Lavender Sugar Cookies
You can never go wrong with classic cookies like chocolate chip pecan cookies or Nova Scotia oatcakes, but sometimes, playing with flavors is fun! These lavender sugar cookies are buttery, fragrant, and crisp, with a slight chew, thanks to a touch of light corn syrup.
I originally shared these lavender cookies topped with an Earl Grey glaze. These days, I prefer them without icing. However, I’ve included the original Earl Grey glaze recipe here. I recommend trying the cookies both ways to decide which is your favorite.
Please note that I use culinary-grade lavender in this recipe. Culinary-grade lavender is specifically cultivated for food use and is free of any pesticides or chemicals that could be harmful if ingested. Lavender not labeled culinary-grade may have been treated with pesticides or other chemicals, and it may also be too bitter or astringent for cooking and baking.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔️ Lavender adds a unique floral note that feels special.
✔️ The scent of lavender is naturally calming.
✔️ This is a one-bowl recipe that yields perfectly shaped cutout cookies.
Ingredients For Lavender Sugar Cookies
Ingredient Notes
- Baking Powder: Gives the cookies a slight rise and helps with texture.
- Culinary Grade Lavender Buds: Provides a unique, floral flavor that makes these cookies special. Be sure to use culinary grade to ensure they are safe to consume.
- Light Corn Syrup: Helps the cookies stay slightly chewy.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps to create a tender cookie.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavor may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Baking Powder: Use a combination of ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon cream of tartar or omit completely.
- Light Corn Syrup: Don’t replace, omit.
- Salt: Use sea salt or kosher salt in the same quantity.
- Vanilla: Replace with almond or lemon extract.
Recipe Variations
Try any of the following for a twist on this lavender sugar cookie recipe:
- Almond Extract: Use almond extract instead of vanilla.
- Citrus Zest: Incorporate lemon or orange zest into the dough.
- Chocolate Drizzle: Melt your favorite chocolate and drizzle over the cooled cookies.
- Edible Flowers: Press edible flowers gently into the top of the cookies before baking.
- Icing: Top the cookies with a simple powdered sugar glaze.
- Rose Water: Try rose or orange blossom water instead of vanilla.
- Sandwich Cookies: Spread microwave lemon curd or whipped cream cheese frosting between two cookies for a sandwich treat.
- Sprinkles: Top the cookies with sprinkles before baking.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How To Make Lavender Sugar Cookies
STEP 1: Place the lavender buds and some measured sugar into a mortar.
STEP 2: Use a pestle to grind to a fine powder (see recipe notes).
STEP 3: Cream the lavender sugar with the remaining sugar and butter.
STEP 4: Add the egg, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla and mix.
STEP 5: Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.
STEP 6: Use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir the wet and dry ingredients into a soft dough. You may need to finish the dough with your hands to incorporate the last dry bits of flour. Form the dough into a flat disc shape, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge for at least one hour.
STEP 7: Divide the dough in half. Roll out one half and cut out shapes. Store the shapes in the freezer for 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
STEP 8: Bake the cookie cut-outs until the edges and bottoms are pale gold. Transfer the lavender sugar cookies to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Repeat until all of the dough is gone.
Expert Tips
1. Add finely grated lemon zest to the butter when creaming for added brightness.
2. Chilling the cookie dough for at least an hour gives the flavors time to meld together.
3. To prevent sticking, dip the edges of the cookie cutter in flour before cutting out the dough.
Recipe Notes
- While this recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of dried lavender buds, you can adjust the amount to suit your personal taste.
- If you don’t own a mortar and pestle, you can make a larger batch of lavender sugar in a food processor.
- For this recipe, I used a 2-inch (5-cm) round cookie cutter with scalloped edges. You can use any size or shape cookie cutter you like; however, the baking time may change.
- Allow the lavender cookies to cool completely before storing them. They will continue to firm up as they cool. I find unglazed cookies seem crisper the day after baking. Glazed cookies tend to stay chewier because of the extra moisture.
