This huckleberry curd recipe is a velvety, flavor-packed dream, smooth, creamy, and loaded with irresistible wild huckleberry flavor. Slather huckleberry lemon curd on fresh huckleberry scones or warm biscuits, swirl it into cheesecake, or use it as a luscious cake filling. Every bite is pure berry bliss!
There’s nothing like coming home from a day of huckleberry picking, hands stained purple, and knowing you picked enough to make your favorite huckleberry recipes. This decadent homemade huckleberry curd turns one humble cup of berries into pure magic; a recipe you’ll find yourself making every single season without fail!
Every year, we go to Mount Marston to pick beautiful Montana huckleberries. This year, we found a new spot, lower in elevation, to pick from, so I got to harvest some earlier than usual. I made the usual recipes: huckleberry pie, huckleberry jam, huckleberry scones, Montana mixed berry jam, and huckleberry wine.
Then one day, someone in a foraging group I follow on Facebook asked for a huckleberry curd recipe. Curious, I did a quick search—only to discover there wasn’t a single one online. Plenty of blueberry curd recipes, sure, but huckleberry? Nowhere to be found.
Before I knew it, I was in the kitchen, whisking eggs, mashing huckleberries, and straining huckleberry juice. The huckleberry curd was perfect on my first try! Of course, I had to recreate it a second time so that I could take pictures, video, etc, to share with you!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This stovetop method is very easy!
- If you absolutely can't get huckleberries, you can substitute blueberries.
- It makes a great gift!
- This small batch huckleberry curd recipe makes 1 ½ cups of curd.
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Huckleberries: You'll need 1 cup of huckleberries, either fresh or frozen. If you can't get huckleberries, you can substitute blueberries.
- Lemon Juice: ¼ cup lemon juice, fresh or bottled. Lemon zest can also be added for additional lemony flavor.
- Sugar: One cup of granulated sugar.
- Eggs: Five large egg yolks, save the egg whites for making merangue or add to an omelet.
- Butter: Cold, unsalted butter for a silky finish.
- Salt: A pinch of salt to enhance the berry flavor and balance the sweetness.
🫐 How to Make Huckleberry Curd
Step 1: Add huckleberries, salt, and lemon juice to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes; crush the berries with a potato masher to release their juice.
Step 2: Strain huckleberry juice through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup to remove pulp and seeds. You should have ⅓ cup of juice. If not, add water through the berries in the strainer to make up the difference.
Step 3: Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a medium mixing bowl until thoroughly combined and the mixture turns a pale yellow color. Pour the egg mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, then whisk in strained huckleberry juice.
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Step 4: Simmer curd mixture over low heat, whisking continuously until thickened (about 5 to 10 minutes). Remove from heat, then whisk in cold cubed butter until totally blended.
Step 5: Strain curd through a fine-mesh sieve for an ultra-smooth texture. Pour curd into a bowl and cover with cling wrap, or pour directly into a jar. Keep the curd refrigerated until ready to enjoy.
Looking for more huckleberry recipes? Check out my huckleberry cheesecake, berry cheesecake, and this yummy huckleberry chicken.
🥞 Ways to Use Huckleberry Curd
The most obvious way to serve huckleberry lemon curd is with scones, but it also makes a great filling for cupcakes or thumbprint cookies. Put a dollop on cheesecake, swirl it into homemade yogurt, or layer it into pavlovas or trifles. Or use it as a topping on German pancakes (Pfannkuchen) and ice cream, or with a bagel and cream cheese!
🫙 Storage & Freezing
Refrigerator:
Store cooled huckleberry curd in a clean, airtight jar or container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Always use a clean spoon to avoid introducing bacteria.
Freezer:
Yes, huckleberry curd freezes beautifully! Let it cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe jars or containers, leaving at least ½ inch of headspace for expansion. You can also freeze it in silicone ice cube trays for individual portions, then transfer the cubes to a zip-top freezer bag. Curd will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, move it to the fridge overnight and stir before serving.
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
Huckleberries taste like blueberries turned up to eleven; sweeter, tangier, and packed with wild mountain flavor.
Yes, you can freeze huckleberry curd. Freeze it in small portions (like ½ cup or even in silicone ice cube trays) so you can grab just what you need without defrosting the whole batch.
Yes! Frozen huckleberries work perfectly. No need to thaw them first, just follow the recipe as written. The flavor will be just as delicious as with fresh berries.
No, because it contains eggs and butter, huckleberry curd is low-acid and not safe for water-bath canning. Freeze it instead for long-term storage.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Curd thickens best over gentle heat. Rushing it can cause the eggs to scramble, which means starting over.
- A little lemon or orange zest added while cooking can make the berry flavor pop without overpowering it.
- Metal containers can dull the flavor and discolor the curd over time, but glass jars or ceramic crocks keep it tasting fresh.
- Store huckleberry curd in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
🥧 More Huckleberry Recipes
If you enjoy this huckleberry lemon curd, try these other huckleberry recipes!
📖 Recipe
Wild Huckleberry Curd
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add huckleberries, salt, and lemon juice to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes; crush the berries with a potato masher to release their juice.
- Strain huckleberry juice through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup. You should have ⅓ cup of juice. If not, add water through the berries in the strainer to make up the difference.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a medium mixing bowl until thoroughly combined and the mixture turns a pale yellow color. Pour the egg mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, then whisk in strained huckleberry juice.
- Simmer curd mixture over low heat, whisking continuously until thickened (about 5 to 10 minutes). Remove from heat, then whisk in cold cubed butter until totally blended.
- Strain curd through a fine-mesh sieve for an ultra-smooth texture. Pour curd into a bowl and cover with cling wrap, or pour directly into a jar. Keep the curd refrigerated until ready to enjoy.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Curd thickens best over gentle heat. Rushing it can cause the eggs to scramble, which means starting over.
- A little lemon or orange zest added while cooking can make the berry flavor pop without overpowering it.
- Metal containers can dull the flavor and discolor the curd over time, but glass jars or ceramic crocks keep it tasting fresh.
- Store huckleberry curd in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Alison Sterner says
Looks yummy! 😋
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Alison, it definitely is yummy!
Nena Sterner says
We hope you enjoy this recipe!
Hilda Sterner says
I hope you give this recipe a try and let us know what you think!