Gingery Lavender Shortbread Recipes

LAVENDER SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Cover bottoms of two baking sheets with parchment or brown paper. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, lavender, and mint with an electric mixer. Mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour, cornstarch, and salt and beat until incorporated. Divide dough in half. Flatten into squares and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm. On a floured board, roll or pat out each square to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cut the dough into 1 1/2 -inch squares or rounds. Transfer to baking sheets, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. Prick each cookie several times with a fork. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until pale golden (do not brown). Cool slightly, then transfer to a rack. Sprinkle with lavender powdered sugar. Garnish: lavender powdered sugar: Put a 4 or 5 sprigs of lavender flowers in a sealed jar with powdered sugar for a day before using the sugar.

GINGERY LAVENDER SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In bowl, combine flour, sugar, crystallized ginger, lavender, and ground ginger.
• Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling.
• Form mixture into a ball; knead until smooth (dough may be crumbly at first but will come together as you work it with your hands).
• Roll or pat dough onto prepared cookie sheet in 11” x 6” rectangle.
• With large knife, carefully halve rectangle lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 16 slices.
• Do not separate slices.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are light brown and center is set.
• Re-cut the rectangle and separate the slices while warm.
• If desired, sprinkle with additional sugar.
• Cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• To Store: Place cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container.
• Store at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.