A little while ago I went on a crusade to find a good replacement for butter. After plenty of searching, numerous palm oil woes, and debates with myself about using biodynamic butter, I pretty much decided to just avoid it where I can, using olive oil instead, or coconut oil if I’m feeling rich.
In the process of reaching this conclusion however, I came across a certain product by Melrose, which I think ethically is not too bad, though obviously pretty processed and quite far from being actual food. It tastes alright (but not amazing), and goes fine on toast. The jelly-like consistency did irk us all a bit though, so I made the call that it definitely wouldn’t work to bake with this stuff. Fast forward about 9 months, and the poor little tub is still sitting in the fridge; forgotten, but otherwise fine.
It really needed to get out of our lives, however being one to avoid wasting anything, I decided to give baking a go.
Biggest. Mistake. Ever.
Heating this spread seemed to just compound its not-amazing flavour, and ruined a batch of what would otherwise have been quite tasty biscuits. I was saddened by this defeat, but was sure that these biscuits could actually be quite good. Herbs in sweet biscuits – what a delicious paradigm shift!
Determined to eat these biscuits, I tried again with old mate nuttelex. It may not be the greatest solution to my butter woes, but it came through with the goods. I was rewarded with golden, sugary discs of thyme and lemon, and the realisation that I probably just need my own cow.
Thyme and lemon biscuits
Makes about 20
4 tablespoons butter/margarine
1/4 cup raw sugar
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
1/2 cup plain flour
Preheat oven to 180C, and line a baking tray with grease-proof paper.
Grind thyme to a pulp using a mortar and pestle. Whisk butter/margarine and sugar in a medium bowl, then add thyme and lemon rind and mix to combine.
Sift in flour and mix to form a dough. Roll out dough between two sheets of baking paper to approximately half a centimetre thick. Cut into rounds (or the shape of your choice) using a biscuit cutter, and transfer to prepared tray. Sprinkle lightly with raw sugar.
The baking time will vary with your oven, but will be around 7-12 minutes. You might need to rotate the tray halfway through if your oven cooks unevenly (like mine). Just keep watch – they’re done when they’re lightly golden. Allow to cool, then eat.
harvest and yarn 
Coconut oil is my “butter” staple. Or Earth Balance. Both are pricey though. These biscuits look delicious!
I do agree with Brittany about Earth Balance – it works wonders in baking. These look fantastic!
These look so lovely! I have recently started buying Nuttelex but I am yet to bake with it. I’m just not convinced it will taste as good as butter. Is there a big flavour difference?
Thanks!
I think it works pretty well for baking. It definitely doesn’t have that buttery flavour, but I think it’s only noticeable in really buttery foods like shortbread, otherwise I can’t tell the difference. But then, I think faux meat tastes like real meat, so perhaps I’m just out of touch! :P