Lavender Lemon Sugar Cookies

From: Half Baked Harvest

Lightly sweetened buttery shortbread cookies hinted with lavender and lemon and decorated simply with edible flowers...pretty AND delicious!


Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 22

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2-3 teaspoons dried lavender
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg white
• edible flowers, such as pansies, lavender, dahlias, and chamomile (optional)

Instructions

• To make the lavender sugar. Add the lavender to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the sugar and lemon zest, pulse to combine.

• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, 1/2 cup lavender sugar, and the vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the flour and salt. Beat until combined, and the dough begins to form a ball. If the dough is crumbly, add 1-2 tablespoons milk or water until the dough comes together.

• Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured parchment to 1/4 inch thickness. Make sure you're using enough flour or your dough will stick. Cut out the cookies using a 3-inch circle cookie cutter or cut into similar size squares. Carefully transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. I recommend using a spatula to lift the cookies. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes. Roll out the leftover scraps, and repeat with the dough.

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Brush each cookie with beaten egg white, then sprinkle with the remaining lavender sugar. If using edible flowers, gently push them into each cookie to adhere. Bake the cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 12-14 minutes or until just lightly golden on the edges. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Recipe Notes

Edible Flowers: I order all my edible flowers from Gourmet Sweet Botanicals. You can eat the flowers or pick them off prior to eating. We prefer to pick the flowers off, then enjoy the cookies!

Dried Lavender: You can order dried lavender online or pick up at most Whole Foods. I order mine from Amazon.

If you don't have a food processor: you can grind the lavender in a coffee grinder, use a mortar and pestle to grind it down, or simply use your fingertips to crush the lavender up into pieces.