Go Back

Iced Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Iced lemon lavender shortbread cookies are buttery, crumbly, and infused with dried culinary lavender and bright lemon zest. After chilling, they bake until the edges are just golden, then get a pale purple-tinted icing drizzle that sets glossy and smooth.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
chill 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 44 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookies
  • 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender, finely ground Grind lavender buds finely so no one bites into a whole bud.
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Icing
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, for icing
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 purple food coloring, optional Use 1–2 drops to tint the icing pale lavender.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the cookie dough
  1. Beat the softened unsalted butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Mix in the lemon zest, finely ground dried culinary lavender, and salt until evenly distributed.
  3. Gradually add the all-purpose flour and mix just until a soft dough forms.
Chill and shape
  1. Roll the dough into a log, then chill for 1 hour so the dough slices cleanly.
  2. Slice the chilled log into rounds and arrange on a sheet pan for baking.
Bake
  1. Bake at 325°F for 12–14 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the centers look set but not dark.
Ice and set
  1. Cool the cookies completely before icing so the drizzle doesn’t melt.
  2. Whisk the powdered sugar for icing with the fresh lemon juice until smooth; add 1–2 drops purple food coloring if using.
  3. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies and let set until the surface is no longer glossy.

Notes

Pro tip: grind the dried culinary lavender very finely so the flavor disperses and no whole buds show up in the cookie. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; freeze baked, fully set cookies for up to 2 months (thaw at room temperature). For a dairy-free swap, use a plant-based butter stick (solid, for baking) in the same amount.