Delicious Homemade Lavender Shortbread Cookies: A Fragrant & Elegant Dessert Recipe
Experience pure delight with these exquisite Lavender Shortbread Cookies! This decadent treat promises to elevate any occasion with its rich, buttery texture and subtle floral notes. These homemade lavender cookies are not only simple to make but also transform into a stunning dessert when served alongside a dollop of whipped cream and fresh strawberries infused with a delicate lavender syrup. Prepare to enchant your senses and impress your guests with this beautifully aromatic and utterly delicious confection.
The Inspiration Behind These Floral Shortbread Delights
Just a few weeks ago, I found myself wandering through one of the final farmer’s markets of the season at Arnold’s Park in scenic Okoboji, Iowa. As I chatted with various vendors, one particular conversation stood out. It was with a man who owns a local lavender farm in a nearby town. His passion for lavender, and the array of beautiful products he offered, sparked a vivid memory and a fresh wave of inspiration.
This encounter instantly brought to mind a beloved lavender shortbread recipe I first shared on my blog way back in 2014. That original post was part of a wonderful community called the “Secret Recipe Club,” a group that, sadly, is no longer active. The very first iteration of this recipe came from a blog that has also since disappeared from the online world. However, the essence of that recipe, and its delightful flavor profile, has remained a cherished favorite in my kitchen for years. It was initially inspired by Rachel’s memorable trip to the Old Course Hotel in the UK, where she encountered the elegant simplicity of lavender-infused treats. Over time, I’ve refined and made it my own, turning it into a staple that I’m thrilled to share again with a new generation of bakers.
These buttery, floral cookies are truly versatile. They are the perfect accompaniment to a cozy cup of afternoon tea, offering a moment of serene indulgence. Beyond that, their delicate appearance and sophisticated flavor make them an ideal dessert for special occasions, adding an elegant touch to bridal showers, baby showers, or any gathering where you want to serve something truly memorable and unique. Their subtle charm and exquisite taste are guaranteed to leave a lasting impression.
The Allure of Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Lavender Shortbread offers an enchanting blend of classic buttery richness with a delightfully crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture. What truly sets these cookies apart is the subtle yet distinct addition of dried culinary lavender flowers. These delicate buds infuse the shortbread with a gentle floral aroma and a mild, sophisticated flavor that perfectly complements the sweetness and richness of the butter. The lavender taste is never overpowering; instead, it’s a harmonious addition, creating a uniquely elegant twist on a beloved simple shortbread recipe.
While these buttery cookies are undeniably delicious on their own, they truly shine when transformed into a complete dessert. Imagine them served with a generous scoop of freshly whipped cream and a handful of juicy, ripe strawberries. This combination creates the ultimate spring or summer treat, offering a refreshing contrast to the rich cookie and making every bite a celebration of flavors and textures.
The secret to crafting truly exceptional classic shortbread lies in one simple principle: the quality of your ingredients is paramount. Since shortbread relies on just a few core components – butter, flour, and sugar – choosing higher-quality versions of each makes an enormous difference. Superior butter will lend a richer flavor and better texture, while a good quality flour will ensure the perfect crumb. Don’t underestimate the impact of these fundamental elements on the final outcome of your homemade lavender shortbread.
Can You Safely Eat Lavender in Cookies?
Absolutely, yes, you can! Incorporating lavender into your baking is a delightful and safe way to add a unique floral dimension to your treats, provided you use the right type. Culinary lavender is specifically grown and processed for consumption and is widely available. You can find it both fresh and dried at many reputable spice shops, farmers’ markets, and health food stores. It’s crucial, however, to ensure that any lavender you intend to eat is explicitly labeled as “culinary.” This designation guarantees that it has been grown without harmful pesticides and is safe for ingestion. A crucial warning: never consume lavender essential oil. While it smells wonderful, essential oils are highly concentrated and can be unsafe for digestion.
