Lavender Orange Shortbread

Lavender is easy to grow and in June, beautiful fragrant flowers line the tops of the plant. Lavender is a perennial and should (smiles) come back year after year. Drying the flowers is easy and best to do

before the flowers open up. Simply trim the flower stalks and hang upside down in a paper bag. Unless of course you have a commercial gas stove like me, where you simply place the lavender on a baking sheet to dry overnight above the delicate pilot light. Once dry remove flowers and store in a spice tin for one year. Imagine roasted chicken with honey lavender glaze, lavender sugar, lavender lemonade, or lavender orange shortbread.

Lavender Orange Shortbread

Makes two dozen

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 orange zested

1 tablespoon dried chopped lavender flowers

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 325.

2. Cream butter and powdered sugar in a food processor until well combined.

3. Add vanilla, orange zest, lavender, and salt. Mix until incorporated. Ass flour, mix until combined. 

4. Empty dough out onto a large piece of parchment. Use the paper to help you for a long. Roll dough to equal size, about 2: in diameter and 11" long. Chill until hardened, about one hour (or freeze up to 3 months).

4. Cut cookies from log about 1/4-1/3" thick. Place on parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies are light golden brown on the bottom and slightly turning golden around the edges, about 25-30 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheet and set on cooling racks.