The weather outside is gloomy, damp and miserable. The kids are getting on your nerves as they constantly bicker with one another. You want to escape from the stress of being a referee. What can you possibly do?
Bake!
That’s right you can bake a batch of cookies. But not just any kind of cookies… lavender cookies. Cookies that will soothe, calm, and change the atmosphere in your home! And the best thing about it the kids will call a truse just to enjoy the cookies.
When you think of cookies you usually don’t think of lavender cookies. Lavender has been used in oils, soaps, perfumes, but in cookies?
Why not?
Lavender has many uses. This spice is versatile. It can be used as a digestive aid, depression reliever, stress balancer, emotional uplifter, headache alleviator, skin treatment and a host of other things. Now you can use lavender to make your own homemade cookies! And block out stress and aggravation to boot.
Lavender Tea Cookies
Source: What’s Cooking America
- 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender flowers
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Lavender Frosting (see recipe below)
In a mortar, grind lavender flowers with the pestle.
In a medium bowl, cream together ground lavender flowers, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Add flour and salt; mix until combined (dough should be soft but not sticky.) Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until dough is firm.
Prepare Lavender Frosting; set aside.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove dough from refrigerator.
On a lightly-floured surface, roll dough approximately 1/4-inch thick with your rolling pin. Cut into desired shapes with your favorite cookie cutters and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and cool on wire cooling racks. When cool, frost with Lavender Frosting.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.
Lavender Frosting:
- 1 cup powdered (confectioners’) sugar
- 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender flowers
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
You can add some lavender food coloring to the frosting mix.
In a small plastic bag, combine powdered sugar and dried lavender flowers. Let stand at least 1 day before using. When ready to use, sift the mixture into a medium-size bowl; discarding lavender flowers.
Add milk and corn syrup, mixing well. NOTE: Additional powdered sugar or milk may need to be added (enough milk to make frosting easy to spread). Spread on baked, cooled cookies.
Please let us know if you enjoyed the recipe!
If you want to learn more about lavender click here.
Lavender: How to Grow and Use the Fragrant Herb (Herbs (Stackpole Books), How To Use Lavender
If you want to learn more about essential oils or order lavender oil visit Young Living Essential Oils. Please note lavender essential oil should not be taken internally–but can be used for personal care, aromatherapy and household cleaning among other things.
