Lavender Lemon Curd Cookie Recipe

Lavender Lemon Curd Cookie Recipe

Course: Brunch, Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Chill Time: 1

Total Time: 1 30

Servings: cookies

Calories: 143kcal

Author: Emily

These Lavender Lemon Curd Cookies are so full of flavor and perfect for dessert, tea, or coffee.

Print 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