Lavender-Lemon Shortbread
Author: Nicole
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender
  • Zest from 1 medium lemon (~2 teaspoons)
  • 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks (see Notes)
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 325°F.
  2. Pulse together flour, sugar, salt and lavender in a food processor until lavender is in smaller pieces (about 1 minute).
  3. Zest lemon over the food processor (to capture the oil from the lemon) and pulse to combine.
  4. Add butter and pulse to fine crumbs. Pulse a few more times until some of the crumbs start to come together, but don’t overprocess; the dough should be somewhat crumbly but will hold together when you press some between your fingers. (Alternatively, you can also mix the dough in a bowl using two knives or a pastry cutter.)
  5. Press dough into an even layer in an ungreased 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan. Prick dough all over with a fork.
  6. Bake until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes for the 9-inch square pan or 45 to 50 minutes for the 8-inch square pan.
  7. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool. Let cool for about 10 minutes and cut into squares or bars (while still warm). It’s fine if it cools before cutting, it’s just a bit easier to cut when warm.
  8. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
Notes
* I highly recommend using unsalted European-style butter (such as Kerry Gold) but any unsalted butter will work.
* You can also prepare this in a 9-inch round pie pan – bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cut into wedges while still warm.
Recipe by Riegl Palate at https://www.rieglpalate.com/lavender-lemon-shortbread/