Iced Lemon Lavender Shortbread (Print Page)
Buttery shortbread cookies with fragrant lavender and zesty lemon, finished with a sweet lemon icing for an elegant treat.
# What You Need:
→ Shortbread Dough
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
02 - 2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
03 - 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
04 - 1 tsp culinary dried lavender buds, finely chopped
05 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
→ Lemon Glaze
07 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
08 - 2 to 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
09 - 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
10 - 1/2 tsp dried lavender buds for garnish
# Directions:
01 - Beat softened butter and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl until pale and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
02 - Fold in lemon zest, chopped lavender, and salt until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
03 - Gradually incorporate flour, mixing on low speed just until dough forms and no dry flour remains visible. Avoid overmixing.
04 - Divide dough into two equal portions. Roll each into a 2-inch diameter log, wrap securely in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm.
05 - Set oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
06 - Cut chilled dough logs into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place on prepared baking sheets with 1-inch spacing between cookies.
07 - Bake for 14-16 minutes until edges turn golden brown. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until smooth and glossy. Adjust consistency with additional lemon juice if needed.
09 - Drizzle or spread glaze over completely cooled cookies. Garnish with lavender buds and allow glaze to set before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lavender and lemon combination creates this sophisticated flavor that makes people think you spent forever on them
- Shortbread dough is incredibly forgiving, so even if you are new to baking these will turn out beautifully
02 -
- Letting these logs chill in the fridge is absolutely essential because warm dough will spread into misshapen blobs instead of keeping those neat round edges
- Glutenfree flour blends work beautifully here if you need them, but your dough might feel slightly softer so give it extra chilling time
03 -
- If your dough logs feel too soft to slice cleanly, pop them in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting
- Rotate your baking sheets halfway through cooking so they brown evenly