One of my favorite things to do on a sunny spring day is to enjoy a cup of tea with shortbread while I soak in the sunshine – with a cat by my side. These Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Lavender Shortbread are bright, buttery and easy to make. They go great with a cup of tea and a little sunshine and even better with homemade vanilla ice cream.
This is the time of year I start thinking about baking with flowers and herbs again. I just love the delicate notes and color they lend to any bake.
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Which butter is best for making these Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Lavender Shortbread Cookies?
For these Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Lavender Shortbread cookies, I prefer European-style butter over American-style butter. European butter has less water and a higher fat content than its American counterpart. The end result is a more tender, flakier bake on these cookies.
I can be pretty intentional about which butter I use in a bake. Cultured European butters can vary in taste, with some lending a bold, tangy flavor to baked goods. For this reason, I prefer using Unsalted Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter in this recipe. It has a relatively mild flavor that doesn’t overpower the orange zest and lavender notes. And the added richness delivers a better texture and more tender shortbread.
Why should I divide the dough in half?
Dividing the dough into two equal halves and baking them separately may seem like an unnecessary step, but there’s a method to the madness.
This is a high-fat dough. If you try to bake it as one large rectangle, the outer edges will brown before the center has fully baked. If you were to try to bake the shortbread until the center had finished, you’d have a perfect center but burnt edges. For this reason, dividing the dough in half and baking in two separate batches is the best way to ensure even baking.
Another reason for dividing the dough in this Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Lavender Shortbread cookie recipe is that this dough cuts easier when it is still warm. A smaller rectangle ensures you will be able to get a clean cut when separating the shortbread into rectangles. If you were to bake one large sheet, it would start to cool too quickly and your edges would start to break and crumble under the pressure of the knife. To ensure clean cut lines, it’s better to work with two smaller rectangles.
Separating the dough into two batches also makes it easier to bake and share. I will often complete the recipe through Step 8 and only bake one half of the dough. The other half I will wrap and freeze for a later date or to simply have on hand when company pops in and I need or a quick dessert.
Other cookie recipes you might wish to try
If you like the playful blend of herbs and citrus in this recipe for Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Lavender Shortbread cookies, you may also like some of my other cookie recipes as well.
If lemon is your jam, my recipe for Irresistible Lemon Glazed Cornmeal Cookies is one you simply must try. In the fall, these Apple Sage Oatmeal Cookies are a delightful twist on a classic cookie.
For a bright and festive change of pace around the holidays, try this recipe for Super Simple Lemon Cranberry Slice Cookies. But you may want to make a double batch. I had trouble keeping them in stock last season.
But for today, gives these Simple 7-Ingredient Orange Lavender Shortbread cookies a try. They won’t disappoint!
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Blessings & enjoy!
Easy 7-Ingredient Orange Lavender Shortbread
Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy16
2 rectangles15
minutes35
minutesIngredients
1 cup room-temperature, unsalted European-style butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. Himalayan sea salt
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
1 tsp. fresh orange zest
2 tsp. dried lavender flowers
2 cups A.P. Flour, unsifted
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- If using a shortbread mold, prepare the pan by lightly spraying the surface with nonstick baking spray. Or, line a sheet pan with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Approximately 5-7 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the orange zest and lavender.
- Add the flour and mix together until a soft, smooth dough is formed. Approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Divide the dough in half. Using your hands, shape each half into a 6 inch by 8 inch rectangle. The dough will be approximately 1/2 inch thick.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 even rectangles that measure 1 inch by 3 inches. You do not need to separate the rectangles at this time. Scoring the cookies at this stage will make cutting them easier once they are removed from the oven.
- Prick the surface of the dough with a fork to prevent bubbles from forming during the baking process. Repeat the process with the second half of dough. If using a mold, press the dough into the mold and prick the surface with a fork as directed.
- Bake at 325 degrees F. until lightly golden brown – approximately 30 – 35 minutes.
- When done, remove the shortbread from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before inverting the pan on a cutting board. Invert the dough again so that the score lines (or pattern if you are using a mold) are facing up. While the dough is still warm, follow the lines and score the shortbread with a sharp knife. Allow to cool completely before serving.
