These elegant lavender shortbread cookies are a perfect treat for any occasion. They're simple to make and only require five ingredients, but they have the most fantastic aroma from fresh lavender sugar! Learn how to make these fresh and floral delights for a hint of whimsy.

overhead image of miniature picnic baskets with lavender shortbread cookies and a dried lavennder sprig and pretty pink flower

You can find me in the garden, sipping a frothy Lavender London Fog Latte, dunking these irresistible lavender shortbread cookies, happy as can be.

I have a little tradition I started back when we lived on the Mediterranean a few years ago and had lavender growing abundantly. Once a year, I love to make these lavender shortbread cookies and crumble them onto our Lavender Honey Ice Cream and make a fancy sundae. It reminds me of those days when my kids were really little, and we had such a beautiful garden with a swing, and I was their favorite person in the world.

Lavender simply belongs in shortbread, and you couldn't convince me otherwise. Its delicate herbaceous flavor pairs so beautifully with buttery, slightly salty, crumbly shortbread. It's also quite divine in these Lavender Lemon Shortbread Cookies.

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Why you'll love this recipe:

The pairing of lavender and shortbread is a fragrant delight for your senses. The buttery crumbliness complements the gentle scent, while also adding an exciting twist to this traditional cookie recipe!

If you haven't tried baking with lavender, this is the perfect place to start. Once you try, you will be pleasantly surprised with the outcome you'll want to make them repeatedly.

Where to find lavender for baking:

Lavender has become so popular you can often find it in the spice section of your local grocery store. However, you can get it online if you have trouble sourcing it. Look for oraganic food grade lavender. You can add a drop of lavender extract if you prefer a more pronounced lavender flavor. Or make some at home with my lavender extract recipe.

Our tips for perfect shortbread:

We really love our shortbread here. You might have noticed our large collection of botanical shortbreads, like Rose Petal Cardamom Shortbread, Lemon Thyme Shortbread, Pine Needle Shortbread or Orange Rosemary Herbal Shortbread. Here are our top tips for a prefect result.

Choose high quality butter: with so few ingredients, choosing quality butter is important.
Measure ingredients properly: I know not every home baker is going to want to weigh their ingredients. I blogged for years before even considering it! But, now that I weigh my ingredients, I never make a recipe without grams because just a little too much or too little of any one ingredient can really throw off a recipe. And if I'm going through all the trouble to bake, I want to make sure it comes out just as I expected. Here is a great kitchen scale I recommend.If you don't use a kitchen scale, spoon and level your flour for increased likelihood of accuracy.
Chill before baking...sometimes: This recipe has very specific ratios with less butter so that it doesn't bubble and spread, in my experience the dough usually doesn't have to be chilled before baking. However, if I've over handled it or kept it out too long, it still will become very soft and difficult to manage while rolling or cutting shapes. If your shortbread feels too soft, no need to worry. Just pop in the fridge for 20 minutes or so, or until you're ready to bake.
Bake until golden: Despite the recommended baking time, it's best to let the shortbread get slightly golden before removing it from the oven. This ensures they are fully crisp and will continue to harden as they chill for easy handling.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter softened (unsalted) (227 grams)
½ cup icing / powdered sugar (60 grams)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ cup corn starch (68 grams)
1 pinch salt
2 cups all purpose flour (260 grams)
1 tablespoon organic dried lavender
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, or try diy lavender vanilla extract

The tools:

Mortar and pestle or food processor- for making your sugar
Kitchen aid stand mixer or just a good old fashioned bowl and hand mixer for mixing your dough
Parchment paper
Sifter for dry ingredients
Rolling pin, and embossed rolling pin to make them extra pretty!
Cookie cutters or stamps

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How to make them:

Making lavender shortbread cookies is simple as can be!

Using a mortar, pestle, blender, or food processor, make a lavender vanilla sugar. Grind lavender with granulated sugar and vanilla extract until it's a fine powder.
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, lavender vanilla sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and cornstarch until well blended.
Sift flour mixture into your creamed butter, you will likely need to use your hands to form a ball. The dough will be somewhat soft.
Cover your dough with plastic or beeswax wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into rectangles 1 ½x2 inches in size or cut into shapes using a cookie cutter.
Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden at the edges. Cool on wire racks, and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

lavender-shortbread-process-shot-1-creaming-butter — cream butter and lavender sugar

sifting dough for lavender shortbread — cream butter and lavender sugar

Frequently asked questions:

Should you sift flour when making shortbread?

We recommend sifting flour for all baked goods to break up any clumps. It’s especially a good idea in this in a recipe like this that has such few ingredients. However, if you don’t have a sifter, you can skip this step.

Why is my shortbread too soft?

Shortbread contains a high amount of butter, so if you find your shortbread too soft, try chilling the bars before baking. This will allow the butter to harden.

Do I need to poke holes in my shortbread with a fork?

Forking shortbread is not necessary, but it prevents the butter from bubbling. Pricking your shortbread also gives it that signature Scottish shortbread cookie design!

How should I store shortbread cookies?

Because shortbreads have a high fat content, they must be handled carefully to prevent crumbling. To store, arrange your cookies in a single layer, adding a piece of parchment or waxed paper between layers.

How long will shortbread last?

Shortbread cookies keep longer than most other cookies, making them perfect for edible gifts or when you need to make something ahead. They even taste better the next day or two after you bake them! They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to three months.

More lavender recipes:

Frolic and fare also has Lavender shortbread cookie with lemon curd and Lavender lemon shortbread cookie bars for you to try. And if you're not in the mood for shortbread, try lavender honey cupcakes, lavender honey ice cream, How to make lavender granola, Peach lavender pie, lemon lavender scones, lavender lemonade, lavender bee's knees - some of our reader favorite lavender recipes.