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Add the most beautiful floral note to your shortbread cookies with these incredible lavender shortbread cookies. I like to bake these when I want a little calm and a lot of pretty. You’ll find everything you need to make high-tea worthy cookies: from the ingredients to decorating tips. Baking has never been more relaxing (or delicious)!
This lavender shortbread cookie recipe is a long time coming – I’ve waited a whole year to share this one! The lavender in my garden dried up last summer before I had a chance to take photos, and I wasn’t about to post it without doing it justice. So I waited, so very patiently, for the flowers to bloom again. Once my lavender bloomed, I jumped at the chance to make these again so I could share them with you!
I’ve baked a lot of shortbread in my life, but these lavender shortbread cookies feel extra special. The lavender adds just the right amount of floral without being overpowering. Paired with a simple glaze, it turns a humble cookie into something magical. They make for amazing gifts, too – and I love seeing my guests’ reaction when I serve them, they’re something you’d get at a fancy high tea.
A few notes about the ingredients
These lavender shortbread cookies use all the usual suspects when it comes to baking: flour, sugar, a bit of salt, but, this particular recipe has a few ingredients you may not have in the pantry. Here are more details:
- Culinary lavender: Not any old lavender will do! Make sure you use culinary lavender – decorative lavender is often sprayed, and we don’t want to consume that. (If you’re using fresh lavender, double the amount). I buy mine from a local farm – but you can also check specialty stores, or look online.
- Lavender extract: While this does add to the glaze, it’s not mandatory. If you live near a supermarket with a wide variety of products, you may be able to find it. Otherwise, check specialty stores, or look online.
- More lavender: A few buds of dried or fresh lavender make for pretty decoration!
Lavender is just so pretty – even just looking at it makes me feel a little more relaxed! Decorating these cookies is a lot of fun. They’re already beautiful on their own, with tiny lavender flecks peeking through the dough, but if you want to take them up a notch, here are a few fun and easy ideas:
- Dip method: Dip half of each cookie into the glaze for a half-and-half look. It’s simple, fun, and pretty.
- Drizzle: Use a spoon to drizzle glaze over the tops. Go for a zigzag, squiggle, or crisscross pattern.
- Glaze glue: Treat the glaze like edible glue – while it’s still wet, gently press in dried buds or a single fresh lavender flower for that perfect finishing touch.
Storing and freezing instructions
Storage: Let these lavender shortbread cookies cool to room temperature, then transfer them to a covered container. Store them for up to a week – just on the counter is fine!
Freezing: If I plan on freezing some, I hold off on the glazing. Pop them on a baking sheet in a single layer, then freeze them until they’re solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-proof bag or an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let them thaw at room temperature. Then, glaze and decorate them right before serving.
Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Instructions
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Position a baking rack in the middle of your oven and preheat it to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, lavender, and salt.
3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender, ½ teaspoon salt
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In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar using electric beaters until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
1 cup butter, ¾ cup sugar
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Add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough looks crumbly, about 2 minutes.
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Use your hands to bring the dough together. It is quite dry so it won’t come together into a nice ball, but squish it together as best as you can.
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Put the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and use your hands to press it together and flatten it. Roll out the dough so that it is ½ inch thick then use a cookie cutter (I like using a 2-inch round shape) to cut out the cookies. Re-roll the leftover dough and cut cookies until there is no more dough left. Place the cookies on cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each one.
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Place the cookies on cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each one. If you’d like, press a fresh lavender flower into some of the cookies.
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Bake your cookies for 12-14 minutes, until the are very light golden brown on their bottoms. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
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Optional glaze: In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, water, and lavender extract.
½ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon water, Dried or fresh lavender buds, ¼ teaspoon lavender extract
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Drizzle the glaze over the cookies or dip the tops of the cookies into it. Decorate the tops with dried or fresh lavender flowers.
Notes
Lavender extract: This adds an unmistakable lavender flavor to the glaze, but it is not essential; you can easily omit it if desired. Or bring your twist to these cookies by using vanilla or lemon extract.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cookie, Calories: 156kcal (8%), Carbohydrates: 21g (7%), Protein: 2g (4%), Fat: 8g (12%), Saturated Fat: 5g (31%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 20mg (7%), Sodium: 111mg (5%), Potassium: 25mg (1%), Fiber: 0.4g (2%), Sugar: 10g (11%), Vitamin A: 227IU (5%), Calcium: 6mg (1%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
