Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Wonderfully buttery with a subtle floral sweetness, these Lavender Shortbread Cookies will melt in your mouth!
I’m all about desserts that look and taste fancy but are secretly low-effort. These shortbread cookies are exactly that — the dough comes together in just minutes but tastes like you fussed over it all day.
Key ingredients
- Dried culinary-grade lavender: Make sure you’re using dried culinary lavender and don’t over-do it — adding too much lavender can make your cookies taste like soap. Check out our Guide to Lavender for more tips and tricks!
- Lemon zest: Lemon zest brightens these cookies and balances the floral sweetness of the lavender.
- Sugar: These shortbread cookies are only lightly sweet. If you’re baking for someone with a sweet tooth, I recommend sprinkling your cookies with coarse sugar or sparkling sugar before baking.
- Unsalted butter: The base of every shortbread cookie! Make sure the butter is at room temperature (cool to the touch but soft enough to dent when pressed) — too warm and it won’t cream properly.
- All-purpose flour: The most common culprit of dry shortbread cookies is over-measured flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, lightly spoon the flour into your cup (don’t pack it!), and level it off with a knife.
Step by step photos
Step 1: Rub the lavender and lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant.
Step 2: Cream the butter and infused sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Mix in the vanilla, and then flour and salt. The mixture will be crumbly, but hold together when pressed.
Step 4: Form the dough into a disc and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes if needed.
Step 5: Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch (6 mm) thickness and cut out shapes.
Step 6: Transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes before baking.
Storage and freezing
These cut-out lavender shortbread cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. The baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
While you can also freeze the cookie dough, I generally don’t since it’s so easy to whip up. If you’d like to freeze the dough, shape it into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and let the dough sit at room temperature for at least an hour before rolling it out.
FAQs
The dough will keep wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
This often happens if the butter is too soft. Try placing the shaped cookies in the fridge or even freezer for an extra 30 minutes before baking.
Absolutely! A lemon glaze would be wonderful with these cookies.
More lavender recipes
Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 8 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Global
Description
Floral lavender and zesty lemon come together in these Lavender Shortbread Cookies for a delicate, buttery treat that melts in your mouth!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled*
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional: Coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a small bowl, rub the lemon zest and lavender into the granulated sugar with your fingertips until fragrant. This releases the oils and ensures even flavor distribution.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the lavender-lemon sugar with the softened butter until light and fluffy – about 5 minutes. Mix in the vanilla.
- Add the flour and salt, mixing just until the dough comes together. It may seem crumbly at first, but it should hold together when pressed.
- If the dough is too soft, shape it into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 15–30 minutes for easier rolling.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4-inch (6 mm) thickness or slightly thicker. Try not to roll the dough too thin as the cookies won’t be as tender. Cut into shapes, re-rolling scraps as needed.
- Place the cutouts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Bake for 16–20 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Measuring Flour: For best results, measure flour with a kitchen scale. If measuring by volume, use the spoon and level method to avoid over-measuring the flour. Lightly spoon flour into the measuring cup until it’s completely full. Then run the back of a knife over the cup to gently scrape off any excess.
Bake Time: The baking time will depend significantly on the size of your cookies. Pull them out as soon as the edges turn light golden brown.
Storage: Lavender shortbread cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
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