Storage
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the freezer for up to two months. To thaw frozen cookies, let them come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
How To Make Earl Grey Glaze
I originally wrote this recipe with an Earl Grey glaze for dipping the tops of the cookies. Earl Grey tea is a gorgeous pairing with these lavender-infused cookies! If you’d like to try it, here is the recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Earl Grey tea leaves
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, also called icing or confectioners sugar
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup, also called clear corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla, clear if you have it
- 4 to 5 teaspoons whole milk
Instructions
- Grind the tea leaves to a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. Add the ground tea to a medium mixing bowl. Sift in the powdered sugar, then stir in the corn syrup, vanilla, and ½ teaspoon of milk.
- Continue to add milk by the ½ teaspoon, stirring well between each addition, until the glaze is quite thick but still drips, similar to the consistency of honey.
- Pour the icing into a shallow bowl. Hold a cookie upside down by its edges and lay it, top down on the glaze. Lift the cookie straight up before it sinks. Let the glaze drip straight down back onto the plate. Once the drips have slowed, flip the cookie upside down and lay it on a wire rack. Use a toothpick to pop any air bubbles before the glaze sets. Let the cookies sit for at least one hour for the glaze to harden.
More Cookie Recipes
Did you make these lavender sugar cookies? Please rate the recipe and tell me how it went in the comments below. Also, stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more delicious food and recipes!
Printable Recipe Card
Lavender Sugar Cookies
Special Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Mortar and pestle or small capacity food processor
- Large mixing bowl
- Hand or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Rolling Pin
- 2-inch (5-cm) round cookie cutter or other cookie cutters (see notes)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender buds, culinary grade
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup butter, room temperature to soft
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup, also called clear or white corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make The Cookie Dough
- Using a mortar and pestle, grind the lavender buds to a fine powder with 1 tablespoon of the measured sugar. Combine the lavender sugar, remaining sugar, and butter in a mixing bowl. Use a hand or stand mixer to cream the butter on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until pale and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. Add the egg, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract. Continue to mix on high speed until well combined, about 1 minute.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Switch to a spatula or wooden spoon. Fold the wet and dry ingredients until a soft dough forms, about 2 minutes. You can finish mixing with your hands to incorporate any dry bits of flour.
- Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. Place the dough on the plastic. Use your hands to shape it into a round disc, about 1-inch (2 ½-cm) thick. Wrap the dough in the plastic and chill in the fridge for at least one hour.
Bake The Cookies
- Unwrap the chilled dough and cut it in half. Re-wrap one half and return it to the fridge. Place the other half on a work surface that's been lightly dusted with flour. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 3 to 5 minutes to soften slightly. Dust the top of the dough and the rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough approximately ¼-inch (½-cm) thick. Cut the dough using a 2-inch (5-cm) round cookie cutter, or another cookie cutter of your choice (see notes). Re-roll any leftover dough until all of the dough is gone, including the second half of the dough in the fridge. Place the cookie cut-outs in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer 12 of the frozen cookie cutouts to the sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until pale gold around the edges and on the bottoms. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the sheet and place them directly on the wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all of the cookies are baked.
Recipe Notes
- While this recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of dried lavender buds, you can adjust the amount to suit your personal taste.
- If you don’t own a mortar and pestle, you can make a larger batch of lavender sugar in a food processor.
- For this recipe, I used a 2-inch (5-cm) round cookie cutter with scalloped edges. You can use any size or shape cookie cutter you like; however, the baking time may change.
- Allow the lavender cookies to cool completely before storing them. They will continue to firm up as they cool. I find unglazed cookies seem crisper the day after baking. Glazed cookies tend to stay chewier because of the extra moisture.
Storage
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the freezer for up to two months. To thaw frozen cookies, let them come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. If accurate data is important to you, please verify it independently.
These sound and look fabulous. When I bake with tea I usually grind up the tea extra extra fine with a spice grinder and then add it directly into the cookies or icing instead of steeping it. It's worked really well in shortbreads in the past
What a beautiful blog you have..I have the paste..I have never seen the powder..(On my list:)
Ooh, good tip Clockwork Lemon!! I will definitely try that soon – I'm brainstorming a new ice cream recipe 🙂
Thank you Monique 🙂 I have used the paste as well – I actually found it at Winners one day. I think the Paderno store may carry it as we'll. Thank you for looking!!
