Earl Grey Lavender Shortbread

I think shortbreads might fall into one of my top five favorite cookies. They are so simple to make and so easy to spice up. Want to add rosemary? Go for it (and they will be delicious). Make them into sticks versus circles? You can do it! Prefer them plain and small? They’ll be perfect.

As someone who loves a London Fog, I especially love an Earl Grey tea mix that includes lavender. Cause lavender and Earl Grey are best friends (and if you have a chocolatey treat to go with, triple BFFs). My mom has a lavender bush in her backyard that is overflowing in the summer months so I figured, why not give this flavor variation a go in these shortbread cookies?

Let me tell you, these are perfect. The chew of the shortbread with just the right hint of lavender and Earl Grey, it’s simply superb. I love a cookie that comes together easily - I mean there aren’t even eggs in them! - and tastes so good. Give ‘em a little sprinkling of sugar as they come out of the oven and you’re golden.

Yields: 9 cookies

Ingredients:

½ c (100g) sugar
14 tbsp (200g) butter, room temperature
1 ¾+ cups (240g) flour
½ cup (60g) cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
½ tbsp Earl Grey tea leaves, fine
3 tsp fresh lavender, plus extra for topping
1 ½ tbsp sugar

Directions:

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together butter and ½ cup sugar for two minutes
In a separate bowl, combine your flour, salt, tea leaves, and lavender
Gradually add your dry ingredients to the butter/sugar, and mix until just combined
Roll your dough into a 2.5-inch diameter log, wrap it in parchment paper, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes
Preheat oven to 338F CONVECTION
Remove your shortbread log from the fridge, cut into ¾-inch thick discs, and place it on a parchment-lined baking tray. You should be able to bake 4-6 cookies at a time.
Bake for 10-14 minutes, until you see a very light golden halo around the edges of the cookie. For a more tender shortbread, be careful not to overbake or risk having a more crunchy cookie!
When you remove the shortbread from the oven, immediately sprinkle with 1.5 tablespoons of sugar - divided evenly across the cookies - and place on a wire rack to cool completely. You can top them with additional fresh lavender at this stage if desired (I did and it makes them look even prettier!).
Enjoy!

These pair perfectly with a mug of hot tea or coffee. If you bake these beauties, tag @accentgolden on social so I can see your pretty bakes!