Pineapple Curd

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This homemade Pineapple Curd is sweet, creamy, and so easy to make. It takes just a few minutes to whip up this bright, tangy filling.

This bright and buttery pineapple curd is a delicious filling for cakes, cupcakes, sweet rolls, and tarts. You’ll be happy you made this once you give it a try!

Side view of pineapple curd in a jar

I have so many spring favorites. One of them being pineapple. I could eat it every day as long as it’s sweet and juicy! It really doesn’t get much better than fresh ripe fruit.

Except for turning the juice of said fruit into a rich, decadent curd! Oh yeah, I went there and I have no regrets. Try it in my pineapple coconut cake or use it in pineapple sweet rolls.

I honestly have never even had pineapple curd before now. I came up with the idea after testing recipes that required pineapple filling and decided to go ahead and make my own version of this sweet, tropical curd.

Overhead view of ingredients for pineapple curd

The process for the curd couldn’t be simpler. It’s exactly the same as making lemon curd. All you do is combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom and cook it until it becomes thick.

It’s too easy. You have no excuse to not make it!

You may be tempted to just devour it with a spoon but try to resist. Save it to spread between cake layers, fill cupcakes, or use it as a filling for sweet rolls.

Pineapple curd on a spoon

Ingredients for homemade pineapple curd?

You only need a handful of ingredients to make this tropical curd. And you probably already have most of them on hand.

  • Eggs
  • Egg yolks
  • Pineapple juice
  • Sugar
  • Cornstarch
  • Butter

The eggs and pineapple juice make up the base of the curd while the sugar sweetens it, and the cornstarch will help thicken it.

It is said that there are enzymes in pineapple that prevent it from thickening but I’ve had great results with using cornstarch. I will say that the curd will not be quite as thick as lemon curd. It’s more like a soft pudding.

How to make pineapple curd

How to make pineapple curd?

  1. Combine all the ingredients into a saucepan and whisk it together.
  2. Cook over medium-low heat while whisking continuously until the curd is as thick as warm pudding. It should coat the back of a spoon and won’t run if you swipe your finger down the middle.
  3. Press the curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any bits of scrambled eggs. 
  4. Cover the curd with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

The curd will keep for up to 10 days if you keep it stored in the refrigerator.


More ways to use pineapple curd

Pineapple carrot cake – Slather curd in the middle of the cake layers. But first, pipe a dam of frosting around the edge to prevent the curd from oozing out.

Pineapple cupcakes – Cut the middle out of the cupcakes and fill it with pineapple curd. This would enhance the pineapple flavor of the cupcakes!

Overhead view of pineapple curd in a jar

Pineapple Curd

4.59 from 139 votes
Side view of pineapple curd in a jar
This homemade Pineapple Curd is sweet, creamy, and so easy to make. It takes just a few minutes to whip up this bright, tangy filling. This bright and buttery pineapple curd is a delicious filling for cakes, cupcakes, sweet rolls, and tarts. You’ll be happy you made this once you give it a try!
This recipe yields 1 and ½ cups of curd.
Jen Sobjack
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Serving Size 12

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup (120 ml) canned pineapple juice
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Instructions

  • Add the eggs, egg yolks, pineapple juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk together until well combined and cornstarch is fully dissolved.
  • Pour into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened; about 7-10 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the curd coats the back of the spoon and is about the thickness of pudding.
  • When the curd has thickened, immediately remove it from the heat and stir in the butter.
  • Run the curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any bits of scrambled egg and transfer to a small bowl.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap making sure the wrap is touching the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming.
  • Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set before serving.

Notes

  • Pineapple juice: Be sure to use canned pineapple juice. Fresh pineapple juice will not thicken properly because it contains bromelain which inhibits thickening. This enzyme is destroyed during the canning process which is why canned juice will work best for making curd.
  • Cornstarch: Don’t leave out the cornstarch. The curd will not thicken properly without it.
Make ahead tip
  1. The curd can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.3mg

The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

100 Comments

  1. I note the instruction to use canned pineapple juice, we don’t have that available where I live but we do have it sold in cartons on the shelf – do you think this would also have been processed to destroy the bromelain?

    1. Jen Sobjack says:

      I’m not sure if the juice is heat-treated for carton preservation. But, you can always boil the juice to neutralize the bromelain before making the curd.

  2. I’m excited and bummed at the same time. Excited because I found a recipe for a pineapple curd that appears to work (just read many reviews). Bummed that I can’t use the fresh juice from a pineapple my mom brought back from Hawaii. I do have one question. Can this curd be frozen? The lemon and lime curd recipe that I always use allows me to do so for no longer than 3 months. Really hope I can with this one as well….

    1. Jen Sobjack says:

      Because this recipe uses corn starch, it will not freeze well. It tends to separate once thawed.

  3. Used to have this as a child served warm on top of a slice of pineapple and sprinkled with cheddar cheese

    1. Jen Sobjack says:

      That’s very interesting. I would have never thought to pair pineapple with cheddar cheese.

  4. 4 stars
    Really nice texture!
    In my opinion, it’s a little too sweet. I think you lose some of the pineapple-y goodness when it’s so cloying. I doubled the batch and used three quarters of a cup of sugar, and it was still a little sweeter than I’d like. I’ll try again with half the sugar and see how it goes.

    Thank you for your efforts here! The important ratio was the thickening, which you NAILED. I can customize the sweetness to my own tastes 🙂

  5. Pea Green says:

    5 stars
    My daughter made this and I was only allowed a teaspoon as I am diabetic. If I could have wrestled the jar out of her hands I would have run out the door and sucked that jar dry. OMG. Silky doesn’t even come near the magic of this nectar. It takes like heaven exploded in your mouth. I will be thinking of this pineapple curd forever. Thank you.

    1. Jen Sobjack says:

      Thank you! It’s always a hit around my house too!

  6. Pea Green says:

    5 stars
    My daughter made this and I was only allowed a teaspoon as I am diabetic. If I could have wrestled the jar out of her hands I would have run out the door and sucked that jar dry. OMG. Silky doesn’t even come near the magic of this nectar. It takes like heaven exploded in your mouth. I will be thinking of this pineapple curd forever. Thank you.

  7. Jen Sobjack says:

    5 stars
    It’s a great curd. Enjoy!!

  8. Jen Sobjack says:

    5 stars
    Oh, that sounds divine!

  9. Jen Sobjack says:

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I’m happy to hear you loved the recipe!!

  10. Made this and it came out very chalky tasting. Any idea what I did wrong?

    1. Jen Sobjack says:

      Just like flour, it must be cooked long enough to remove the taste. First, make sure you fully dissolve the cornstarch in the wet ingredients before adding any heat. Then cook the curd slowly over medium-low heat. It should cook for about 10 minutes with constant stirring. If your curd thickens too quickly, it will not have had enough time to cook out the cornstarch flavor.

    2. You have to boil out the cornstarch. The chalky is from the cornstarch. You must cook it long enough for the cornstarch to cook, without curdling your eggs.

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