These Lavender Lemon Curd Cookies are so full of flavor and perfect for dessert, tea, or coffee. Made with fresh lemon zest, culinary lavender buds, and lemon curd, these cookies are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Jump to:
- Why I Love These Lavender Lemon Curd Cookies
- Key Ingredients Needed to Make These Cookies
- Is All Lavender Edible?
- Make the Lemon Curd First
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies
- Expert Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Lemon Lavender Recipes to Check Out
- Lavender Lemon Curd Cookie Recipe
Why I Love These Lavender Lemon Curd Cookies
It's no secret that I love lavender and lemon curd or that lavender and lemon make a delicious pair. It would only make sense to make a Lavender Lemon Curd Cookie!
These shortbread cookies are full of lavender and lemon flavors, similar to my Lemon Lavender Tart and my Lemon Lavender Bread Recipe, and are easy to make. You can use store-bought lemon curd or make your own.
If you are looking for unique recipes for a party or tea time, check out my Lavender Sourdough Discard Scones with Lemon Glaze and my Lemon Lavender Tart. All of these recipes pair lavender and lemon for delicious and unique treats.
Key Ingredients Needed to Make These Cookies
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these lemon lavender shortbread cookies. The most important thing to remember is to use culinary lavender buds.
- Unsalted Butter - make sure the butter is at room temperature before making these cookies. You know it's ready when you press your finger into the surface, and it makes a slight indent, but it's not oily. If you use salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
- Vanilla Bean Paste - vanilla bean paste is an amazing product that adds even more vanilla flavor and has the seeds, however, you can use regular vanilla extract as well.
- Lemon Zest - lemon zest is a must-have in this recipe to enhance the lemon flavor and add an element of freshness to the cookies.
- Culinary Lavender Buds - you can find these in most gourmet grocery stores or online. Culinary lavender buds are best because they are made for baking and have a sweeter flavor.
- Lemon Curd - lemon curd is surprisingly easy to make at home, but store-bought lemon curd is delicious as well.
*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Is All Lavender Edible?
All lavender is edible, however, not all lavender is the same. I recommend culinary lavender (usually English lavender) because it has the best taste and is sweeter than other lavender varieties, which can be bitter.
Most of the dried lavender for cooking you find in-store and online is for culinary purposes, but double-check the description or ask if you are not sure. You can find culinary lavender at most local grocery stores in the bulk section and on Amazon.
Make the Lemon Curd First
If you are making homemade lemon curd, make that first. Lemon curd typically needs an hour to chill after cooking. Check out my Lemon Curd Recipe for step-by-step instructions.
You can also make the lemon curd a day or two ahead of time. If you don't want to make lemon curd, store-bought lemon curd will work just as well.
Substitutions and Variations
- Herb swap: Not a lavender fan? Fresh thyme makes a great substitute and gives the cookies a savory, earthy twist instead of a floral one.
- Vanilla: Regular vanilla extract works just as well as vanilla bean paste if that's what you have on hand.
- Lemon curd: Store-bought curd works great here, but if you'd like to make your own, my Meyer Lemon Curd Recipe is a perfect match for these cookies.
- Add a glaze: Skip the lemon curd filling and drizzle the baked cookies with a simple lemon glaze instead, made from powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice, for a different (and slightly less messy) presentation.
- Make them citrus forward: Add an extra teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough for a brighter, more pronounced lemon flavor alongside the lavender.
- Dress them up: Finish baked and cooled cookies with a light dusting of powdered sugar for a simple, elegant finish, or press a few extra dried lavender buds on top before baking for a prettier presentation.
How to Make Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Mix the flour and salt together and set aside. In a separate bowl, add the butter and mix with a hand mixer until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and continue to mix.
Add the vanilla paste, lemon zest, and lavender buds and mix in with a spatula. Pour in half of the flour mixture and stir to combine. Add the remaining flour and fully combine.
If the dough seems too dry or crumbly to hold together, add milk a teaspoon at a time until it comes together smoothly. Chill the dough in the fridge for 60 minutes.
Remove the dough from the fridge and cut the log into ¼" pieces. Take each piece and quickly roll it into a round ball.
Put each ball onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat and gently press the middle of each ball with your finger or a rounded spoon. Place a dollop of lemon curd into the middle of each cookie, being careful not to overfill it.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes. While the cookies are getting cold, preheat the oven to 325°F.
Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes and then remove them from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes and then place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Use culinary lavender - It's sweeter and less bitter than ornamental varieties.
- Chill the dough - Keeps the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
- Don't overmix - Stir just until combined for a tender cookie.
- Optional: dust with powdered sugar - Adds a pretty finish without overwhelming flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Store any leftover cookies in a sealable container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can freeze the shortbread cookies, but leave out the lemon curd until you are ready to enjoy them.
This can happen if your powdered sugar packs down more than expected when measured. If your dough seems too crumbly, add a teaspoon of milk at a time until it comes together into a smooth dough.
Yes, regular vanilla extract works perfectly in place of vanilla bean paste.
