Lavender Lemon Shortbread Cookies (2024)

One of the best spring flavor combinations - lavender and lemon - is on the blog today with my super cute, spring flower themed lavender lemon shortbread cookies. Tart, sweet and silky lemon curd sandwiched between buttery, tender, and light lavender lemon shortbread cookies are a must bake this season.

Culinary lavender, dried or fresh, is what gives these cookies their lavender flavor. Lavender can be purchased at specialty grocery stores and also online. The lemon and lavender are well balanced so that you get flavors from both that are lovely, sweet and fragrant, not soapy and pungent. It's a truly delicious combination.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• This lemon curd recipe is my go to. This curd is silky, and tart with the right amount of sweetness. And no metallic taste that can sometimes accompany citrus curds. Perfect for these cookies, but also atop scones, pancakes, and more.
• The shortbread is buttery, tender and crumbly, just like shortbread cookies should be.
• These cookies are perfect for any spring events - Easter, Mother's Day, tea parties, showers and more.
• Easy to follow recipe with step by step photo instructions for perfect cookies every time.

Recipe Ingredients

Eggs

Granulated sugar

Lemon zest

Lemon juice - fresh squeezed, not the bottled stuff

Fine sea salt

Unsalted butter

All purpose flour

Lavender - dried or fresh, culinary grade

Confectioners sugar

Vanilla extract

Recipe Instructions

Prepare the lemon curd first since it needs to chill a couple hours before assembling the cookies.

1. Combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Mix the zest into the sugar until it is grainy, moist and very fragrant. Working the lemon zest into the sugar maximizes and intensifies the lemon flavor of the curd.
2. Whisk in the egg and egg yolks, whisking until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.
3. Whisk in the lemon juice.
4. Transfer the lemon mixture to a small saucepan. Place the butter and the salt into the saucepan.
5. Cook the curd until thickened, stirring constantly, until the curd reaches 175F.
6. Strain the curd into a bowl with a fine mesh sieve.
7. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the curd to prevent it from forming a skin. refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
8. Prepare the cookie dough. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Combine the flour, lavender, lemon zest, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine, for 30 seconds.

9. Cream the butter and granulated sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes.
10. Beat in the flour mixture, until just combined.
11. Turn the mixture out onto some plastic wrap and form into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the dough for 1 hour.
12. Roll out the dough, about ⅛"- ¼" thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out shapes with a flower shaped cookie cutter (or a cookie cutter of your choice).
13. Place the cookie cut outs onto the prepared cookie sheets. Use a small 1" round cookie cutter to cut out holes in the centers of half of the flower shapes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
14. Bake the cookies for 16-20 minutes, until the edges start to turn a light, golden brown.
15. Once the cookies are cool, dust a light layer of confectioners sugar onto the cookies with the holes. These will be the tops of the cookie sandwiches.
16. On the cookies without the cut out centers, dollop 1.5-2 teaspoons of the chilled lemon curd in the center of each of cookie. Spread the curd out just a bit. Place the confectioners dusted cookies on top and press gently to push the curd to the edges of the cookies. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Baking Tips

• As when making any kind of shortbread, a light hand is required when mixing and cutting out the cookies. When beating the butter and the sugar, beat just until well combined. Avoid beating too much air into the mixture as it can cause the cookies to spread.
• I like to roll the dough out on a silicone mat. Parchment paper also works well. Placing a piece of parchment over the dough and then rolling it out prevents the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. This method also prevents too much reworking of the dough, keeping the cookies tender and light.

Storage and Freezing

Assembled cookies can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months.

Lemon curd can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

FAQs

If you make my lavender lemon shortbread cookies, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

More Lemon Recipes to Try

Lemon Jasmine Blueberry Scones

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Meyer Lemon Ginger Tart with Toasted Honey Meringue

Lavender Lemon Shortbread Bars

Lemon Biscotti with Pistachios and White Chocolate

Recipe