Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

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Our Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies are a small batch delight. Not only do these cookies have an exquisite touch of lavender, but they also boast a zesty lemon flavor. Mix this dough up in one bowl in a matter of minutes! Get ready for a captivating aroma and delectable treat with these Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies!

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Overhead of a stack of lemon lavender shortbread cookies.

Mix It, Bake It, & Eat It!

This lemon-lavender combination shortbread cookie is truly delicious. One of my favorites to snack on with a cup of chamomile tea.

Love lemony desserts like I do? Try my Lemon Blueberry Cookies or Easy Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake with Sour Cream!

How To Enjoy Lemon Cookies with Lavender

Serve with fresh fruit for a light and refreshing dessert.
Crumble on top of your favorite ice cream for a unique twist.
Pack in lunch boxes as an afternoon treat for your kiddos, or yourself!
Share with friends or family during the holidays.
Wrap up in packages and gift to neighbors, teachers, and other loved ones.

Gathering Your Ingredients

Unsalted Butter – With the price of butter, we will take what we can get! However, using a nice quality butter will give a nice buttery flavor.
White Granulated Sugar
Zest of 1 Lemon – Little flecks of lemon zest throughout the shortbread cookie really gives a nice punchy flavor.
Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice or bottled will work fine, though fresh is best. Meyer lemons are wonderful in this recipe, If you don’t have access to them, any lemon will be okay.
Dried Lavender – Honestly you can use dried lavender flowers or fresh lavender. Really whichever you have readily available to you.
All Purpose Flour
Salt

Kitchen Supplies I Use

Hand mixer

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Culinary Lavender

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Fruit Zester

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How To Make Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar.
In a small bowl mix together the lemon zest, lemon juice, lavender, and salt. Whisk to combine then add to the creamed butter mixture.
Sift in the flour and mix together.
Knead the cookie dough and shape it into a log about 2 inches thick. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the chilled cookie dough and cut it into slices 1/2 an inch thick.
Let the cookies bake for 11-13 minutes until lightly browned. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to let the cookies cool completely.

Cookie dough being rolled into a log on plastic wrap.

Cookie dough log wrapped in plastic wrap.

Storage Recommendations for Lemon Cookies:

Store the lemon lavender cookies in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for about a week. I like to keep mine in a cookie jar next to our tea kettle.

Freezing Cookies: Store your baked lemon shortbread cookies in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

Freezing Cookie Dough: Freezing this cookie dough is perfect if you’re making large batches at a time to enjoy for many occasions. After rolling your cookie dough in to a log shape with plastic wrap, wrap it again to ensure full coverage. Put one or many cookie dough rolls into a large freezer safe bag. Store for up to 6 months.

Recipe Variations:

As easy as slicing the chilled dough into circles is, you can also roll this dough out to a 1/2 inch thick and use any 2-inch cookie cutter to make any lovely shape you choose. Place the cutouts onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill before baking.
Try using a fun rolling pin for some beautiful designs! I like this embossed rolling pin.

A stack of lemon lavender shortbread cookies.

Recipe FAQs:

What types of lemons should I use for Lemon Lavender Cookies?

We used small seedless lemons for this recipe, found at whole foods. I love how thin the skin is and how sour the juice is.

Can you eat lavender?

Yes, fresh and dried lavender buds are safe to eat! In this recipe, it adds a wonderful hint of floral flavor that compliments the lemon zest nicely. If the lavender flavor is a touch too much, drizzle a thin lemon glaze on top for balance. Make sure when buying lavender to purchase food grade or culinary lavender. This will ensure there are no pesticides or chemicals on the lavender buds.

Can I substitute dried lavender flowers with fresh ones?

Yes, you can use fresh lavender flowers instead of dried ones. The flavor will be more intensified with fresh lavender, so start small and adjust to taste.

Expert Tips

Use the best quality butter you can find – it gives the cookies a richer flavor and better texture.
Don’t overbake the cookies or they will become dry and crunchy. Aim for light golden brown edges and a soft center.
Let the cookies cool completely if you plan to decorate your creations with royal icing or other frostings.
Chill the dough for at least 2 hours so your cookies hold their shape and don’t spread in the oven.

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Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

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Total Time: 3 hours 12 minutes
Yield: 10–12 cookies 1x

Ingredients

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1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature

1/3 cup White Granulated Sugar

Zest of 1 Meyer Lemon

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

1/2 tablespoon Dried Lavender

1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour

1/4 teaspoon Salt

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Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar.
In a small bowl mix together the lemon zest, lemon juice, lavender, and salt. Whisk to combine then add to the creamed butter and sugar.
Sift in the flour and mix together.
Knead the cookie dough and shape it into a log about 2 inches thick. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the chilled cookie dough and cut it into slices 1/2 an inch thick.
Bake for 11-13 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way.