Melt-in-Your-Mouth Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies with Zesty Glaze
Prepare to be enchanted by these delightful lemon lavender shortbread cookies! Each bite offers a crisp, yet unbelievably tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, infused with the elegant floral notes of lavender and the bright, zesty tang of fresh lemon. To elevate this magical combination, we add a vibrant purple lemon glaze, artfully speckled with delicate lavender buds. This isn’t just a cookie; it’s a sensory experience, a perfect balance of buttery richness and aromatic sweetness. The secret to their exquisite flavor lies in incorporating real dried lavender and fresh lemon zest directly into the dough, ensuring a gorgeous, fragrant taste that is never overpowering or “soapy.” These thick, tender, and wonderfully crisp shortbreads are surprisingly easy to make, yet they feel utterly whimsical and sophisticated, making them ideal for any occasion or simply as a charming treat for yourself.
If you’re as much a fan of the buttery, crumbly perfection of shortbread as we are, you’ll definitely want to explore more. Be sure to check out our classic lemon shortbread cookies for another irresistible variation!
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🌸 Why You’ll Adore This Lemon Lavender Shortbread Recipe
- Exquisite Lavender Lemon Flavor: This recipe perfectly marries the delicate, aromatic essence of lavender with the bright, citrusy punch of lemon. The lemon acts as a beautiful counterpoint to the floral notes, ensuring a balanced and incredibly refreshing taste that will captivate your palate and leave you wanting more. It’s a truly sophisticated flavor profile.
- Unforgettable Buttery & Crumbly Texture: Experience the quintessential shortbread texture – wonderfully crisp on the edges, yet tender and crumbly as it melts in your mouth. We’ve perfected the ratio of butter to flour to achieve that coveted, rich, and utterly satisfying mouthfeel that defines a truly great shortbread cookie.
- Quick & Effortless Baking: Don’t let their elegant appearance fool you; these lavender shortbread cookies are remarkably simple and quick to prepare. With just a few basic ingredients and straightforward steps, you can whip up a batch of these enchanting treats in no time, making them ideal for impromptu baking or busy schedules.
- Delightful Lemon Glaze Finish: The tangy lemon glaze is more than just a topping; it’s the crowning glory of these cookies. Infused with fresh lemon juice and adorned with delicate lavender buds, this optional yet highly recommended glaze adds an extra layer of zesty brightness and a touch of whimsical beauty, making each cookie a small work of art.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re hosting a tea party, looking for a unique dessert for a special gathering, or simply want a comforting treat with your afternoon coffee, these lemon lavender shortbread cookies fit the bill. Their charming appearance and refined flavor make them suitable for elegant events, yet their comforting nature ensures they’re always a welcome snack.
📝 Essential Ingredients for Perfect Lavender Shortbread
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
Dried Lavender Flowers: This is the star ingredient that gives our shortbread its signature floral charm. It’s crucial to use food-grade dried lavender flowers or buds, which you can easily find online, in the tea section of many grocery stores, or at natural food markets. The availability of high-quality culinary lavender has significantly increased, making it more accessible than ever. Using real flowers provides a beautiful, subtle fragrance and speckled texture without the risk of a “soapy” taste that some lavender extracts can impart. If you absolutely cannot find dried lavender, a good quality lavender extract can be substituted, though we recommend starting with half a teaspoon to avoid an overly strong flavor. Always ensure your dried lavender is fresh and vibrant for the best aroma and taste.
Lemon: The bright, zesty flavor of fresh lemon is essential for balancing the floral notes of lavender, preventing them from becoming too dominant. We use lemon zest in the cookie dough itself to infuse a vibrant citrus aroma throughout, and fresh lemon juice for the tangy, delicious glaze. This combination ensures a multi-layered flavor experience that is both refreshing and deeply satisfying. If you’re feeling adventurous or looking for a twist, orange zest can also be a wonderful substitute for a delightful orange lavender flavored cookie. You might also enjoy our orange shortbread cookies, which are wonderfully complemented by chocolate!
