Slice and Bake Lavender Shortbread Cookies with Vanilla Icing

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Super simple, perfectly sweet, and deliciously floral. These Slice and Bake Lavender Shortbread Cookies are the perfect easy-to-make treat to enjoy all summer long! Made with only 6 ingredients, these shortbread cookies are infused with a homemade lavender sugar that really elevates the flavor. Then, after baking, they are finished with the easiest vanilla icing and topped with a little extra lavender! Every bite is tender, buttery, perfectly floral, and deliciously sweet. They are sure to be your new summer go-to cookie! SO. GOOD.

About The Recipe

Every year when summer rolls around, I start craving lavender-flavored treats. It’s one of my absolute favorite things! Because, when done right, lavender can be one of the most beautiful flavors.

So, when we saw our local grocery store was selling culinary lavender again and with summer literally right around the corner (gosh, can you believe it?!), we knew we had to make something!

Which, brings us to these cute little cookies.

I am seriously obsessed with them! I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love all of the recipes my mom and I share on the blog…but these cookies are seriously something I’m gonna ask to keep around all the time.

They’re not only easy to make, but they use minimal ingredients, can be made at literally ANY time, and don’t require any rolling out/cutting with a cookie cutter.

All you need is a small food processor, mixer, some parchment paper, a sharp knife, and sheet pans to bake them on! I mean, does it get any better than this?

Well, it actually does because these cookies not only look good, but they taste incredible!

Yes, these cookies are every bite as good as they look!

But, I get it if you’re hesitant. A lot of lavender treats can taste soapy and over-powering. Trust me, I’ve had my fair share!!

But these cookies are the perfect balance between subtle and loud. The first bite, there’s a soft floral flavor, complimented by the sweet tenderness of the buttery shortbread. It just melts in your mouth.

Then, with a bite of the icing with the dried lavender on top, the cookie is more distinct in it’s flavor, with just the right amount of sweetness to compliment the lavender.

Trust me. These cookies are guaranteed to become your new go-to cookie for any and every occasion during the spring and summer months!

What is Shortbread?

Shortbread is a type of cookie, or “biscuit” in British English, that is traditionally made of one part white sugar, two parts butter, and four parts flour. Unlike many other cookies, shortbread does not contain any leavening agents.

Though, over the years, the classic shortbread has been adapted by many to intensify its flavor and richness by adding things like eggs, salt, or spices.

The term, “short”, comes from the texture of the cookie. The secret behind any great shortbread is mixing as little as possible! The less the dough is worked, the more tender and the more crumbly/short the cookie will be.

What is The Best Lavender To Use?

Now that we know exactly what a shortbread is, let’s dig into lavender!

There are so many different types and varieties of lavender that it can seem a bit overwhelming. Well, luckily for you, you can buy what is referred to as “culinary lavender”!

This is a type of lavender that is commonly known as “true” or “English” lavender. It has a lot less oil than many other lavenders, which means that this will yield in a sweeter, more subtle, and palatable flavor!

Reasons You Will Love These Lavender Shortbread Cookies

• The cookies need only 6 ingredients!
• Not too floral, perfectly sweet, and SO delicious.
• Can be made in-advance.
• Uses egg yolks to add richness and flavor to the shortbread.
• Perfect for the spring and summer months!

Equipment Needed

• Small Food Processor
• Stand Mixer
• Parchment Paper
• Sharp Knife
• Sheet Pans
• Mixing Bowl
• Whisk

Ingredients

Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For The Cookies:

• Granulated Sugar – Adds sweetness and promotes browning.
• Culinary Lavender – Creates a sweet floral flavor in every bite!
• Salted Butter – Be sure to use room temperature butter for this recipe.
• Egg Yolks – Not only do the eggs act as an emulsifier for this recipe, but it adds a richness to these cookies at makes them simply irresistible!
• Vanilla Extract – We added a splash of vanilla to not only round out the flavor in this cookie, but also to tone down the lavender slightly.
• All-Purpose Flour – No need for specialty flours for this recipe! Using all-purpose flour creates the perfect texture and structure in this recipe.

For The Icing:

• Powdered Sugar – Sift the powdered sugar to ensure no lumps in your icing!
• Whole Milk – We added just enough milk to have a slightly thick, but not too thick icing that sets perfectly on top of each cookie.
• Vanilla Extract – A splash of vanilla is a must-have for this icing!

How To Make Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Step 1: Make lavender sugar

Combine ¼ cup sugar with lavender in bowl of small food processor or spice grinder. Process until lavender is finely ground.

Step 2: Prepare dough

Add sugar, lavender sugar, and butter to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Beat in egg yolks, one at a time.

Mix in vanilla.

Add the flour and mix only to blend.

Step 3: Roll and refrigerate

Turn dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Roll into a log that is 9 inches long. Roll up in parchment. Refrigerate 2 hours, or overnight.

Step 4: Slice and bake

Remove dough from refrigerator and slice into ¼ inch rounds. Place on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 12 minutes, until just starting to brown around the edges.

Step 5: Make icing

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

Spread on top of cookies.

FAQ’s and Troubleshooting

Why did my cookies brown so much while baking?

If your cookies are over-brown, this could be caused by two things. Your oven temperature may be running hotter than the temperature it’s set at (use an oven thermometer to check your oven temp before baking!), or the cookies were sliced thinner than stated in the recipe card and became over-baked.

Decorating Ideas

If you’re looking for a way to make these cookies even cuter, here’s a quick list of our favorite ways to decorate these cookies.

• Once the cookies are iced, you can add a few pieced of culinary lavender on top! This will also intensify the lavender flavor, so if you aren’t looking for a stronger flavor, you may not want to do this.
• Before baking the cookies, you can press edible flowers on top of each cookie and bake them. You could also add the flowers on top of the icing after baking, if desired!
• Roll the log of cookie dough in a purple or pink decorating sugar!
• Instead of spreading the icing in the center of each cookie, you can dip half of the cookie into the icing! You could also drizzle the icing over the cookies.

How To Store

Once these cookies are baked and cooled, you can store these cookies in an airtight container or zip top bag and keep on the counter for about a week without the icing. If they’re iced, you can store them in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months!

Looking for more recipes like this? Here are a few you may like:

Lavender Ice Cream

Blackberry Lavender Cupcakes

Honey Lavender Truffles

Key Lime Slice and Bake Cookies

Pecan Shortbread Slice and Bake Cookies

Expert Tips

• Make sure that you use culinary grade lavender for this recipe!
• Be careful to not over mix the cookie dough.
• Don’t skip refrigerating the dough! It needs to be cold so it will cut.
• In a hurry? You can freeze dough for 15-20 minutes instead of refrigerating!
• To get evenly sized cookies, use a ruler or tape measure to measure and mark the dough at ¼ inch increments.
• Make sure you take the cookies out of the oven just as they start to turn color. They don’t need to be browned!
• These cookies taste better after they’ve cooled.

When you make these Slice and Bake Lavender Shortbread Cookies with Vanilla Icing, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.