How To Make Lavender Shortbread Cookies
These lavender shortbread cookies are a classic recipe that you need to keep in your recipe book! They are sweet and slightly nutty with a bright and pronounced floral flavor from the lavender flowers. This dough is great to keep in the freezer to make a quick sweet treat whenever you need it, especially in the fall!
When to Serve Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Lavender shortbread cookies are great to serve at any gathering or family party. Because lavender is generally a flavor that is associated with spring and summer, these cookies are great to enjoy during the warmer months!
If you are often hosting guests, I recommend keeping some raw cookie dough in the freezer. Being able to pull out some prepared cookie dough and quickly baking some fresh cookies will always be a hit!
Freezing Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Freezing raw cookie dough is a great way to always have a sweet treat ready to go for hosting or whenever you want! This shortbread cookie recipe is no exception.
If you want to freeze this cookie dough for later use, there are a few ways you can store them. The first would be to scoop the unformed dough into a plastic bag or other airtight container and place in the freezer. If you use a plastic bag, I suggest you flatten and remove all the air from the bag. This will make the dough easy to store and prevent any potential freezer burn.
The second option for freezing is to roll the dough into balls and place them on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. After all the dough is rolled into one inch balls, you can place the baking sheet into the freezer to flash freeze the dough. Flash freezing will allow you to use a plastic bag or other container to store your raw cookie balls while allowing them not to form into one large clump. Freezing individual cookie servings also makes it easier to pull out only what you need and keep the rest nice and frozen!
For shortbread cookies, I recommend to roll the chilled dough into a log that is 2-3 inches in diameter and place it in a bag or freezer safe container. This will allow you to pull out the dough and slice as many cookies as you want in the thickness you want!
Looking for more kitchen inspiration? You might also enjoy this Orange Shortbread Recipe or this Homemade Whipped Cream Using Raw Milk
Substitutions
Although baking tends to be more of a science than an art, there are a few substitutions that you can make in this recipe and you should achieve a similar result.
The first substitution is for butter. Although butter aids in making a great flavor, you may also use coconut oil, lard or tallow. These options should perform similarly to the butter. However, I strongly recommend only using an alternative if you do not have butter available or your diet requires you to use a different baking fat.
The second substitute would be for the sugar. You can use a number of different sweetener options. This could include maple sugar, sucanat, coconut sugar, or date sugar. I caution you when choosing to use honey or maple syrup. Since they are not a granulated type of sugar like the others mentioned, your cookies will likely turn out different than if you used a sugar that is granulated.
The last substitution is for vanilla extract. The only other option I would suggest is to use vanilla bean paste. Vanilla bean paste (like this homemade one!) will ensure the vanilla flavor is still present. If you don’t have vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, you could use almond extract. However, using almond extract will drastically change the flavor of your final product.
Ingredients and Tools
2 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup Butter – Softened to Room Temperature
½ cup Cane Sugar
½ tsp Vanilla extract
1 TBSP Lavender flowers – quickly blended just to crack the buds
Measuring cups and spoons
A stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a medium mixing bowl and a hand mixer)
A large baking sheet
A rolling pin and a knife (or cookie cutters)
Instructions
In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla extract and crushed lavender on a medium speed and mix until light and fluffy.
Add the flour on a low speed and beat just until all of the flour is well incorporated.
Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap or parchment and roughly shape into a disk or square. (if you are making this dough as a slice and bake cookie, shape the dough into a cylinder)
Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap or parchment and refrigerate until fully chilled (at least 2 hours)
When your dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 300℉
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about ⅓ inch thick and cut into your desired shape using a cookie cutter or a butter knife. (For the slice and bake method, remove your dough from the plastic wrap and slice the dough into ⅓ inch slices and place on the baking tray.)
Place on a baking sheet about ½ inch apart and bake for 20-25 minutes.
After 20-25 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool for one minute on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
Once completely cool, you can store in an airtight container for 3-5 days. For long term storage, you can place these cookies or the uncooked dough into the freezer.
Homemade Shortbread Cookies FAQ:
When Should I Serve Lavender Shortbread Cookies?
Lavender shortbread cookies are great to serve at any gathering or family party. Because lavender is generally a flavor that is associated with spring and summer, these cookies are great to enjoy during the warmer months!
If you are often hosting guests, I recommend keeping some raw cookie dough in the freezer. Being able to pull out some prepared cookie dough and quickly baking some fresh cookies will always be a hit!
Can I Freeze Lavender Shortbread Cookies?
Freezing raw cookie dough is a great way to always have a sweet treat ready to go for hosting or whenever you want! This lavender shortbread cookie recipe is no exception.
If you want to freeze this cookie dough for later use, there are a few ways you can store them. The first would be to scoop the dough into a plastic bag or other airtight container and place in the freezer. If you use a plastic bag, I suggest you flatten and remove as much air as possible from the bag. This will make the dough easy to store and prevent any potential freezer burn.
The second option for freezing is to roll the dough into balls and place them on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. After all the dough is rolled into one inch balls, you can place the baking sheet into the freezer to flash freeze the dough. Flash freezing will allow you to use a plastic bag or other container to store your raw cookie balls while allowing them not to form into one large clump.
Lastly, you can roll the chilled dough into a log that is 2-3 inches in diameter and place it in a bag or freezer safe container. This will allow you to pull out the dough and slice as many cookies as you want in the thickness you want!
What Can I Use Instead of Butter?
Although butter aids in making a great flavor, you may also use coconut oil, lard or tallow. These options should perform similarly to the butter.
What Can I Use Instead of Cane Sugar?
You can use a number of different sweetener options. This could include maple sugar, sucanat, coconut sugar, or date sugar. I caution you when choosing to use honey or maple syrup. Since they are not a granulated type of sugar like the others mentioned, your cookies will likely turn out different than if you used a sugar that is granulated.
What Can I Use Instead of Vanilla Extract?
The only other option I would suggest is to use vanilla bean paste. Vanilla bean paste (like this homemade one!) will ensure the vanilla flavor is still present. If you don’t have vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, you should use almond extract. However, using almond extract will drastically change the flavor of your final product.
Did you try this? Share your creations in the comments or by tagging @MissysHomestead on Instagram.
Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- A stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a medium mixing bowl and a hand mixer)
- A large baking sheet
- A rolling pin and a knife or cookie cutters
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Butter – Softened to Room Temperature
- ½ cup Cane Sugar
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 TBSP Lavender flowers – quickly blended just to crack the buds
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla extract and crushed lavender on a medium speed and mix until light and fluffy.
- Add the flour on a low speed and beat just until all of the flour is well incorporated.
- Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap or parchment and roughly shape into a disk or square. (if you are making this dough as a slice and bake cookie, shape the dough into a cylinder)
- Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap or parchment and refrigerate until fully chilled (at least 2 hours)
- When your dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 300℉
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about ⅓ inch thick and cut into your desired shape using a cookie cutter or a butter knife. (For the slice and bake method, remove your dough from the plastic wrap and slice the dough into ⅓ inch slices and place on the baking tray.)
- Place on a baking sheet about ½ inch apart and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- After 20-25 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool for one minute on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Once completely cool, you can store in an airtight container for 3-5 days. For long term storage, you can place these cookies or the uncooked dough into the freezer.