Your cookies look gorgeous! They sound like they taste pretty good too!
Thanks Rosie! We ate them all in one night 🙂
Lavender and Earl Grey are such a classic combination, these look delicious.
Great update!!! That glaze just looks perfect on those sweet cookies. Who says sugar cookies are just for Christmas? I could eat these year round (with a lavender Earl Grey latte of course!)
What beautiful cookies! I’ve never baked with lavender and don’t know why not. I bet they are delicious.
Oh these sound delightful. Lavender is one of my favourite things to bake with, so I will definitely give these a try – love the pairing with the earl grey.
I am definitely making these! I LOVE both lavender and Earl Grey, and here you have combined them into the same cookie 🙂 Thanks for the recipe and the inspiration.
Kelly, I’m very upset. I’m very upset that I didn’t think of this combination first. I love lavender and I’ve been making a lavender shortbread for years now, but you’ve really outdone yourself by adding an Earl Grey glaze. The two flavours are so different, yet so complimentary! Beautiful work, and I’m very, VERY happy to have this recipe in my life. Cheers!
How gorgeous do these look?! I’m imagining myself curled up with a London Fog, a plate of these beauties and a good book.
You had me at earl grey glaze!!
Such beautiful cookies! Lavender sugar cookies would have been already perfect, then you added the Earl Grey glaze and these have now become a must-make!
Yum! These are gorgeous cookies. I can only imagine how fragrant they would be with the lavender. Could we steep the tea if we only have tea bags? (Or do we cut the tea bags open and proceed?) I happen to have lavender on hand. Will give it a try!
These look and sound so delicious! What a creative combo- Earl Grey tea is the best!
What a brilliant combination and like Sean said, you’ve outdone yourself! The glaze is delicious and totally takes these cookies to the next level. So good, thanks!
i made these yesterday in little moon shapes for halloween and they’re soooo good!! they taste EXPENSIVE🌝💵
Ooooh how fun! Love this so much!
What an elegant cookie! Thank you for taking the time to add high-quality notes (like why you added corn syrup). Little details like that build confidence in trying a stranger’s recipe and also my own confidence in executing it properly. Excellent recipe!
I’m vegan so I had to make some substitutions. I replaced the butter with Earth Balance butter, the egg with 1/4 cup of Silk brand soy yogurt, and the milk with almond milk.
I prepared my dough and glaze and let them sit overnight in the fridge. When I awoke, I went to taste the glaze but was disappointed that the tea didn’t steep like cold brew would have. It looked very similar to your pictures, with the flecks floating in it. The presentation was quite beautiful, but I personally didn’t prefer the mouth texture.
I studied another Earl Grey Glaze recipe over at https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/earl-grey-glaze. I didn’t want to make a buttercream, so I simply extracted her concentrated London Fog technique. I microwaved 1/3 cup of milk, steeped a tea bag in it for 15 minutes (stirring frequently), then proceeded to make icing the way you instructed (adding the London Fog in 1/2 teaspoon at a time, roughly 10 times).
The cookies aren’t sickeningly sweet like most desserts Americans get. They were also quite crisp immediately after cooling, as mentioned in your notes. The glaze really is the perfect complement to the cookie, making it chewier overnight, providing the sweetness to round out the flavor, and producing a subtle “crackle” as a gorgeous finish.
The lavender was quite bold in these cookies. I can certainly understand that preference, but (as you also mentioned in your notes) I might reduce it the next time I make these. I’d like to taste more of the tea, but it’s hard for it to be tasted in such a thin layer. I will try steeping 2 tea bags next time I make this. I want it to be a very strong concentrate, perhaps too flavorful without its sugar counterpart.
I look forward to making these again and checking out more of your other recipes! Brava!
Thanks so much Jared! Your attention to detail speaks to my Virgo soul. lol Thanks for making them and letting me know how they turned out for you!