You can, but the flavor won't be quite the same. Baking with dried lavender buds helps release more of the aroma and flavor than syrup does. If you'd like to try it, start with 2 tablespoons of syrup in place of the buds, and add a little extra flour if the dough turns too sticky. Don't reduce the powdered sugar, since it also helps with the cookies' structure, but you can swap in regular vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste since the syrup already adds sweetness.
Yes, this recipe is great for making ahead. Bake the cookies and let them cool completely, then layer them between parchment paper, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and store in a sealable bag or container in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then fill with lemon curd just before serving.
More Lemon Lavender Recipes to Check Out
If you get a chance to make these Lavender Lemon Curd Cookies, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes in your inbox.
Lavender Lemon Curd Cookie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
- ½ cup confectioners' powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (vanilla extract)
- zest from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons culinary lavender buds
- ½ cup lemon curd (homemade or store-bought)
Instructions
- If you are making homemade lemon curd, make sure you give it enough time to chill. Plan ahead and make it in the morning or the day before.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the flour and salt, mix them together, and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the room-temperature butter and mix with a hand mixer until nice and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and continue to mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla paste (or extract), lemon zest, and lavender buds and mix in with a spatula.
- Pour in half of the flour mixture and stir to combine. Add the remaining flour and fully combine until you have a nice dough. If the dough seems too dry or crumbly to hold together, add milk a teaspoon at a time until it comes together smoothly.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and form a log. Chill the dough in the fridge for an hour.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and cut the log into ¼" pieces. Take each piece and quickly roll it into a round ball. Place each ball onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat.
- Gently press the middle of each ball with your finger or a rounded spoon (my measuring spoon worked perfectly!). Place a dollop of lemon curd into the middle of each cookie, being careful not to overfill it.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes. While the cookies are getting cold, preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes and then remove them from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes, and then place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store any leftover cookies in a sealable container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can freeze the shortbread cookies, but leave out the lemon curd until you are ready to enjoy them.
- Use culinary lavender, it's sweeter and less bitter than ornamental varieties.
- Chill the dough. This keeps the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
- Don't overmix. Stir just until combined for a tender cookie.
- If your dough seems too crumbly to come together, add milk a teaspoon at a time until it forms a smooth dough.
- Let cookies cool fully before filling. Warm cookies can melt or absorb the curd.
- Not a lavender fan? Fresh thyme makes a great substitute for a savory, earthy twist instead of a floral one.
- Regular vanilla extract works just as well as vanilla bean paste if that's what you have on hand.
- Store-bought lemon curd works great, or make your own with my Meyer Lemon Curd Recipe.
- For a different presentation, skip the lemon curd filling and drizzle the baked cookies with a simple lemon glaze made from powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice instead.
- Want more lemon flavor? Add an extra teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough.
- Optional: dust with powdered sugar for a pretty finish, or press a few extra dried lavender buds on top before baking.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Lucien Avila says
I have no idea how these are going to turn out. You need to correct your recipe. You state to add the curd before freezing and then baking. Then in your notes state that cookies need to be baked and cooled before adding the curd. Please clarify.
Emily says
Hi Lucien,
Sorry about that. The frozen comment is if you want to make the cookies ahead of time but I can see how it was confusing. Follow the instructions on the recipe card, add the curd before baking, and enjoy!
JJ says
Dough wouldn’t come together for me. Way too dry. Added some milk. Will see what happens. 🤷🏻♀️
Emily says
Sorry it didn't come together for you. Sometimes powdered sugar can pack in a measuring cup and be more than the measurement. I hope they turned out ok!
Jean says
Hi, Emily. I made a batch of Lavender Lemon Curd Cookies last summer. They were the best cookies I have ever eaten so...I decided to make them for my soon to be daughter-in-law's bridal shower. I want to bake the cookies then freeze them for a few weeks. What hints can you give me? Thanks!
Emily says
Hi Jean, I would recommend baking the cookies and allowing them to cool completely. Layer the cookies on parchment paper, wrap with plastic wrap, then place them in a sealable bag or container. Once you are ready to use the cookies, thaw in the fridge overnight, then fill with the curd right before serving. I hope you have a beautiful shower! 😊
Linda Harris says
I was wondering if I could use lavender syrup instead of lavender buds? If so, what should I reduce, leave out due to the sweetness of the syrup?
Emily says
Hi Linda, you can use lavender syrup, but I don't think you are going to achieve the same flavor as you would using dried lavender buds. Baking with lavender helps release the aroma and flavor from the flower. In my experience, lavender syrup has a pretty subtle flavor when baking with it. That being said, if you try it, I would add 2 tablespoons of the syrup to the cookie dough and see how it turns out. You may want to need to add some additional flour if the dough is too sticky. The powdered sugar adds sweetness but also helps with the structure of the cookies, so I would not decrease that ingredient. Instead of vanilla bean paste, you could add regular vanilla extract that is less sweet. Hope that helps. Happy cooking!
Maddie says
These cookies sound wonderful! Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste?
Emily says
Hi Maddie, yes, you can use vanilla extract instead. Happy Baking!