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Lavender Shortbread Cookies Recipe

These lavender shortbread cookies bring a gentle floral aroma to classic buttery shortbread, while the honey glaze adds just an extra touch of sweetness.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time2 hours 5 minutes
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 25 cookies
Author: Trang Doan

Equipment

Ingredients

For the cookie dough

  • 8 oz unsalted butter room temperature
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoon dried lavender flower
  • 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch

For honey glaze

  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoon milk
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • A few pinches of kosher salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cream the butter - Add softened butter, vanilla, honey, sugar and salt to a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is thoroughly incorporated and creamy.
    8 oz unsalted butter, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    Creaming butter with sugar, honey, vanilla and salt.
  • Grind dried lavender - Add dried lavender flower to a mortar and grind against the bottom and side by twisting the pestle firmly on top of the dried flowers until you get a fine powder. Don’t have a pestle and mortar? Try crushing the flowers in a ziploc bag with a rolling pin.
    2 teaspoon dried lavender flower
    Grinding dried lavender flowers with a pestle and mortar.
  • Incorporate dry ingredients - Sift the flour, cornstarch and lavender powder directly into the creamed butter using a fine mesh sieve, stir to combine. Increase the mixer speed and beat until no trace of flour remains and the dough is formed.
    2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoon cornstarch
    Sifting flour, lavender powder and cornstarch over cream butter to make lavender shortbread dough.
  • Form the logs - Place a long piece of plastic wrap flat on the countertop. Divide cookie dough into 2 equal portions. Roll each portion on top of the plastic wrap into a log about 6” in length. Wrap it up with the plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You don’t need additional flour for rolling but you can use some flour if necessary. I usually refrigerate shortbread dough overnight to prep ahead.
    A log of lavender shortbread dough.
  • Slice the cookies - Use a sharp knife to slice each cookie dough log into 12 cookies about ½” thick. Rewrap in the same plastic and place them into the freezer while the oven preheats. Or you can freeze for longer storage at this point.
  • Preheat the oven - Set the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
  • Bake - Place 12 cookies on a large lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 1 batch at a time for 20 minutes, until the outer edges of the cookies are golden.
    Bake lavender shortbread cookies on lined baking sheet.
  • Cool - Remove the baking sheet from the oven, but allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheet to finish baking from the residual heat for 5-10 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Make the glaze - When the cookies are completely cool and you’re ready to decorate, make the glaze by adding honey, milk, powdered sugar and salt to a small mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.
    2 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoon milk, 1 cup powdered sugar, A few pinches of kosher salt
    Whisk together honey, milk, powdered sugar and salt to make honey glaze.
  • Glaze the cookies - Dip cooled cookies, top side down, into honey glaze and place them on a baking sheet. If there are bubbles or imperfections, you can use a toothpick to pop the bubbles or move the glaze around to fix the imperfections.
    Dip lavender shortbread cookie in honey glaze.
  • Decorate - Add a few dried lavender flowers on top of the glazed cookies before the glaze dry to decorate them if you wish. I recommend using a tweezer for exact placement. Then let the glaze dry completely on the baking sheet before storing or stacking the cookies.
    Placing a dried lavender flower on top of a glazed cookie with a tweezer.

Notes

  • Storing baked cookies: store your lavender shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week.
  • Storing cookie dough: cookie dough can be kept refrigerated for 3-4 days before baking to prep ahead. Or slice and freeze for 3-6 months.
  • Baking frozen dough: no need to thaw frozen cookie dough, you can bake directly from the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
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