Butter: As the name “shortbread” suggests, butter is paramount. The quality of your butter will directly impact the flavor and texture of your cookies, so opt for the best quality you can find. We particularly love using good salted butter in this recipe, as the hint of salt perfectly enhances the rich, buttery flavor and provides a lovely contrast to the sweetness and floral notes. If you choose to use unsalted butter, remember to adjust by adding the specified amount of salt to the dough to achieve that perfect flavor balance. Ensure your butter is softened to room temperature for optimal creaming and a smooth, consistent dough.
All-Purpose Flour: Achieving the perfect crisp and tender shortbread texture relies heavily on the correct amount of flour. For the most accurate and consistent results, we highly recommend weighing your flour using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a scale, proper measuring technique is key: lightly stir the flour in its bag or container, then gently spoon it into your measuring cup without packing it down. Level off the excess with the flat edge of a knife. Avoid scooping directly with the measuring cup, as this can compact the flour and lead to an overly dense, dry cookie.
Food Coloring: While entirely optional, a touch of purple food coloring can transform the lemon glaze into a beautiful pale lavender hue, adding to the whimsical and enchanting visual appeal of these cookies. It’s a simple way to make your treats even more captivating and aesthetically pleasing, especially when serving them for special occasions.
👩🍳 How to Bake Delicious Lavender Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Crafting the Lavender Cookie Dough: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Begin by combining granulated sugar and dried lavender flowers in a clean coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle. Blend the mixture until the lavender flowers are finely ground into smaller, fragrant pieces. This process helps to release their essential oils and infuse the sugar with their beautiful aroma.
Step 2: Transfer the lavender-infused sugar into a large mixing bowl. Carefully grate the fresh lemon zest directly into the sugar. Use your fingers to rub the lemon zest thoroughly into the sugar mixture. This crucial step helps to break down the zest and release its fragrant lemon oils, enhancing the overall citrus flavor of the cookies.
Step 3: Add the softened butter and sea salt to the lemon lavender sugar mixture. Using an electric mixer, beat these ingredients together on medium speed until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color. Remember to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently to ensure all ingredients are evenly incorporated, preventing any unmixed pockets.
Step 4: Next, sift the all-purpose flour directly into the butter mixture. Sifting helps to aerate the flour and prevent lumps. Gently mix the ingredients on low speed, or by hand, until just combined and a cohesive dough begins to form. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten in the flour and result in tough shortbread cookies.
Step 5: Turn the delicate shortbread dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Gently press the dough together with your hands to form a cohesive ball or disc. Shortbread dough is often crumbly at this stage, so a little gentle persuasion is all that’s needed to bring it together without overworking it.
Step 6: Lightly sprinkle a bit of flour over the top of the dough and your rolling pin to prevent sticking. Carefully roll the dough out to an even thickness of approximately ½ inch. This thickness is key for achieving that perfect crisp-yet-tender shortbread texture.
Step 7: Using your desired cookie cutter, such as a small flower shape for a whimsical touch, cut out individual cookies from the rolled dough. Carefully gather any dough scraps, gently press them together, and re-roll to cut out additional cookies until all the dough is used. Try not to overwork the dough when re-rolling.
Step 8: Carefully transfer the cut-out cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving only a small amount of space between them as shortbread doesn’t spread much during baking. For best results, freeze the cookies for 15 minutes. While they chill, preheat your oven to 340°F (170°C). Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the bottoms are very lightly golden. Allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet before glazing.
Preparing the Radiant Lemon Lavender Glaze: Step-by-Step
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice, adding it one tablespoon at a time. Whisk thoroughly until you achieve a smooth glaze with a drizzling consistency. For a visually stunning touch, optionally add a tiny drop of purple food coloring to tint the glaze a beautiful lavender shade. Finally, stir in a teaspoon of dried lavender buds for extra aroma and texture.
Step 2: Once the cookies are completely cooled, gently dip the tops of each cookie into the prepared glaze, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the glazed cookies onto a clean piece of parchment paper or a wire rack set over parchment to catch drips. Allow the glaze to set and dry completely, which typically takes about 15 minutes, before serving. Then, enjoy your beautifully decorated and delicious shortbread!
