Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

with pressed flowers

desserts

Print Recipe

Servings: 4–6 dozen

Ingredients

1 pound butter (2 cups), room temperature (not margarine)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup cornstarch

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon dried lavender buds

Zest of 1 lemon

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pressed violas or pansies

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line your baking sheets with parchment or a baking mat.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with your mixer for about 2–3 minutes until pale yellow. Add in the powdered sugar and beat for another minute. Next add in the flour and cornstarch and beat until combined. (Alternatively, you can knead the dough with your hands until the dough cracks.)
Gently mix in the lavender buds and lemon zest.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, roll to 1/2-inch thick and cut out using your favorite cutters.
Chill your cookies for about 20 minutes in the freezer. Don’t skip this step!
Bake for 20–30 minutes until just baked through and barely golden on the bottom. Allow to cool on the baking sheet.
For the glaze, mix together the sugar and lemon juice; adding a bit of each until you get the desired consistency. Not so thick that it doesn’t self-level, but not too thin that it drips right off the cookie.
Lightly dip each cooled cookie into the glaze trying to keep it level so that the glaze is evenly distributed. Turn over, let the icing settle for a few seconds and top with a pressed flower, gently pressing into the glaze. Using tweezers to pick up the flowers helps!
Let dry completely before storing in sealed containers, using wax or parchment between layers.