lavender lemon shortbread bars are the most lovely springtime cookies!

how pretty are these lavender lemon shortbread bars?

SO excited to be sharing these lavender lemon shortbread bars today!

Longtime readers know that I love the combination of lemon and lavender. I’ve used this combo in scones, a Dutch baby, meringues and the most delicious hand pies, and knew it would be perfect in a cookie too!

what is shortbread?

Classic shortbread cookies are made from nothing more than sugar, butter and flour. The dough is pressed into a pan, chilled, scored and baked. They’re delicious “as is”, or with a sky’s-the-limit range of flavors! I’ve done coffee, lime, margarita, chocolate, tahini and pistachio, but you can truly use whatever you like!

have you ever cooked or baked with flowers?

Many years ago I created cookies using fresh flowers. The blooms were pressed into the cookies prior to baking, and while they were certainly pretty, the flowers lost their brightness in the oven. I wanted to figure out a way to keep the colors vibrant, so I added the flowers AFTER the cookies were baked. They came out just the way I wanted!

frequently asked questions!

These cookies are SO easy and pretty, and perfect for Mother’s Day or any spring/summer celebration – let me know if you make them!

Lavender Lemon Shortbread Bars

sherisilver

Pretty, colorful, delicious shortbread bars, decorated with real fresh flowers!

4.50 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 16

Calories 130 kcal

Equipment

• Sheet pans
• pre-cut parchment sheets
• parchment paper
• stand mixer
• 8 x 8 baking pan
• whisk

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the flowers:

• Assorted edible flowers

For the shortbread crust:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 heaping tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• large pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon culinary dried lavender buds

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 - 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

 

Prepare the flowers:

• Cut the flowers right at the top of the stem, leaving just enough to keep the petals intact. Place upside down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with another piece of parchment and weight with heavy books or pans for at least 30 minutes.

Make the shortbread:

• Beat the butter and both sugars till light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and add the lemon juice - beat again. Scrape down the sides and add the flour, lemon zest, cornstarch, salt and lavender buds. Beat till just incorporated.
• Line an 8" x 8" baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides. Transfer the dough to the pan and use a piece of plastic wrap to press into an even layer. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Use the parchment paper to remove the dough from the pan, and cut into 16 squares. Return to the pan and pierce each square with a fork (this is called "docking", and allows steam to escape during baking so the cookies don't puff up). Bake till light golden brown, about 20 - 25 minutes.
• Cool the cookies in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then use a small knife to gently re-cut the squares. Let cool in the pan completely.

Make the glaze:

• Whisk the sugar, corn syrup, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice till smooth. If the glaze is still too thick add more lemon juice, a bit at a time, till the desired consistency is achieved.
• Use the parchment paper to remove the cooled cookies from the pan, and place them on the wire rack. Slip the parchment paper under the rack to catch any drips.
• Working with one cookie at a time, dip the top into the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off. Return to the rack and repeat with the remaining cookies. Place a flower atop each cookie, pressing in gently to adhere. If you have any leftover zest you can sprinkle that on as well. Allow the cookies to set completely before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 2mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 178IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg

Keywords cookies, flowers, lavender, lemon, shortbread

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