Iced Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies (Printer-friendly)

Buttery cookies with aromatic lavender and zesty lemon, finished with sweet icing for a refreshing treat.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Shortbread Dough

01 - 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
02 - 2/3 cup (80 g) powdered sugar
03 - 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
04 - 1 tsp culinary dried lavender, finely chopped
05 - 1/4 tsp salt
06 - 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

→ Lemon Icing

07 - 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted
08 - 2 to 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
10 - 1/2 tsp dried lavender buds for garnish (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
02 - Add the lemon zest, chopped lavender, and salt to the butter mixture. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
03 - Gradually pour in the all-purpose flour while mixing. Continue mixing just until the dough forms a cohesive ball and no dry flour streaks remain visible. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender texture.
04 - Divide the dough into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a log approximately 2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes or until firm enough to slice cleanly.
05 - Set oven temperature to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
06 - Remove the chilled dough logs from refrigerator. Using a sharp knife, slice each log into rounds approximately 1/4-inch thick. Arrange the cookie rounds on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie.
07 - Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven. Bake for 14-16 minutes until the edges develop a light golden color. The centers should remain pale.
08 - Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes after removing from oven. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely before applying icing.
09 - In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth and glossy. Add additional lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too thick to drizzle.
10 - Drizzle or spread the lemon icing generously over each cooled cookie. If desired, sprinkle a few dried lavender buds on top of the icing while still wet. Allow the icing to set completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The buttery crumble literally melts on your tongue while the lemon wakes up your senses
  • These look fancy enough for a garden party but come together with basic pantry staples
  • That subtle floral note makes people ask what your secret ingredient is every single time
02 -
  • Lavender is incredibly potent—stick to culinary-grade and measure precisely unless you want cookies that taste like perfume
  • Chilling the dough isn't optional here—warm dough spreads into weird blobs that look nothing like the elegant rounds you imagined
  • That first batch where I forgot to line the baking sheet taught me everything I need to know about the importance of parchment paper
03 -
  • Freeze the wrapped dough logs for up to a month—slice and bake straight from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the baking time
  • If you only have salted butter, skip the added salt in the recipe entirely
  • A pizza cutter makes the cleanest slices through chilled dough if you prefer square cookies

Go back