Easy Lemon Myrtle Baking: Simple Australian Native Recipes

If you've never baked with a native Australian herb before, lemon myrtle is the place to start. Its flavour is bold, clean, and unmistakably citrus — without the acidity of fresh lemon. It's the kind of ingredient that makes people stop mid-bite and ask, "What is that?"

At Terrablendz, we've spent years working with premium Australian native herbs and spices to bring genuine flavour to everyday cooking. Lemon myrtle is one of our most versatile — equally at home in a delicate shortbread as it is in a robust seasoning rub.

This post covers everything you need to know about baking with lemon myrtle: its flavour profile, how to use it, recipe ideas, and a simple shortbread recipe to get you started. If you're ready to explore the full range of lemon myrtle dessert ideas, our lemon myrtle desserts guide is the natural next step.

• Bold citrus flavour with no added acidity
• Works in both sweet and savoury baking
• Pairs beautifully with coconut, vanilla, honey, and macadamia
• A genuine Australian native ingredient — not an extract or imitation

What Makes Lemon Myrtle Unique as a Baking Herb

Lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) is native to the subtropical rainforests of Queensland. It's been used in Australian cooking for generations — not as a novelty, but as a genuinely functional flavour ingredient with a citral content higher than lemon itself.

Unlike lemon zest or lemon extract, dried lemon myrtle delivers a rounded, aromatic citrus note that doesn't turn bitter under heat. That makes it exceptionally well-suited to baking, where fresh citrus often loses its brightness in the oven.

What sets it apart from other native herbs is its consistency. Every batch of Terrablendz Dried Lemon Myrtle is milled to a fine, even powder — ready to blend directly into batters, doughs, and dry mixes without any prep.

• Higher citral content than fresh lemon
• Stable under heat — no bitterness when baked
• Fine-milled for easy incorporation into any recipe
• Grown and sourced in Australia

Flavour Profile: What Does Lemon Myrtle Taste Like?

The flavour of lemon myrtle is often described as lemon, lime, and lemongrass combined — but that doesn't quite capture it. There's a floral, almost eucalyptus-adjacent quality underneath the citrus that gives it real depth.

In baking, it reads as bright and clean. It lifts rich, buttery bases without overpowering them. It adds complexity to simple recipes without requiring any additional technique.

It's not sharp or acidic. It's aromatic. That distinction matters when you're working with delicate baked goods where balance is everything.

• Primary notes: Bright citrus, lemon verbena
• Secondary notes: Floral, faintly herbal
• Finish: Clean, lingering, no bitterness
• Best pairings: Coconut, vanilla, honey, white chocolate, macadamia, almond

How to Use Dried Lemon Myrtle in Baking

Dried lemon myrtle is used like any ground spice — measured and added directly to your recipe. Because it's already milled, there's no grinding, steeping, or prep required.

General Substitution Guide

• Replace 1 tablespoon of lemon zest with 1 teaspoon of dried lemon myrtle
• For a subtle background note, use ½ teaspoon per cup of flour
• For a pronounced citrus flavour, use 1 teaspoon per cup of flour
• Add to dry ingredients first for even distribution

Where It Works Best

• Shortbread and butter biscuits
• Vanilla and butter cakes
• Muffins and scones
• Custards and tarts (infuse into warm cream first)
• Glazes and icings
• Dry seasoning rubs for grilled meats and BBQ

That last point is worth noting. Lemon myrtle isn't just a baking herb. Its citrus-forward profile makes it a standout in BBQ rubs and seasoning blends — particularly with chicken, seafood, and pork. It's one of the reasons Terrablendz works across both the baking and the BBQ rubs and seasoning space.

Simple Lemon Myrtle Shortbread Biscuits

This is a no-fuss shortbread that lets the lemon myrtle do the work. Crisp, buttery, and fragrant — it's the kind of biscuit that disappears fast.

Ingredients:

• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1½ cups plain flour
• ½ cup rice flour
• 1½ tsp Terrablendz Dried Lemon Myrtle
• Pinch of salt

Method:

• Preheat oven to 160°C (fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Beat butter and icing sugar together until pale and creamy.
• Sift in plain flour, rice flour, lemon myrtle, and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms.
• Roll dough to 5mm thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into rounds or fingers.
• Place on prepared tray and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Bake for 18–20 minutes until just golden at the edges.
• Cool on tray before serving. Dust with icing sugar if desired.

Tip: For a stronger citrus hit, increase lemon myrtle to 2 teaspoons. These keep well in an airtight container for up to one week.

Shop Terrablendz Dried Lemon Myrtle

Ready to bake with the real thing? Our dried lemon myrtle is fine-milled, small-batch, and sourced from Australian-grown Backhousia citriodora. No fillers, no additives — just pure native flavour.

It's the ingredient that belongs in every serious baker's pantry — and every BBQ rub collection.

• Fine-milled for immediate use — no prep required
• Consistent flavour across every batch
• Versatile across sweet baking and savoury seasoning
• Ships Australia-wide

→ Shop Dried Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia Citriodora)

Why Choose Australian Native Ingredients for Baking

There's a growing movement in Australian kitchens toward native ingredients — and it's not driven by trend. It's driven by flavour. Native herbs and spices like lemon myrtle, pepperberry, and saltbush offer flavour profiles that simply don't exist anywhere else in the world.

They're also exceptionally well-suited to the Australian climate and palate. Bold, clean, and versatile — they work across cuisines and cooking styles without requiring any specialist knowledge.

For bakers specifically, native herbs offer something that imported spices often can't: heat stability. Lemon myrtle holds its flavour through the oven. Pepperberry adds warmth without burning. Saltbush brings a mineral depth that enhances savoury bakes.

• Unique flavour profiles unavailable in imported herbs
• Heat-stable — flavour holds through baking
• Grown in Australia, supporting local producers
• Increasingly recognised in the global BBQ rubs and seasoning market
• Versatile across sweet and savoury applications

Related Recipe Inspiration

If the shortbread has you thinking about what else lemon myrtle can do in a baking context, our lemon myrtle crumble recipe is worth a look. It takes a familiar format and gives it a distinctly Australian character — warm, textured, and genuinely different from anything you'd make with standard pantry spices.

For a broader view of what's possible with native herbs in the kitchen, the Terrablendz recipes blog covers everything from quick weeknight dinners to slow-cooked weekend projects.

• Explore crumbles, cakes, biscuits, and tarts
• Find savoury applications for lemon myrtle in rubs and marinades
• Discover how other native herbs pair with lemon myrtle

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use lemon myrtle in place of lemon zest in any recipe?

Yes. Use 1 teaspoon of dried lemon myrtle for every tablespoon of lemon zest called for. Because it's dry, it integrates easily into flour-based recipes and won't add unwanted moisture to your batter or dough.

Does lemon myrtle lose its flavour when baked?

No — this is one of its key advantages over fresh citrus. The aromatic compounds in lemon myrtle are heat-stable, meaning the flavour holds through baking rather than fading. You'll still get a clear citrus note in the finished product.

Is lemon myrtle only for sweet recipes?

Not at all. Lemon myrtle is widely used in savoury cooking — particularly in BBQ rubs, dry seasoning blends, marinades, and spice crusts for grilled meats and seafood. Its citrus profile cuts through rich, fatty proteins in the same way a squeeze of lemon would, but with more depth and complexity.

How should I store dried lemon myrtle?

Store in a sealed container away from direct light and heat. A cool, dark pantry is ideal. Properly stored, dried lemon myrtle will hold its flavour for up to 12 months. Avoid storing near the stove or in humid environments.

Where can I buy quality dried lemon myrtle in Australia?

Terrablendz stocks premium dried lemon myrtle online, with Australia-wide shipping. Our product is fine-milled from Australian-grown Backhousia citriodora — no fillers, no blending agents. You can order directly from our website and have it delivered to your door.

A Final Word on Flavour and Sustainability

Lemon myrtle is a native Australian plant that thrives in its natural environment. Choosing Australian-grown native herbs supports sustainable agriculture, reduces food miles, and keeps money in local communities.

At Terrablendz, we source our herbs with traceability in mind. We want to know where our ingredients come from — and we want you to know too. That commitment to quality and provenance is what separates a genuine native herb product from a generic spice blend.

Baking with lemon myrtle isn't just about flavour. It's about choosing ingredients with a story — grown here, processed here, and built for Australian kitchens and the growing global appetite for Australian BBQ rubs and seasoning.

• Australian-grown and sourced
• Supports local producers and sustainable farming
• Traceable from farm to pantry
• Part of a broader native herb and seasoning range at Terrablendz

For the full picture on what lemon myrtle can do in your kitchen — from baking to BBQ — our complete lemon myrtle desserts guide is the best place to continue.