For the most delicious lavender butter cookies, make sure you use culinary lavender or lavender from your yard that you know won’t have been treated with any pesticides. The amount of lavender used in this recipe may sound minimal, but it has a very overpowering flavor and scent, and if you use too much you’ll end up with an overly fragrant batch of cookies. Be precise with your lavender measuring to ensure you create elegant shortbread lavender cookies that are invitingly floral and not soapy-smelling. Not all flowers are edible, and it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the types that you can use in the kitchen. Roses are another special flower that can be used in baking, and you’ll often see them mixed into cookie batter too.
Baking and Texture Tips
Though it can be tempting to eat cookies warm and fresh from the oven, you’ll get the best texture out of your cookies if you can resist temptation and leave them to cool properly on a wire rack first. As the cookies cool it allows the liquified ingredients time to solidify and stops them from becoming messy.
The art of baking is all in the precision and if you find that your cookies don’t quite keep their shape then that could be down to the measuring of the flour. Take the time to scoop the flour into a proper measuring cup before adding to the mix, instead of scooping directly from the bag, if you want to give your cookies the best chance of success. If you find your dough isn’t firm enough when it comes to cutting the cookies, you can add a little more flour to reach the desired structure.
Keep a very close eye on the cookies throughout the cooking process, as they can burn very quickly and be sensitive to heat spots in the oven. It’s best not to walk away and leave these cookies baking, but instead check them regularly. Once they start to turn golden around the edges it’s time to take them out of the oven. You want to avoid overbaking the cookies, as the final tender texture is part of the appeal for shortbread cookies, and they’ll lose this softness with too much time in the oven.
Once you’ve gained confidence in making these cookies, try whipping up a batch of gingersnaps or oatmeal raisin cookies next time you’re hosting friends and family.
How to Store and Serve
For any leftover cookies, it’s best to keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll last for up to five days if stored correctly.
These cookies can be eaten on their own, or you could enjoy them alongside a tasty pot of tea, such as Earl Grey, for a delicate flavor pairing. Some bakers will include Earl Grey in their lavender cookies recipe, as the floral sweetness of the tea pairs effortlessly with lavender.
For a special occasion, lavender cookies are perfect with a glass of Champagne, to mark the moment. If you’re serving these cookies for an event, then try icing the top of the cookies with a simple icing recipe and decorating with a lavender bud.
