Amy Strain | Deep East Texas EC

Aromatic lavender is famous for its soothing qualities, and these cookies are no exception. Speckled with pale purple buds and drizzled with lemony glaze, these elegant cookies have a delicate texture and wonderful perfume. Strain uses buds from Chappell Hill Lavender Farm and describes the results as “small treats that pack a huge citrus punch.”

Cookies
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup for rolling (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons, divided use
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon lavender culinary buds, plus extra for garnish (optional)

Lemon Glaze
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1. Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment. Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.

2. In a separate bowl (or stand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then mix in the vanilla, lemon zest and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Mix in the egg, then gradually add the flour mixture and lavender buds, mixing until just combined.

3. At this point, you can roll the dough into a log and slice (or wrap with plastic and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake) or shape it into balls, each slightly larger than a quarter. Coat the dough slices or roll the dough balls in additional sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheets (pressing each ball down slightly with a fork). Bake the cookies about 14 minutes, or until lightly golden, then cool on a wire rack.

4. Lemon Glaze: Whisk together lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies and garnish with additional lavender buds if desired.

Makes about 36 cookies.

Cook’s Tip

Strain grinds the lavender buds in a coffee grinder that she cleans with rice beforehand. But you’ll also get delicious results (and a pretty cookie) using whole buds.