Lavender: we love to love it. Chances are, you’ve got remnants of the pleasant purple flower floating around in your home somewhere — in candle or soap form, dried and hanging as a wall decoration, or in your bathroom as a key ingredient in one of many Bartholomew Sisters products, including our newest lip balm.
But did you know the herb might be a useful addition to your kitchen as well? Lavender herb and extract are certainly edible and definitely flavourful, making them a strong contender for your next summer snack. Not to mention, lavender is said to have anti-inflammatory properties, meaning it reduces the appearance of wounds, burns, and scars. It’s also rich in iron and vitamin A, making it good for your eyesight and blood health, respectively.
But working this herb into your diet can be tricky. We love these lavender lemon cookies for this reason. They’re great for entertaining guests on weekends or impressing your colleagues during the week. Both sweet and tart, these cookies are served well next to a cool glass of lemonade. So, celebrate the last few weeks of summer in style, with a snack that’s satisfying and has ample health benefits.
Vegan lavender lemon shortbread cookies
Total prep time: 30 minutes
Yield: 20 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
- ⅓ cup natural powdered sugar
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon salt (see recipe note)
- ½ teaspoon lavender flowers (dried)
- 2 lemons, zested
- 1⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- One sprinkle of light granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
Combine the powdered sugar, salt, coconut oil in a bowl. Use a fork to stir them together, mashing well until there are no visible clumps of powdered sugar. The mixture should be light and fluffy in texture.
Add the lavender flowers and lemon zest. Stir well.
Sieve in the flour and mix by hand until everything is combined. Avoid over mixing.
Add your non-dairy milk of choice very gradually to bring the dough together; it should be slightly crumbly but holds together well if squeezed by hand.
Lightly dust a cutting board with flour and shape your dough into a ball. Roll out to about 3 - 4 mm thick, then use a cookie cutter or mason jar lid to cut out shapes. Place gently on the prepared cookie sheet.
Sprinkle granulated sugar atop the cookie rounds and press them into the dough gently with your fingers. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until firm.
Remove from the fridge and bake for 10 - 12 minutes.They will start turning a little golden around the edges when they’re ready to be taken out.
Allow the cookies to cool completely, for 30-45 minutes. Once cooled, serve with an icy glass of lemonade, and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from avirtualvegan.com.