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Sweet, dainty, lavender lemon sugar cookies for your Tuesday (summer) baking. Lightly sweetened buttery shortbread cookies hinted with lavender and lemon. Decorate simply with edible flowers for the easiest and prettiest, buttery summer cookie. Easy to make, so pretty, and delicious!
It’s not a secret that I love making things not only taste delicious, but look delicious, and hopefully even pretty too. It’s not always the easiest task, but I try and try again until I feel like I’ve been able to capture just how delicious a recipe is. Trust me, it can be hard. But these cookies?
I didn’t even have to try. I just created, styled, and baked. Sure I spent time on them, but you guys? These cookies are always going to turn out pretty…and yes, I promise you that they taste delicious too. These cookies are not just all about their looks, and I couldn’t be more excited to share them.
And even better? You’d think these cookies would take a lot of time and effort but in reality? They’re actually so easy…and they’re almost impossible to mess up.
Simple, simple.
So delicious.
Pretty, dainty, and summery.
Just a few of my favorites things.
Here is the story.
I’ve wanted to make edible flower cookies for the longest time. It all started last summer, around mid to late August. I was working on planning the wedding cakes for my brother Brendan’s upcoming September wedding. Lyn’s, my now sister-in-law, had asked if I would make their wedding cakes. I hesitated, but I just couldn’t say no. One of the ideas that Lyn’s had was to make one of my layer cakes. This blackberry lavender naked cake to be exact. But she asked if I could decorate it with dried edible flowers.
I loved the idea so much, but I never got around to drying the flowers and ended up just using fresh. It was all fine, and still pretty, but from that point on, I really wanted to bake cookies with that idea in mind. I knew if I put fresh flowers on a cookie, the flowers would obviously dry up as the cookies baked. I’ve seen it done before but have never gotten around to testing a recipe myself.
Until now. With all of our lavender growing in the garden (it smells incredible and is one of my favorite herbs/flowers we are growing), I made it my goal this summer to finally bake these cookies that I’ve been dreaming up for the past year. This past week I finally went for it.
And you know what? I was expecting to have to do a lot of testing and spend way too much time on these, but I got them right on the very first try. Everything from the cookie, to the flavors, and the decorations.
I was shocked and excited.
I guess sometimes dreaming does pay off.
I love these cookies!
To make these lavender lemon sugar cookies…
You really only need some lavender, a few pantry staples, and some edible flowers…if you’d like.
Now, first things first. You do not have to use edible flowers as I’ve done. The flowers on top of the cookies are really just decoration. It’s the lavender and the lemon that flavor these cookies and make them so delicious. So while I love the finished look the edible flowers give, you don’t have to use them.
Start off by making the lavender sugar. It’s simply dried lavender, lemon zest, and sugar. The trick is grinding the lavender in the food processor to start breaking it down. If you don’t have a food processor, you can grind the lavender in a coffee grinder, or use a mortar and pestle to grind it down. Or just simply use your fingertips to crush the lavender up into pieces.
Once the lavender is crushed, mix it with the sugar and lemon. Now you have lavender lemon sugar.
Next, beat the dough together. It too is simple…lots of butter, some of that lavender lemon sugar, vanilla, and flour. Easy.
Once the dough comes together, roll it out. Then cut the dough into circles.
At this point, simply brush the cookies with a beaten egg and sprinkle on the remaining lavender lemon sugar. You can now bake the cookies or decorate with flowers. If you’re decorating with flowers, it’s easy, gently press your flowers into each cookie and then bake. It’s important to note that as the cookie bakes, the flowers will shrivel up a bit and lose color. I actually found that I loved this “vintage” feel that the cookies took on.
So pretty, but not perfect, the flowers give the cookies an almost old look, I love it!
But really, how do the cookies actually taste?
Good…really good. Or delectable as I now love to say.
The cookie itself is so buttery and light. It’s sweet, but not overly so and hinted just perfectly and subtly with both lavender and lemon.
Here’s what I will say, personally, I don’t eat the edible flowers on top of the cookies…I find them to be pretty flavorless. Since the flowers dry up in the oven, they’re pretty easy to just pluck right off before eating.
Some edible flowers notes…
I order my edible flowers through Gourmet Sweet Botanicals, which deliverers via overnight shipping and has never let me down. I found the dahlias to bake up the nicest, but the pansies were pretty too, though they shriveled up the most. I also loved these little yellow sun daisies and found them to be so pretty and summery.
Oddly, I didn’t use any chamomile, but I’m sure that would be great and so pretty.
Oh, and then I also added our fresh lavender, both in the cookie and for decoration. That bakes up really nice too.
And with that, I will leave you to your cookie baking.
Another note…These will make the perfect summer afternoon snack or dessert when broken up over vanilla ice cream with fresh berries and a drizzle of honey. So many options with these cookies.
Have fun with them and enjoy!
And if you do bake these, please share the photos. I can’t wait to see what you guys create!
Looking for other summer floral-inspired recipes? Here are some favorites:
Blackberry Lavender Naked Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream
Blackberry Lavender White Chocolate Scones
Strawberry Chamomile Naked Cake
Lastly, if you make this these lavender lemon sugar cookies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lavender Lemon Sugar Cookies.
