Simple Lavender Shortbread {Powernap}
This is the latest installment of my Powernap column. The series where I share quick, easy food that can be made for all kinds of situations. Powernaps are short and sweet, and so are these recipes. These are the things I make in a jiffy when I need a quick snack, am in the mood for a recipe experiment, or simply need to clean out the pantry.
When I visited my friend Katie two weeks ago I brought these cookies. It was just the two of us with three kids for the weekend and I knew lavender shortbread would be the perfect foil for the endless bowls of goldfish crackers and cheerios we would see throughout the most of each day. Of course, I let my daughter try a bite of the shortbread after she spotted them on the counter, but she wasn’t a huge fan of the floral flavor, preferring her bag of classic Tate’s cookies instead.
Katie's photo, taken with her iPhone...
Since the trip to Katie’s house wasn’t at all long I decided to make my shortbread dough during naptime and transport it, wrapped in plastic, to her house to bake fresh. I packed the ball of dough in a snack cooler full of ice packs so I had no worries about it going bad. In fact, it still needed to thaw before baking when I got to the house. Upon arrival I baked up the small batch, it only made on tray’s worth, and they had time to cool while we put the kids to sleep. Then we settled in with a glass of wine, grilled chicken and these cookies for dessert. The perfect adult finish to an easy, breezy summer day.
Recipe
Simple Lavender Shortbread
Ingredients
| ½ | cup granulated sugar |
| 1 | stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter |
| 1 | egg |
| 1 | teaspoon kosher salt |
| 2 | teaspoons culinary lavender flowers |
| 1 | cup plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour |
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and salt and mix again.
3. Use a spatula to stir the lavender flowers into the batter. Next, fold in the self-rising flour until just incorporated and no more flour is visible.
4. Place the dough onto the baking sheet in heaping tablespoons and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges.
Naptime Notes
Naptime Recipe Serving ideas
These light cookies are delicious for dessert and are also great served with tea.
Naptime Stopwatch
10 minutes for the batter, 15 minutes for baking
Naptime Reviews
Katie and I loved these special treats at the end of a long day! The kids, not so much.
Love shortbread! These sound awesome. No idea where you would find lavender flowers though.
Hi Debbi – Most good spice shops carry culinary lavender!
Okay… now I have to figure out if some of my lavender is edible!
Hahaha! I am sure it is when dried properly. Also, I buy culinary lavender from Penzey’s if I can’t find it at the market. It is so nice to have around!
I am going to pick up some lavender at the market to try these. Yum!
Enjoy, Maria. I am always thinking of you and your September baby! 🙂
Love the elegance of lavender in this shortbread.
Thanks, Marla!
These sound deliciously rich and flavorful!
Thank you!
Love the touch of lavender – enjoy your vacation and a chance to recharge your batteries!
I just did a post on lavender with a complete meal including lavender sjprynread! Loved it!!!
This recipe for simple lavender shortbread looks great. Thanks for the post.