Lavender Earl Grey Cookies With Lemon Glaze Recipe

My Lavender Earl Grey Cookies with Lemon Glaze are all about flavor—very subtle, of course, since their delicate balance is what makes them so delicious. The finely ground culinary lavender imparts just the right amount of the floral notes that pair so beautifully with the bergamot in the Earl Grey tea.

Culinary lavender (make sure you use this type for cooking) is in precariously short supply, so go get yourself some while you can. The cookies’ tender, buttery texture is developed by creaming softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar; the addition of all-purpose flour, mixed in at low speed, ensures a cookie that’s as refined as any patisserie might offer.

I have added a lemon glaze to these cookies because I believe that a greater contrast between the flavors of the cookie and the glaze will only make this treat more memorable.

Ingredients

Butter, unsalted: Moisture-rich; flavorful; a healthy-fat source.

Sugar, in granular form, is responsible for the sweetness of cookies.

It also brings a certain, shall we say, “crunch” (that’s a good thing) to this texture.

Bind ingredients together; source of protein and structure: eggs.

General-purpose flour: The dough’s foundation, providing it with structure and furnishing it with carbs.

Culinary lavender possesses a flowery aroma and an extraordinary, subtle taste.

Earl Grey Tea: Has antioxidants; provides a hint of bergamot.

Lemon juice contributes sharpness; it intensifies flavors and counterbalances sweetness.

Ingredient Quantities

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• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons culinary lavender, finely ground
• 2 tablespoons Earl Grey tea, finely ground
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

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Instructions

1. Warm your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare two baking sheets for the cookies by lining them with parchment paper.

2. In a big bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Incorporating the elements on hand, beat the eggs into the mixture. When you have done that well, then blend in the vanilla, making sure it is part of the overall mix.

4. In another bowl, combine whisked together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until everything is just combined.

6. Incorporate the very finely ground culinary lavender and Earl Grey tea so that they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

7. With a tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

8. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Cookies can also be baked at 350 degrees; in this case, the baking time should be extended by a few minutes, until the above stage is reached. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth and glossy. This is your glaze.

10. After the cookies have cooled, drizzle or spread the lemon glaze over the tops. Let the glaze set before serving. Enjoy!

Equipment Needed

1. Oven
2. Baking sheets
3. Parchment paper
4. Large bowl
5. Electric mixer
6. Medium bowl
7. Whisk
8. Cookie scoop or tablespoon
9. Wire rack
10. Small bowl

FAQ

• Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?Certainly! You can use salted butter, but lessen the salt you add to the recipe to maintain the taste balance.
• Is there a substitute for culinary lavender?You can leave out the culinary lavender if you don’t have it, but you will change the flavor profile significantly.
• Can I use loose leaf Earl Grey tea instead of ground?Indeed, ensure that the loose-leaf tea is finely ground before being mixed into the dough.
• Do I need to chill the dough before baking?For this recipe, it’s not required to chill the dough, but doing so can aid in spreading evenly and improve the taste.
• Can I make the lemon glaze thicker?
  Yes, adjust the thickness by either adding more powdered sugar or reducing the lemon juice.
• How should I store these cookies?Keep them in a sealed container at room temperature for a week, and they’ll be just as fresh as the day you made them.
• Can I freeze the cookies?The cookies can be frozen for up to three months without the glaze. Ensure they are in an airtight container before placing them in the freezer.

Substitutions and Variations

1 cup of salted butter; reduce the recipe’s added salt.
Use 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar instead of granulated sugar for a deeper flavor.
Instead of Earl Grey tea, which is delicious but less unexpected, you could use 2 tablespoons of finely ground chamomile tea to bring a more pronounced floral note to the drink.
2 tablespoons orange juice instead of lemon juice for a different glaze that’s citrus-flavored.
1 teaspoon orange zest instead of lemon zest for a complementary flavor change.