Delicate Honey Lavender Melt-Away Shortbread Cookies
These melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies combine buttery richness with subtle floral notes of honey and lavender, perfect for tea time or special occasions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons (60 ml) honey, preferably light floral like clover or wildflower
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon culinary lavender buds, finely ground
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: powdered sugar for dusting
- Optional: replace up to 1/4 cup all-purpose flour with almond flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Grind the lavender buds finely using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and honey together using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt to the butter and honey mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and ground lavender. Add almond flour here if using.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed or folding by hand until dough comes together but remains slightly crumbly.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently press into a smooth disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thickness on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters or slice into rectangles.
- Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until edges just start to turn golden but centers remain pale.
- Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Optional: dust with powdered sugar once cool.
Notes
Cream the butter and honey gently to incorporate air for a light texture. Grind lavender finely to avoid bitterness. Chill dough before rolling to maintain shape. Bake at a lower temperature to keep cookies pale and tender. If dough is sticky after chilling, sprinkle a little flour sparingly. Avoid overbaking to preserve melt-away quality.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 6
- Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Protein: 1
Keywords: shortbread cookies, honey cookies, lavender cookies, melt-away cookies, tea time cookies, easy homemade cookies, floral cookies