Do you have a Christmas recipe that has been in your family for generations? Today I'm sharing my Mom's traditional shortbread cookie recipe with a lavender twist.

You could count on these cookies being served in our childhood home, my grandparent's home, and both of my aunty's homes during the holidays.

When Mom could no longer bake, I made sure to bring her a tin of her shortbread cookies. Now I continue the shortbread tradition in my Mom and Nana's memory except I altered the recipe and I hope they would approve.

Lavender Shortbread Cookie Recipe

Both my Nana and Mom loved the scent and color of lavender. So I decided it would be very fitting to add lavender to the family shortbread recipe.

The infused lavender flavor tastes wonderful and adds such a lovely scent to the cookies. I've included a printable recipe card further down in the post.

Do these shortbread cookies freeze well?

Absolutely! I make them about a month before the holidays and freeze them in an air-tight plastic container.

Most years I run out before Christmas so my suggestion is to double the recipe. This recipe yields 3 - 5 dozen cookies, depending on their size (more about that later).

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Lavender Shortbread Cookie Recipe Ingredients

1 lb butter softened (do not use margarine)
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 - 2 tbsp Lavender Buds (to your preference)
Lavender Sugar

Where can I find culinary lavender buds and sugar?

You want to make sure you use culinary-grade lavender buds and sugar. I found mine from a local company here in Canada and have included links in the ingredients list above.

An alternative is to grow your own lavender for cooking (and decorating) and I share tips in my How To Harvest And Dry Lavender post.

Is the lavender flavor strong?

The lavender is quite potent so you may want to start with just 1 tablespoon and increase the amount in small increments. Less is definitely more, depending on your taste preference.

How To Make Lavender Shortbread Cookies

1. Cut cold butter into small cubes and add to the mixing bowl.
2. Cream butter, icing sugar, and vanilla.
3. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing well until no dry flour remains.
4. Sprinkle 1 - 2 tbsp lavender buds into the flour mixture.
5. Knead the dough to incorporate the flour until the consistency is just ready to crack.
6. Divide dough into 2 equal portions.
7. Shape each portion into long rectangular or round logs (pictured below).
8. Wrap each log in plastic wrap or wax paper.
9. Chill the dough in the refrigerator until easy to cut (approximately 30 minutes).
10. Remove the plastic wrap and cut each log into 1/4 inch thick slices.
11. Pour lavender sugar into a small bowl and dip the tops of the cookies.
12. Arrange them on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
13. Bake in 325°F oven for 12 to 14 minutes until the edges are a light golden brown.
14. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a baking rack.

Should the dough be kneaded by hand or can I use a mixer?

You can do either but my preference is to start with my Kitchen Aid Mixer and then knead by hand onto a floured board until the dough starts to crack.

As promised I've included the printable recipe card below.

Recipe Yield: 3-5 dozen

Author: Interior Frugalista

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Lavender Traditional Shortbread Cookies

prep time: 15 M cook time: 12 M total time: 27 M

A traditional shortbread cookie recipe with an untraditional lavender twist. This recipe has been in my Mom's family for generations!

ingredients:

• 1 lb butter softened (do not use margarine)
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups of flour
• 1 - 2 tbsp Lavender Flower  (to your preference)
• Lavender sugar

instructions:

How to make Lavender Shortbread Cookies

1. Butter should be softened.
2. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the mixing bowl.
3. Cream butter, icing sugar, and vanilla in a mixer.
4. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing well until no dry flour remains.
5. Sprinkle 1 - 2 tbsp lavender into the flour mixture.
6. Knead the dough to incorporate the flour until the consistency is just ready to crack.
7. Divide dough into 2 equal portions.
8. Shape each portion into long rectangular or round logs.
9. Wrap each log with plastic wrap or waxed paper.
10. Chill until easy to cut (approximately 30 minutes).
11. Remove plastic wrap.
12. Cut into 1/4 inch slices.
13. Pour Lavender Vanilla Sugar into a bowl and dip the tops of the cookies.
14. Arrange about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
15. Bake in 325°F oven for 12 to 14 minutes until edges are light golden brown.
16. Let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing.

Calories
1844.87

Fat (grams)
124.27

Sat. Fat (grams)
77.93

Carbs (grams)
165.58

Fiber (grams)
4.50

Net carbs
161.08

Sugar (grams)
37.98

Protein (grams)
18.52

Sodium (milligrams)
976.56

Cholesterol (grams)
325.07

Created using The Recipes Generator

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.

Besides these traditional shortbread cookies in my Mom's honor, I also make these Swedish Pepparkakor cookies every holiday season in honor of my mother-in-law. They are a great dipping cookie that just melts in your mouth.

There is one other cookie that is a family favorite and if I don't bake them during the holidays, I hear about it! These melt-in-your-mouth jelly roll style walnut strudel cookies are divine and another recipe I always double because they go so fast.

Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today! I hope you were inspired to give this lavender shortbread cookie a try.

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Merry Christmas

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