These edible flowers possess a remarkable ability to enhance and brighten the overall flavor profile of other ingredients, particularly when paired with rich and fatty foods. The subtle, sweet, and fragrant notes of lavender create a beautiful synergy. It pairs wonderfully with a surprising variety of ingredients, offering endless possibilities for culinary exploration. Some excellent pairings include fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, pears, and citrus fruits such as lemon and orange. Honey is another natural partner, as are various herbs like sage, rosemary, oregano, and thyme. Even a touch of black pepper or a decadent square of chocolate can benefit from lavender’s unique charm. The versatility of culinary lavender truly makes it a star ingredient in the kitchen.
This incredible versatility means you can easily customize this lavender shortbread recipe to perfectly suit your personal taste preferences. For instance, a small amount of lemon zest can be added to the dough to create delightful lemon lavender cookies, offering a bright, tangy counterpoint to the floral notes. Or, if strawberries aren’t in season or you prefer another berry, simply swap them out for fresh blueberries in your serving ensemble. Beyond fruit, these shortbread cookies would be absolutely exquisite with a delicate lemon glaze drizzled over them, or even simply dusted with a homemade flavored sugar, like vanilla or even more lavender sugar. The creative possibilities for tailoring and enhancing this recipe are truly endless, allowing you to make it your own signature treat!
If you’re finding yourself enamored with this recipe and crave more sweet treats, be sure to explore some of my other popular creations! You might love my Glazed Strawberry Bread, a moist and flavorful loaf perfect for breakfast or dessert, or perhaps my refreshing Lemon Cream Cheese Bundt Cake, a tangy and rich cake that’s always a crowd-pleaser. Each recipe offers a unique blend of flavors and textures, promising another delightful baking adventure.
Elevate Your Dessert: Lavender Shortbread with Lavender Strawberries & Whipped Cream
While the lavender shortbread cookies are undeniably delightful served simply on their own, the true magic happens when you transform them into this light, fresh, and visually stunning dessert. This combination is guaranteed to bring a genuine smile to anyone’s face! The secret lies in creating a delicate lavender simple syrup, which I use to gently toss fresh, ripe strawberries. This infusion imparts a subtle yet captivating floral essence to the fruit, perfectly harmonizing with the cookies.
To assemble this gorgeous treat, layer the lavender-infused strawberries with clouds of freshly whipped cream and your crisp lavender shortbread. The textures and flavors play off each other beautifully – the tender shortbread, the juicy, fragrant strawberries, and the airy, sweet cream. The result is not just a dessert, but an experience, offering a burst of springtime freshness with every spoonful. It’s an elegant and relatively simple way to turn delicious cookies into a truly spectacular presentation that’s perfect for any special occasion or simply to brighten an ordinary day.
Essential Ingredients for Shortbread with Lavender Flowers
This delightful lavender cookies recipe relies on just a handful of simple, high-quality ingredients to achieve its exquisite flavor and texture. You’ll find the precise measurements and comprehensive, step-by-step instructions conveniently laid out in the printable recipe card located at the very bottom of this post. For now, let’s take a closer look at the key components that make this dessert so special.
FOR THE SHORTBREAD BASE:
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the standard flour I consistently use for this recipe, providing the perfect structure and tender crumb characteristic of classic shortbread. Ensure it’s sifted for the best results.
- Granulated Sugar: As with nearly any cookie recipe, sugar is indispensable. It not only provides sweetness but also contributes to the crispness and golden-brown edges of the shortbread.
- Unsalted Butter: The cornerstone of any good shortbread, butter is what binds all the ingredients together, imparting rich flavor and a wonderfully crumbly texture. For optimal creaming and incorporation, it’s essential to use room temperature butter – not melted, not cold.
- Dried Culinary Lavender: This is the star ingredient that gives these cookies their unique floral essence. Always seek out dried lavender specifically labeled as “culinary lavender buds” in your local specialty food stores, spice shops, or health food markets. Using non-culinary lavender can result in a bitter taste or may contain unwanted chemicals.
FOR THE LAVENDER STRAWBERRIES (and accompaniment):
- Fresh Strawberries: Choose strawberries that are vibrantly red, possess a natural, healthy sheen, and have fresh-looking green caps. Wash them thoroughly and halve them before preparing. These will be the juicy, sweet component of your dessert.
- Granulated Sugar, Hot Water, and Dried Culinary Lavender: These three ingredients combine to create a fragrant and flavorful lavender simple syrup. The hot water helps dissolve the sugar and infuse the lavender, resulting in a delicate syrup that perfectly coats the strawberries.
