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–+ servings
Round lavender shortbread cookies, some topped with white icing and garnished with small lavender flowers, are arranged on a cooling rack next to a striped cloth.

Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Yield: 25 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes
I baked these lavender shortbread cookies for a touch of calm and a whole lot of beauty. The light glaze and floral finish make them feel like a treat straight out of a garden tea party.

Ingredients

Optional Glaze

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • ¼ teaspoon lavender extract, see notes
  • Dried or fresh lavender buds, for decoration

Instructions 

  • 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
    A glass bowl with flour and small bits of dried lavender being mixed by a metal whisk on a white marble surface, perfect for making fragrant Lavender Shortbread Cookies.
  • 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
    A glass bowl containing creamed butter and sugar for Lavender Cookies is being mixed with a handheld electric mixer on a white countertop.
  • Add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough looks crumbly, about 2 minutes.
    A glass bowl containing a crumbly yellow mixture for Lavender Shortbread is being blended with an electric hand mixer on a light countertop.
  • 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.
    A hand kneads a ball of dough in a clear glass bowl on a white surface, preparing it for fragrant Lavender Cookies.
  • 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.
    Rolled-out dough for Lavender Shortbread Cookies with circular shapes being cut by a round cutter, a wooden rolling pin, and a container of flour on a parchment-lined surface.
  • 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.
    Unbaked round Lavender Shortbread Cookies topped with small purple flowers are arranged elegantly on a metal baking sheet.
  • 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.
    A cooling rack holds several round, golden-brown shortbread cookies, some topped with small clusters of black seeds or herbs, on a white marble surface.
  • 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
    A bowl of white liquid with a metal spoon sits next to several sprigs of fresh lavender, perfect for pairing with homemade Lavender Shortbread Cookies on a white surface.
  • Drizzle the glaze over the cookies or dip the tops of the cookies into it. Decorate the tops with dried or fresh lavender flowers.
    A round lavender shortbread cookie with white icing is topped with a small sprig of lavender and placed on a black cooling rack.

Notes

Lavender flowers: Make sure to use culinary lavender, as decorative lavender is often sprayed, and you don't want to eat that. Chopping the lavender buds releases more of their flavor. If you want to use fresh lavender, double the amount. 
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. 
Serving: 1 cookie, Calories: 156kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 111mg, Potassium: 25mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 227IU, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 1mg