Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

I love the texture of shortbread cookies. Delicate, tender, and with just the right amount of crunch, they will melt in your mouth like warm butter on toast. They are the perfect Spring cookie and would make a wonderful Easter or Mother's day treat.

And let's be real, these cookies aren't just delicious - they're downright classy. They're perfect for those fancy tea parties you see in movies where everyone wears white gloves and talks in British accents.

If you know any lemon purists, you can always serve these lemon drop cookies dipped in lemon icing, but they will be missing out on all the lavender love.

This recipe uses easy ingredients. The lavender buds can be found online or in well-stocked grocery stores in the spice section. Make sure your lavender says culinary or food grade.

• Butter
• Sugar
• Lemon zest
• Vanilla extract
• Lavender buds (culinary grade)
• All-purpose flour
• Salt

See recipe card for quantities.

A kitchen stand mixer is ideal here, it makes combining the dough so much easier. If you don't have one, you can use a handheld mixer. You will also need a rolling pin, a cookie cutter, and baking sheets.

Need a visual to help you master this recipe? You have come to the right section. Full instructions are in the recipe card.

After mixing all the ingredients, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using your hands, bring the dough together until it forms a rough ball. Flatten into a disk with your hands.

At this point, you can place the dough in the fridge for a bit if it's gotten too soft to roll. Roll the dough into a rough circle about ¼ inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, start cutting shapes, and place them on a prepared baking sheet.

Helpful hint: I use a 2.5-inch cookie cutter, which yields 16 cookies. Your final cookie amount will depend on the thickness of your shortbread and the size of the cookie cutter you used.

• Try swapping out the lemon zest for orange zest.
• Add fresh herbs. Thyme or sage would work well here.
• If you are not a fan of lavender, you can omit it altogether.
• To save time, this shortbread can be baked in a 9-inch baking pan. Press the dough into the pan, and poke holes in the top. You will need to increase the baking time since it will be thicker.
• You can drizzle the cooled cookies with melted white chocolate or a simple glaze of confectioner's sugar and lemon.

These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature. You can also stored baked and cooled shortbread cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Since these cookies are buttery, use high-quality butter. Ensure the butter is at room temperature before combining it with the sugar.

Spreading can occur from overworking the dough. The dough should be crumbly but still, come together. You can try refrigerating the dough before baking to help with spreading by solidifying the butter.