- Heavy Whipping Cream and Powdered Sugar: Whipped together until stiff peaks form, this creamy topping provides a light, airy contrast to the rich shortbread and sweet strawberries, completing the dessert beautifully.
How to Make Homemade Lavender Shortbread: A Step-by-Step Guide
Crafting these delicate lavender shortbread cookies is a straightforward and rewarding process. Follow these detailed steps to achieve perfect, aromatic results every time.
- Preheat Your Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to a gentle 285 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 140 degrees Celsius). A lower temperature is key for shortbread to bake evenly and achieve that signature tender, crumbly texture without browning too quickly.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream together the softened, room-temperature butter and granulated sugar. Beat them on medium speed until the mixture becomes light, pale, and fluffy. This process incorporates air, which is vital for the shortbread’s texture.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gently fold in the all-purpose flour and the dried culinary lavender buds. Mix on low speed or by hand, just until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the wet mixture. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten in the flour and result in tough cookies.
- Form the Dough: Turn the mixture out onto a clean surface and gently knead it together with your hands. Work the dough just enough until it comes together and forms a uniform mass, with no loose flour remaining. It will still have a slightly crumbly, tender consistency, which is characteristic of shortbread.
- Roll and Cut: Roll the shortbread dough flat to your desired thickness (typically about ¼ inch) using a rolling pin. Then, use a cookie cutter in your preferred shape – hearts, circles, or squares work beautifully – to cut out individual cookies. Carefully transfer the cut shapes onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. If you prefer, silicone baking mats also work exceptionally well to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Bake to Perfection: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. The baking time can vary slightly depending on the size and thickness of your cookies, so keep an eye on them. You’re looking for the tops to be just starting to turn a very light golden brown, indicating they are perfectly baked through but still tender.
- Prepare Lavender Syrup: While the shortbread bakes or cools, prepare your lavender syrup. In a heatproof bowl or jar, dissolve the sugar in the hot water. Once the sugar is fully dissolved, stir in the dried culinary lavender. Set the syrup aside to steep. The longer the lavender infuses, the more pronounced its flavor will become, so you can adjust steeping time to your preference for a stronger or milder lavender note.
- Cool the Shortbread: Once the shortbread cookies are baked, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Allow the cookies to rest on the hot sheet for a few minutes before gently transferring them to a wire rack. Let them cool completely on the rack; this ensures they become firm and crisp.
- Finish Strawberries: Before serving, strain the cooled lavender syrup through a fine-mesh sieve to remove all the dried lavender flowers, leaving you with a smooth, beautifully scented liquid. In a bowl, gently toss the fresh, halved strawberries with the prepared lavender syrup until they are lightly coated and glistening.
- Serve and Enjoy: Arrange the cooled lavender shortbread cookies on individual dessert plates. Add a generous scoop of freshly whipped cream alongside them, and then spoon a few of the lavender-tossed strawberries over or next to the cream and cookies. This elegant presentation is perfect for any occasion!
Love This Recipe? Pin It for Later!
If you’ve fallen in love with this wonderfully buttery cookie recipe, infused with the delicate essence of fresh lavender buds, make sure you can easily find it again! Don’t let this delightful treat slip away. Take a moment to save it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you navigate away! Pinning it ensures that this aromatic and flavorful shortbread will be just a click away whenever you’re ready to bake a batch.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lavender Shortbread
Here are answers to some common questions about making and enjoying these fragrant shortbread cookies:
Q: What is the primary difference between English shortbread and Scottish shortbread?
A: In this recipe, we lean towards the traditional UK (specifically English) version of shortbread. The main distinction often lies in the fat content. English shortbread cookies typically have butter as their sole primary fat, contributing to a rich, pure flavor and tender texture. Scottish shortbread, while similar, may sometimes incorporate vegetable shortening or a blend of butter and vegetable shortening, which can slightly alter the texture and crispness.
Q: How should I store my leftover lavender shortbread cookies?
A: To maintain their crispness and fresh flavor, your homemade lavender shortbread cookies should be stored in a dry, airtight container at room temperature. They will keep beautifully for up to a week. If you need to extend their shelf life further, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. For longer storage, shortbread freezes exceptionally well; simply thaw at room temperature before serving.