✔️ Expert Shortbread Cookie Tips for Flawless Results
- Measure Flour with Precision: The accuracy of your flour measurement is paramount for perfect shortbread. Always measure with a kitchen scale for the most consistent results. If you don’t have a scale, stir the flour in its container, then gently spoon it into your dry measuring cup and level off the top with a straight edge without packing it down. Too much flour leads to dry, crumbly cookies, while too little can make them spread excessively.
- Avoid Overmixing the Dough: Once you add the flour, mix the cookie dough only until it’s just combined and a cohesive dough forms. Overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which can lead to a tough, dense, and less tender shortbread cookie. Shortbread is cherished for its delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture, so a light hand is best here.
- Bake Until Lightly Golden on the Bottom: The key to crisp and tender shortbread is proper baking. Keep an eye on your cookies and bake them until their bottoms are just barely golden. This ensures they are fully cooked through and have developed that satisfying crispness without becoming overly browned or hard. Underbaked shortbread cookies will often be soft and taste flour-y, missing that delightful crumbly texture.
- Chill the Dough Thoroughly: Don’t skip the chilling step! Freezing the cut-out cookies for 15 minutes before baking helps solidify the butter, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. This ensures your shortbread maintains its beautiful shape and contributes to a more tender, delicate crumb.
- Use Room Temperature Butter: Softened, room temperature butter creams beautifully with sugar, creating a light and airy base for your shortbread. Cold butter won’t incorporate properly, and melted butter will result in a greasy, flat cookie. Plan ahead to let your butter soften on the counter for about 30-60 minutes before you start baking.
🥄 Make Ahead & Storage: Keeping Your Cookies Fresh
These delightful lemon lavender shortbread cookies are wonderfully resilient and can be prepared ahead of time, making them a fantastic option for gifts, parties, or simply ensuring you always have a gourmet treat on hand. They store exceptionally well in an airtight bag or container at room temperature for up to 4 days, whether you’ve glazed them or prefer them plain. The robust flavor of lavender and lemon actually deepens slightly over time, making them just as enjoyable a few days later.
For longer-term storage, these cookies freeze beautifully. Once completely cooled (and glazed, if desired, with the glaze fully set), arrange them in a single layer in an airtight freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw them at room temperature for an hour or two. Freezing is a great way to ensure you always have these charming cookies ready to impress!
❔ The Magic of Dried Lavender: Flavor & Appeal
When it comes to infusing your baked goods with a true, authentic floral flavor, dried lavender is often the superior choice, especially for shortbread cookies. We find that dried culinary-grade lavender offers the best, most natural flavor profile, lending a subtle, fragrant essence that is beautifully distinct and far less likely to result in that undesirable “soapy” taste often associated with synthetic lavender extracts. The delicate dried buds also contribute a lovely, visible speckled texture to the cookies, adding to their rustic charm and proving that real ingredients are at play.
Dried lavender petals release their aromatic oils slowly and evenly into the dough, creating a harmonious blend with the lemon zest. While lavender extract can certainly be used if that’s your only option, we highly recommend sourcing dried lavender for an unparalleled experience in both taste and visual appeal. Just remember to use fresh, high-quality dried lavender for the best results! If you find yourself with extra dried lavender after making these cookies, don’t let it go to waste – it’s perfect for our easy, no-churn lavender vanilla ice cream, another delightful way to enjoy its unique flavor.
📖 Recipe FAQs: Your Questions Answered
To avoid a soapy taste, the most important step is to use culinary-grade dried lavender flowers. These are specifically grown and processed for consumption and have a much milder, pleasant flavor compared to decorative varieties. Additionally, moderation is key; too much lavender, even culinary grade, can lead to an overwhelming floral flavor that might taste soapy to some palates. Start with the recommended amount and adjust to your preference in future batches.
If your lavender flavor is barely detectable, the issue might be with the quality or freshness of your dried lavender. Old or improperly stored lavender can lose its potency. When we first tested this recipe, we encountered brown, scentless lavender from a bulk store. Later, we sourced a vibrant purple, beautifully fragrant variety online, which made all the difference. Always ensure your dried lavender is fresh, vividly colored, and has a strong, pleasant floral scent to ensure it imparts its beautiful flavor to your cookies.
