Iced Lavender Lemon Shortbread Cookies

COOKIES
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp freshly grated lemon zest (about 2 large lemons)

⅛ tsp salt
⅓ cup cornstarch
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp dried lavender flowers




ICING
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
3 tsp dried lavender flowers
2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
1–2 tbsp lemon juice*

*I ended up using a bit more lemon juice. If you don't want it as lemony, then add a little bit of water if needed

COOKIES

1. Cream together the butter and confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Mix in the lemon juice (or extract) and zest. Set aside.
2. Sift together the salt, cornstarch and flour. Add this to the butter mixture and stir until the flour coats the butter but isn’t completely worked in. Add the lavender flowers.
3. Using your hands, lightly rub the ingredients together until the mixture is no longer dry. You will know it’s done when it forms easily into a dough ball. Try not to overwork the mixture or you will end up with tough cookies.
4. Flatten the dough out into a disc and place in a plastic re–sealable bag. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to three days).
5. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
6. Take the fully–chilled dough and place it on top of a piece of parchment. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a thickness of 1/3 inch. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. (This dough barely spreads, so don’t worry about leaving a lot of space between each cookie.) Remove the scraps from between each cookie and re–form into a flat disc. (If dough has become too soft or warm, re–refrigerate it for a few minutes before attempting to roll it out.)
7. Lift up parchment paper and place on top of cookie sheet. Transfer sheet to upper third of oven and bake for about 15 minutes (or until the edges of the cookies just start turning golden on the edges). Allow to cool before icing. 

ICING

1. Whisk together first three ingredients. Start mixing in lemon juice by using one tablespoon at first, then continue adding in only enough to produce a smooth, fluid icing.
2. It is easiest to ice the cookies by dipping the tops into the icing and turning them over onto a wire rack (that has a paper towel under it to catch the drips). The icing will dry on the cookie and not stay sticky.

Serves 20 (approx). Recipe from Montcarte.

Calories per serving: 206
Fat: 9.3g
Cholesterol: 24mg
Carbs: 29.2g
Protein: 1.4g
Source of vitamin A.

These cookies are spectacular! Very easy to make and also beautiful to look at. These cookies are light tasting yet flavourful. However, they are pretty high in sugar and saturated fat, so I would keep them as a once in awhile indulgence;  but this is easily now my most favourite cookie recipe.