Beyond Baking: Cooking with Fresh Lavender
If you’ve acquired some delightful culinary lavender, whether dried buds or fresh sprigs, and are looking for more ways to infuse its aromatic charm into your daily life, here are some other fantastic applications to explore. Lavender is incredibly versatile and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, as well as for luxurious homemade body care products.
- Homemade Lavender Sugar Scrub: (pictured above) Create a soothing and exfoliating scrub that leaves your skin feeling soft and fragrant. Perfect for a spa-like experience at home or a thoughtful gift.
- Lavender Flavored Sugar: Easily infuse sugar with lavender for use in teas, coffee, baking, or sprinkling over fresh fruit. A simple way to add a gourmet touch to everyday items.
- Blueberry Lavender Truffles: Combine the earthy sweetness of blueberries with the floral elegance of lavender in these luxurious, bite-sized treats.
- Honey Lavender Scones: Elevate your breakfast or tea time with these tender scones, featuring the delicate flavors of honey and lavender.
- Lavender Cream Puffs: A truly elegant dessert, these cream puffs are filled with a luscious lavender-infused cream, offering a sophisticated twist on a classic.
More Sweet Recipes to Love from My Kitchen
Are you constantly on the lookout for new and exciting homemade dessert recipes to add to your repertoire? You’re in luck! My blog is brimming with a wide array of sweet treats that are perfect for any occasion, from simple weeknight indulgences to show-stopping party desserts. Here’s a curated selection of some of my absolute favorites that I think you’ll adore:
- Pecan Butter Cookies: A classic, melt-in-your-mouth cookie featuring the nutty richness of pecans.
- Grinch Shortbread Bites: Fun, festive, and incredibly tasty shortbread cookies perfect for the holiday season.
- Fresh Strawberry Pie: A vibrant and refreshing pie bursting with the sweet flavors of summer strawberries.
- Dipped Shortbread Cookies: Elegant shortbread cookies partially coated in chocolate or other glazes for an extra touch of decadence.
- Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust + Video: All the comforting flavors of pumpkin pie in an easy-to-serve bar form, complete with a buttery shortbread crust.
- Almond Raspberry Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies: Delicate almond shortbread cookies with a sweet raspberry jam center, a delightful combination of flavors and textures.
Now, let’s gather our ingredients and embark on the journey to create this perfectly aromatic and irresistibly flavorful lavender shortbread cookie recipe! You’re just a few simple steps away from a truly memorable homemade treat that will brighten any day.
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Print Recipe
Lavender Shortbread Cookies (+ Lavender Strawberries & Cream)
Equipment
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Pro Dough Pastry Scraper/Cutter/Chopper Stainless Steel
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13×18 Half Sheet Pan
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Silicone Baking Mat Set of 4
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Reynolds Kitchens Non-Stick Parchment Paper
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Kitchenaid Stand Mixer
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KitchenAid Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- FOR THE LAVENDER SHORTBREAD:
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons butter 10 Tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons dried lavender
- FOR THE LAVENDER STRAWBERRIES:
- 7 ounces fresh strawberries washed and halved
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 3 Tablespoons hot water
- 1 teaspoons dried lavender
- TO SERVE:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream + 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar whipped to form stiff peaks
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 285 degrees.
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Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer, until fluffy.
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Fold in the flour and lavender.
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Knead together to form a uniform dough with no loose flour (it will still be slightly crumbly)
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Roll flat and using a cutter in your desired shape, cut shapes, place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
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Bake for 23-28 minutes until the tops are just starting to brown. (baking time will vary depending on the size of the cookie cutter you use)
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Make the lavender syrup by dissolving the sugar in the hot water and adding lavender. Set aside. The longer the lavender sits, the stronger the flavor.
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Once the shortbread is finished, remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
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Strain the lavender syrup to remove the flowers, and toss the strawberries in the syrup.
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Serve the biscuits with a scoop of whipped cream and a few strawberries.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on December 7, 2014. It has been meticulously updated and expanded to improve user experience, enhance clarity, and add more valuable content. It was proudly re-shared on October 12, 2022.