Shortbread cookies, especially this recipe, are designed not to spread much. If yours did, it’s most likely due to either an incorrect oven temperature or inaccurate flour measurement. Ensure your oven thermostat is calibrated correctly and preheated thoroughly. More crucially, measure your flour precisely – preferably with a kitchen scale (330g). If measuring by volume, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off without packing it, as too little flour can cause the dough to be too wet and spread. Also, ensure your butter isn’t too warm and the dough is chilled sufficiently before baking.
While fresh lavender can be used, it’s generally not recommended for baking as its flavor can be much stronger and more herbaceous, potentially leading to a “soapy” taste. Dried culinary lavender has a concentrated, mellowed floral flavor that is better suited for baking. If you do use fresh, use a significantly smaller amount (e.g., half the quantity of dried) and ensure it’s from a culinary variety that hasn’t been treated with pesticides. Remove the flowers from the stems and finely chop them before incorporating.
🍋 More Related Recipes You’ll Love
- Italian Lemon Cookies
- Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Lavender Ice Cream
- Lemon Curd Cookies
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📖 Recipe
Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Mary
Pin Recipe
Shop Ingredients
Equipment
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electric mixer
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Cookie sheet
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parchment paper
Ingredients
Shortbread cookie dough
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons dried lavender flowers use 2 teaspoons for a subtler flavor
- 2 lemons zested, save the juice for the glaze
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt if your butter is very salty, you can omit this extra salt
- 2 ¾ cup all purpose flour 330g
Lavender lemon glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- purple food coloring as needed
- 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
Shop Ingredients on Jupiter
Instructions
Shortbread cookie dough
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Combine sugar and lavender flowers in a clean coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle, and blend until the flowers are in smaller pieces.½ cup granulated sugar, 3 teaspoons dried lavender flowers
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Add the lavender sugar into a large bowl. Grate the lemon zest into the sugar. Rub the mixture with your fingers to break up the lemon zest and to release the fragrant lemon oils.2 lemons
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Add the butter and salt into the sugar mixture. Beat together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl frequently to ensure even mixing.1 cup salted butter, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
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Then, sift the flour into the butter mixture. Gently mix until it becomes a dough.2 ¾ cup all purpose flour
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Dump the shortbread dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Press it together into a cohesive ball. Sprinkle a bit of flour on top. Gently roll the dough into ½” thickness.
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Cut out small 2″ diameter flower shapes using a cookie cutter. Alternatively, use a knife to cut out square shaped cookies. Reroll the dough to cut out more cookies as needed.
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Place the cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving only a bit of space between the cookies because they don’t spread much. Freeze for 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 340°F (170°C).
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Bake the cookies for 15-17 minutes, until the bottoms are very lightly golden. Let them cool on the cookie sheet.
Lavender lemon glaze
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Add the lemon juice, one tablespoon at a time, into the icing sugar in a bowl and whisk. Add enough lemon juice to make a glaze with a drizzling consistency. Optionally, add a touch of purple food coloring to tint it a lavender color. Then add dried lavender and stir.1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice, purple food coloring, 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
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Dip the tops of the cookies into the bowl with icing and let the excess icing fall back into the bowl. Place the cookies onto a parchment lined cookie sheet underneath. Enjoy once the glaze has dried up – about 15 minutes.
Notes
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, either glazed or unglazed. For extended freshness, freeze them in an airtight bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for an hour or two before serving.
Tips for success
- Always measure flour properly, ideally with a kitchen scale (330g), or by spooning into a measuring cup and leveling without packing.
- Avoid overmixing the dough once the flour is added to ensure a tender, crumbly texture.
- Bake shortbread until the bottoms are just lightly golden to achieve perfect crispness without overbrowning.
- Chill the dough for 15 minutes before baking to help prevent spreading and maintain cookie shape.
- Use good quality, softened butter for the best flavor and texture in your shortbread.
Nutrition