Lavender Shortbread

Lavender shortbread is a nice variation on the traditional shortbread. It was normally served on New Year's Eve and New Year's morning. But I think it makes a great addition to any Christmas tray of cookies. Try drizzling some melted chocolate on the cooked and cooled shortbread or dip the tips in the melted chocolate for a festive look. This is a very rich cookie so I cut mine into about 16 pieces instead of the usual 6 or 8 pieces. Recipe #1 is sweeter. Recipe #2 has a more lavender taste. Both are very good.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 cup or 2 sticks of butter at room temperature.
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon dried chopped lavender buds.
1/2 rounded teaspoon salt
2 cups of all purpose flour

Cream the butter and sugar.

Add the dry ingredients and mix by hand or in a food processor.

Press the dough into a round 9 or 10 inch pie plate. I put some parchment paper in my pie tin plate to make it real easy to just lift out. Score about 3/4 the way through the dough. Sprinkle with lavender sugar if desired.

Bake until firm and barely golden. About 1/2 to 1 hour.

Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar if you didn't already sprinkle with lavender sugar.

Cool before you remove from pan.

Lavender shortbread # 2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup or 2 sticks of butter
3/4 cup of powdered sugar
1/2 rounded teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of chopped dried lavender
3 cups all purpose flour

Cream the butter and sugar.

Add the dry ingredients and mix by hand or in a food processor.

Press the dough into a round 9 or 10 inch pie plate. I like to put some parchment paper in the pan. This is optional.

Score about 3/4 the way through the dough.

Bake until firm and barely golden. About 1 hour.

Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar.

Cool before you remove from pan.

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