This honey lemon butter is tart, smooth, and gently sweet, with fresh lemon brightening the richness of homemade ghee. It is made on the stovetop with two eggs, honey, ghee, and the juice of one lemon. The finished batch is thick enough to coat a spoon and easy to keep in a small jar for breakfast or a simple dessert.
When our family started GAPS, we looked for ways to adapt familiar foods instead of assuming every old favorite had to disappear. I like having a few clear, measured options for the same flavor: this is the ghee version, with its own formula and method. A separate honey vanilla bean lemon curd adds vanilla and uses a different egg ratio, while the coconut-oil lemon curd is its own double-boiler recipe.
Full GAPS Fit
This recipe is for Full GAPS, not the Introduction Diet. Its measured ingredients are eggs, honey, fresh lemon, and homemade ghee. For the ghee, use the linked stovetop ghee recipe; this recipe uses 80 grams. The honey is cooked with the eggs, so the finished lemon butter is not a raw-honey preparation.
Ingredients
Juice one fresh lemon and remove the seeds. Lemon size varies, so this formula follows the source measurement by using the juice of one lemon rather than substituting bottled juice. Measure 50 grams of honey and 80 grams of homemade ghee before you start. The two eggs give the warm mixture body; as it cooks, it changes from loose and glossy to a thicker sauce that clings to a spoon.
Use ghee that is soft or melted but not sizzling hot. If you are making it first, let it cool enough to whisk smoothly into the eggs. Keep the full ingredient amounts as written; the separate coconut-oil version has different measurements.
How to Make Honey Lemon Butter
- Prepare the ingredients. Juice one lemon and remove any seeds. Measure the honey and homemade ghee, and crack the two eggs into a small bowl. Keep the ingredients beside the stove so you can whisk continuously once the pan is warm.
- Combine the mixture. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the eggs, honey, lemon juice, and ghee until the mixture looks even. It may be loose and glossy at this point. Set the pan over low heat and keep the whisk moving across the bottom and around the sides.
- Cook slowly until thick. Keep whisking for about 8 minutes over low heat, until the mixture reaches 80°C (176°F), turns opaque, and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let the mixture boil. If it begins steaming strongly or setting in little bits at the edge, lower the heat and keep whisking.
- Jar and chill. Take the pan off the heat and pour the lemon butter into a clean glass jar. Let it cool briefly, cover, and refrigerate until cold. It will become thicker as it chills.
Serving and Storage
Spoon the lemon butter onto a warm Full GAPS pancake or enjoy a small amount by itself. For another tart-style dessert, see the separately measured Coconut Cashew Tarts. The linked vanilla-bean and coconut-oil lemon curds are also separate recipes with their own formulas and methods.
Transfer the batch to a clean covered glass jar and refrigerate promptly. Keep it chilled and use a clean spoon each time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as the coconut-oil lemon curd?
No. This is the honey-and-ghee formula, made with two eggs and the juice of one lemon. The coconut-oil version uses a different amount of fat, more eggs and yolks, and a double boiler. They are separate recipes, so use the measurements on the card that matches the ingredients you have.
Can I use butter instead of ghee?
This Full GAPS version is measured with homemade ghee. For the GAPS ingredient, follow the linked stovetop ghee recipe and use that finished ghee here.
How do I know when it is ready?
After about 8 minutes of steady whisking, the mixture should be opaque and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. The 80°C (176°F) endpoint follows the source method. Keep it below a boil and lower the heat if you see egg bits forming around the pan’s edge.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. The source says to pour it into a clean jar and refrigerate. It also mentions an optional overnight chill followed by reblending until smooth and creamy. That extra step is not needed for the basic recipe.
Can I use this on the Introduction Diet?
No. This post is labeled for Full GAPS and is not an Introduction Diet recipe.
Recommended Equipment
A small, heavy-bottomed saucepan gives the mixture room to thicken while you whisk. I use Le Creuset cookware in Artichaut; the Signature Round Saucepan is a useful size for this batch. A stainless balloon whisk and clean glass jar are the other essentials. An instant-read thermometer is optional if you want to check the source’s 80°C endpoint; the spoon-coating cue is useful as the mixture thickens.
If you enjoy using this as a filling, the upcoming Nut Flour Baking Recipe Card Deck is planned for everyday nut-flour breads and bakes. It is in production now, and the WFLI shop is where the catalog will be listed.
Honey Lemon Butter Recipe
Honey Lemon Butter with Homemade Ghee for Full GAPS
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Juice one fresh lemon and remove any seeds. Measure the honey and homemade ghee, and crack the two eggs into a small bowl.
- Whisk the eggs, honey, lemon juice, and ghee together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until even.
- Set the pan over low heat. Whisk continuously across the bottom and sides for about 8 minutes, until the mixture reaches 80°C (176°F), turns opaque, and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat and pour the lemon butter into a clean glass jar. Cool briefly, cover, and refrigerate until cold.
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