Servings: 22
Calories Per Serving: 155 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons dried lavender
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus more for rolling
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 egg white
- edible flowers, such as pansies, lavender, dahlias, and chamomile (optional)
Instructions
- 1. To make the lavender sugar. Add the lavender to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the sugar and lemon zest, pulse to combine. 2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, 1/2 cup lavender sugar, and the vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the flour and salt. Beat until combined, and the dough begins to form a ball. If the dough is crumbly, add 1-2 tablespoons milk or water until the dough comes together.3. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured parchment to 1/4 inch thickness. Make sure you're using enough flour or your dough will stick. Cut out the cookies using a 3 inch circle cookie cutter or cut into similar size squares. Carefully transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. I recommend using a spatula to lift the cookies. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes. Roll out the leftover scraps, and repeat with the dough.4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Brush each cookie with beaten egg white, then sprinkle with the remaining lavender sugar. If using edible flowers, gently push them into each cookie to adhere. Bake the cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 12-14 minutes or until just lightly golden on the edges. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
Edible Flowers: I order all my edible flowers from Gourmet Sweet Botanicals. You can eat the flowers or pick them off prior to eating. We prefer to pick the flowers off, then enjoy the cookies!
Dried Lavender: You can order dried lavender online or pick up at most Whole Foods. I order mine from Amazon.
If you don't have a food processor: you can grind the lavender in a coffee grinder, use a mortar and pestle to grind it down, or simply use your fingertips to crush the lavender up into pieces.
Hi! These cookies look absolutely lovely and I’m going to make them today! Do the flowers add any flavor? Or are they just there to look pretty?
Hey Erin,
They are just for looks:) Please let me know if you have any other questions!! xTieghan
Our bookclub read Fresh Water For Flowers recently. It was a beautifully written novel set in a French cemetery. So what did we do? We met in a lovely local cemetery and my friend delighted us with your Lavender Lemon Sugar Cookies beautifully decorated with, of course, flowers. If I could add a photo, I would!!
Awe thanks so much for sharing Karla!! Thanks for trying the recipe:) xTieghan
I thought these were going to be sweet, but instead, they are more savory. That’s a good thing, because everything at my office has been sweet lately. I signed up to bring something for our month of holiday treats in the office, and these were perfect. I wish the embossed rolling pin I purchased off Amazon rolled the design out a little deeper 🙁 The biscuits (as I’m calling them) are pretty, and are surprising in taste.
Hi Terri,
Happy Holidays! Thank you so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!?? xTieghan
You never added the egg
Hey Cheyenne,
The egg is used in step 4:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Could you make these as a slice and bake, by rolling the dough into a log and then slicing and baking?
Hey Cheryl,
Sure, I bet that would work well for you. I hope the recipe turns out amazing, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made them! Totally worked. Not quite as pretty as yours, with the little calliopes edges, but they are delicious! Next time I think I’ll try adding a chamomile flower or two 🙂
*scalloped* edges ?
Hey Cheryl,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed and truly appreciate you giving it a try. Have the best week! xTieghan
Tried these and they are delicious! I found that the flowers shrivelled less if you brush more egg white on them after placing them. I ended up with a lot of extra sugar but they still turned out very well. I had similar experiences as some people with crumbly dough but I was still able to roll and cut them no problem!
Hey Emily,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Hi! What are your thoughts on adding some cardamom to this recipe? If so, how much? Got the idea from your latest lemon rolls recipe 🙂
Hey Roya,
I’ve not tried that with this recipe, but I would just add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon. I hope you love these cookies, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Cookies turned out but a few issues. The dough didn’t form at all, I had to end up picking it all up and mushing together to form a dough, even after adding water. Additionally the cook time was really off. Ended up baking for about 18 minutes. Ended up well, but just wanted to let people know!
Hey Haley,
Thanks for trying the recipe, so sorry you had a few issues. Was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? Please let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
Am I supposed to freeze the cookies before baking or freeze the dough to roll out again?
These look delicious and I cannot wait to make them for my tea party!
Hey Rachel,
You are going to freeze the cookies before baking, I finds this helps the cookies hold their shape and not spread as much. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These look so beautiful! Do they freeze well?
Hey Marie,
Thanks! Yes, you can absolutely freeze these. xTieghan
Delicious cookies! Thanks for all the tips!
I am really glad you enjoyed these! Thank you Linda! xTieghan
I’m making these tonight and I’m so excited! Can I add some of the fresh lemon juice to the sugar mixture to make things a little more lemony, or would that mess things up?
Hey Erin,
My only worry is that it would become too sticky. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These are amazing shortbread cookies..the lemon zest just adds so much flavour! These are crisp summery and best Cookies I ever baked, loved the dried flower idea too makes them look so pretty.
Thank you so much Kshama!! xTieghan
I loved the cookies!!! They have so much delicious lavender flavor, but no so much lemon flavor. I’m considering adding some lemon powdered sugar icing for a little zing!! Thanks a lot for sharing your yummy recipe!
Hey Barbara,
Awesome!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xxTieghan
I felt so fancy making these, and my kitchen smelled divine! I followed a commenter’s suggestion to roll these into a log, freeze, and cut them. It was a lot easier but I definitely cut them too thick so I think that messed with both the baking time (20ish mins in a preheated oven) and the consistency (dry and crumbly). The fam liked them, but I was hoping the sugar would stand out a little more. Probably would if I had made them the correct thickness! I sprinkled extra lavender sugar on top when they came out of the oven. Still good, and I’d like to make them again the way the recipe is written to see if it corrects the problems I had.
Hey Taylor,
Happy Friday!!🍀 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it was delish! Let me know if you give these another try! xT
This sugar cookie dough was absolutely heavenly! I made one batch per recipe and a second batch with rose in lieu of lavender. I served them similar to a linzer tart with orange marmalade sandwiched between 2 cookies. Yum!
Thank you so much! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Omg so yummy! Instead of flowers, I added lavender colored sugar along with the lavender sugar. The cookies are almost savory, so the extra sugar doesn’t make them too sweet. Another awesome recipe! Thank you!
Thank you so much Jacki! xTieghan