Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies
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Magic happens when lemon, lavender, butter, and sugar meet in the oven. Infused with notes of bright lemon, floral lavender, and sweet vanilla, these buttery lemon lavender shortbread cookies are absolute bliss (and the ideal cookie to bring a touch of spring into your kitchen!).
Sprinkled with sugar and dressed up with a sweet lemon glaze, these pretty cookies are a must bake for your Easter table, Mother’s Day brunch, or spontaneous weekend picnic.
Shortbread Cookie Ingredients
To make these lemon lavender shortbread cookies, you’ll need:
- Granulated sugar
- Fresh lemon zest
- Dried culinary lavender
- Unsalted butter
- Pure vanilla extract
- Salt
- All-Purpose Flour
For the glaze, you’ll need:
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh lemon zest and juice
Make Ahead Shortbread Cookies
Baked and cooled shortbread cookies (unglazed) can be wrapped well and frozen up to 2 months. To thaw cookies, place on wire racks and let stand at room temperature for one hour before topping with lemon glaze.
Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes (plus chilling)
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Buttery lemon lavender shortbread cookies drizzled with sweet and tangy lemon glaze make the perfect spring treat!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 tsp Meyer lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp dried culinary lavender
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar (for sprinkling)
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Meyer lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp Meyer lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine sugar, lemon zest, and lavender in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute until lavender is finely chopped. Beat butter and lemon-lavender sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until combined; add vanilla and salt and beat until incorporated. Scrape down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour just until incorporated and dough begins to come together in large pieces. Scrape dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disk and wrap well. Chill dough in the refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out dough to slightly less than 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured board. Use a floured 2 1/2-inch fluted biscuit cutter to cut out cookies. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut until you have a total of 24 cookies. Place cookies on baking sheets, sprinkle with sugar, and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Bake, rotating pans halfway through, for 14 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden and edges are set. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon zest, and juice in a small bowl. Transfer glaze to a small piping bag and drizzle over cookies; let set before serving.
Notes
Make ahead: Baked and cooled shortbread cookies can be wrapped well and frozen up to 2 months. To thaw cookies, place on wire racks and let stand at room temperature for one hour before glazing.
Keywords: Lemon, Lavender, Shortbread, Shortbread Cookies
More lavender desserts to try:
Blueberry Lavender Crumble Pie
Lavender White Chocolate Madeleines
Lemon Lavender Morning Buns
How long do these last? A few days? A week?
Hi Jasmin, you can store these in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Okay great, thank you!
SOOO GOOOD!!! I will make them forever! My 2 favorites lavender and lemon
★★★★★
So happy to hear that, Emily! 🙂
I had a little difficulty with your cookies. The taste was divine, but in spite of chilling the dough before rolling and again after cutting cookies, they really spread during baking and ended up looking like a lace cookie rather than maintaining their shape. Any thoughts about where I went wrong? I wanted to serve these at a party, so any advice would be appreciated and I’ll try again.
Thanks!
Hi Linda, did you bake the cookies on silicone mats or parchment paper? Sometimes cookies baked on the mats tend to spread more than on parchment paper. Also, did you use regular unsalted butter or a higher fat European butter? A higher fat content may also cause spreading. Hope that helps a bit, I’m always happy to help troubleshoot!
Shortbread is my favorite type of cookie, Laura. And these look so delicate and sweet! 🙂
cookies were a big hit! posted a pic and comment on your fb page 🙂
Thanks Joan! 🙂
Hi Laura. just made the dough and it is in the fridge!! cant wait to try them….and i have to laugh at your comment…will stay for up to 2 months in the freezer……now really..who can leave cookies in the freezer for 2 months? 🙂
will let you know how scrumptious these babies are!
Thanks Joan! Can’t wait to hear what you think – you’ve been missed! 🙂
thanks! life has been busy….baking again though!! 🙂 i just put one of the crumble cookies in the oven…put cherries on this one…. had an apricot one earlier in the week… it is such a good recipe, quick, easy and everyone loves it. will let you know about the lemon/lavender shortbreads tmrw. 😉
Shortbread cookies are such a treat! Lemon and lavender would give such perfum-y flavor. Living it.