Christmas Recipes
Lavender Sugar Cookies
Fresh or dried lavender flowers give these buttery cutouts a unique floral flavor and festive look.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon fresh or dried lavender flowers*
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/8 teaspoons salt
- Sanding sugar (natural, white or colored) for decorating
Instructions
- In a small food processor (or with a mortar and pestle), grind lavender flowers with the granulated sugar
.
- Combine the butter and lavender-sugar in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon.
- Cream together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add flour and salt and blend until combined taking care not to over mix (dough should be soft but not sticky).
- Separate dough into two balls and wrap in plastic, flattening each into a flat disc and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. (The dough can also be frozen for months and baked in batches by bringing it to temperature in the refrigerator overnight.)
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove only once disc at a time from the refrigerator, and roll dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin to approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters and place on prepared baking sheets. Decorate with sanding sugar and/or lightly press a lavender sprig or leaf into the cookie and top. (To keep intricate shapes intact, refrigerate baking sheet with shaped cookies for 10 minutes before baking).
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to lightly brown around the edges.
- Carefully remove and cool on wire racks.
- Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
* Fresh or dried lavender flowers can be found in health food stores, herb and spice markets, or through on-line baking supply retailers.
Attribution
Recipe and photo used with permission from:
Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin