giving the flavors some time in the fridge lets them blend together, making your apples and spices shine even brighter.
Tips for the Best Results
- This apple curd recipe works with either four egg yolks or two whole eggs. We consider egg yolks to be the “secret ingredient” to make an apple curd with a richer flavor and more luxurious texture. Make sure to save the leftover egg whites for another use, like our lemon meringues, resurrection cookies, or Italian meringue buttercream.
- If you want to save some time and a few steps, you can use an alternative to cooking down chopped apples. Instead, start with 4-1/2 cups of unsweetened applesauce and proceed with step 5.
- For apple cinnamon curd with a silkier texture, place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour the puréed apples through the strainer while it is still warm. Chill it in the fridge. A food processor will also make the curd smoother than an immersion blender.
- Store the curd in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should not be stored at room temperature. You can also store the curd in jam jars with a sealable lid.
How to Use Apple Curd
If you’re looking for a few good options to enjoying this homemade, creamy curd, here are a few delicious ideas:
- Spoon curd on top of yogurt or passion fruit ice cream
- Curd spooned over custard or panna cotta is delicious.
- Spread curd on sour cream biscuits, toast or scones
- Curd is fantastic on top of barley pancakes, sourdough waffles and French toast bake
- Use it as a spread for savory sandwiches like grilled cheese or ham and cheese
- Curd is great swirled into this rich whipped ricotta dip.
More Apple Recipes
Whether you’ve got a bushel of apples from the farmers’ market or a few leftover apples from the store, here’s a list of delightful apple recipes that will let you savor the goodness of apples all season.
Helpful Tools to Make Curd with Apples
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Apple Curd
Ingredients
- ¼ cup apple juice 60 grams
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 6 medium apples
- 8 tablespoons butter 1 stick, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- ½ cup brown sugar 105 grams
- 4 egg yolks or 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the apple juice and lemon juice to a large Dutch oven or saucepan.
- Peel, core, and slice the apples thinly or dice them into small cubes. Place them in the saucepan with the juice.
- Place the lid on the pot and heat over medium heat until it reaches a low simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally for 25 to 30 minutes or until the apples get soft.
- As an alternative, you can pour the mixture into a food processor or blender to puree it before transferring back into the saucepan.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg yolks, spices (if using) and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy (this step coats the egg proteins in butter fat and helps prevent the eggs from getting scrambled in the apple curd).
- Add the sugar/egg mixture to the apple puree and whisk well.
- Place the saucepan back on the stove over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly for 10 to 12 minutes or until it looks thick and slightly glossy. If you have an instant read thermometer, cook the curd until it reaches 170°F.
- Pour the apple curd into a bowl and cover with a layer of plastic wrap. Place the curd in the fridge and chill for at least 4 hours (it will get thicker as it chills).
Notes
- You can make this recipe using either four egg yolks or two whole eggs. If you use egg yolks, the curd will have a richer flavor and more luxurious texture.
- For a quicker alternative to cooking down the apples, begin with 4-½ cups of unsweetened applesauce (then proceed with step 5).
- If you want the apple curd to have a silkier texture, place a metal strainer over a bowl and pour the apple curd through the strainer while it is still warm, then proceed with chilling it in the fridge. A food processor will also make the curd smoother than a hand blender.
- Store apple curd in an airtight container.
