There’s something undeniably magical about lavender shortbread cookies—a classic recipe that brings together culinary lavender with rich, buttery shortbread in the most timeless way. If you’ve been searching for a go-to recipe for lavender shortbread cookies, one that’s simple yet sophisticated, you’ve just found your new favorite,

Whether you’re baking for a bridal shower, garden gathering, or just treating yourself to something special with a warm cup of tea, these cookies are a beautiful way to celebrate the softer side of seasonal baking. It’s hard to imagine having a bad day with lavender shortbread + a lavender latte in hand.

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

Table of Contents

Why this recipe works:

We have the most delicious shortbread, with a delicate and super fine crumb that bake super crispy if you like them that way!
Easy to roll out dough – perfect for cutting shapes
Delicious and adaptable flavors, replace lavender with something else you have on hand like chamomile, rose or jasmine, we have recipes for those too!

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 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 will want to weigh their ingredients. I baked 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 throw off a recipe. And if I’m going through all the trouble to bake, I want to ensure it comes out just as 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. 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

Visit our amazon store front for everything we use at Frolic and Fare!

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 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 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into rectangles 1 1/2×2 inches in size or cut into shapes using a cookie cutter.
Bake for 10-12 minutes in the 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.