Lavender is probably my favorite aromatic flower to use in baking. It lends itself to desserts such as custard, bread, ice cream and cookies. I also love to use it in drinks and savory recipes too! Just search “lavender” and you will find a bunch of recipes.
This cookie recipe is heavenly to say the least. From grinding up the lavender sugar to the aroma of the cookies baking and finally sampling these slightly floral cookies with a white chocolate drizzle – they are indeed a special treat!
Recipe adapted from Food Network.
Slice-and-Bake Lavender Cookies with White Chocolate Glaze
- 3 tbsp. dried lavender ground fine and reserve 1/4 tsp. for glaze
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Using a spice or coffee grinder pulse the lavender until finely ground. Set aside 1/4 tsp. to add to the white chocolate glaze. Add 1/4 cup sugar to the remaining lavender in the coffee grinder and pulse again until the lavender sugar is fine.
Combine the butter, lavender sugar, the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the confectioners’ sugar, salt and vanilla in a large bowl.Beat on medium high speed for about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and beat until combined for 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour and beat until the mixture comes together about 1-2 minutes.
Divide the dough in half, place each on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into 10-inch logs. Wrap and refrigerate until very firm, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
You can either position your oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven or just use the center rack. I prefer to bake only one cookie sheet at a time as I feel the cookies turn out better (in my oven).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line the cookie sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap one log and slice into 3/8-inch thick rounds. Place 2-inches apart and bake 20-25 minutes (only 15 minutes in my oven) until the edges are golden brown. I turn the cookie sheet after 7 minutes of baking so the cookies bake evenly. Repeat with the second log or it can be frozen.
Glaze:
- 4 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped (Ghirardelli white vanilla flavored melting wafers or Ghirardelli white chocolate bar)
- 2 tbsp. half and half (if using the chocolate bar)
- 1/4 tsp. reserved lavender from above
- purple sprinkles and sugar for topping
Combine the white chocolate (half-and-half if using) and the reserved lavender in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Stir until melted for about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until the glaze thickens slightly. Drizzle over the cookies and top with sprinkles. Let set for a few hours.
Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com
Cookies look so pretty auntjuju. I have never used lavender. Now I am tempted to buy if I can get here.
Oh, you should give it a try Deeksha – it is my absolute favorite herb. It gives just a slight floral taste and when you taste it in recipes you know there is some special ingredient 🙂
Indeed!!
You know my heart’s desire. Lavender. 💜🍃
Yes, you appreciate the delicate flavor lavender gives to recipes and it’s such a pretty herb besides 🙂
Such pretty cookies! I can smell the lavender aroma all the way from the screen. This goes on my “to make soon” list! 🙂
I just love cooking with ingredients that make me happy and my kitchen smelled good too 🙂
🙂
Sounds like some flavour packed cookies!!
It’s a really nice shortbread-type cookie with just the faintest flavor of lavender. We love them 🙂
these look so pretty. i love flower-scented foods, and i always wonder when people say oh it tastes like grandma’s facepowder:-) i made a violet and white chocolate drink ages ago; it was just lovely. cheers
sherry
Thanks Sherry – the recipes I have made no one knows there are floral accents (unless I tell them). They just know the recipe has a special and delicate taste. I once made a custard using lavender and I added too much. Lavender on its own is too strong but when added to other ingredients it is delicious 🙂
Judi, I don’t consider myself a baker although I do bake bread and make cookies. I’m always looking for new and yummy sounding cookies and your Lavender Cookies with White Chocolate Glaze fit that bill perfectly. I’ve pinned this to my cookie board and in a couple of months when we harvest and dry our French lavender I will be making a batch of these.
Thanks Ron – I hope you have a chance to try them. One thing nice about dried lavender is that it keeps its delicious light floral flavor. I still had some from last year and I am now drying more – just have to harvest before the buds open 🙂
I have some dried lavender. I am going to remember this the next time I make cookies. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Lavender is a wonderful ingredient to bake with. It also makes a beautiful bouquet of fragrant flowers 🙂