Lavender Cookies

So today I am sharing some yummy recipes for Great Holiday Treats, Cookies! I’ve put together a collection of a few fun and simple recipes using our Wonderful Culinary Lavender, which I think you’ll be sure to enjoy and make again and again!

Lavender Cookies

Ingredients

½ cup shortening

½ cup butter, softened

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. almond extract

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp. C & J Farms Dried Lavender

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp salt

In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Combine the flour, lavender, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Drop by rounded teaspoonful’s 2 in. apart onto baking sheets lightly coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Store in an airtight container. Yield: about 7 dozen.

Biscotti with Lavender & Orange

Ingredients

½ cup sugar

¼ cup butter, softened

1 ½ tbls C & J Farms Lavender

½ tsp. grated orange rind

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

½ tsp. vanilla extract

Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat until blended. Stir in almonds and vanilla.

Using floured hands, shape dough into a 10-inch log on a lightly greased baking sheet, and flatten to 1-inch thickness.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300°.

Cut log diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices with a serrated knife, using a gentle sawing motion. Place slices on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 300° for 20 to 25 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Lavender Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

3-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 tsp baking soda

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1-1/2 tsp salt

¼ cup C & J Farms Lavender

2-1/2 sticks (1-1/4 cups) unsalted butter, softened

1-1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

10 ounces (1 bag) dark chocolate chips

C & J Farms Fine Grain Sea Salt

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and lavender buds. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a mixer, beat sugar and butter until completely combined and smooth.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until creamy.

Slowly incorporate the flour/lavender bud mixture into the wet mixture and mix just until the dough forms and ingredients are combined. Add in the chocolate chips and mix.

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. This step is crucial if you want the Best Of…if you’d rather have instant gratification, skip the refrigeration but expect different result.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop mounds the size of dough the size of golf balls and space evenly on a lightly oiled or parchment –lined baking sheet. Sprinkle dough with coarse sea salt. Don’t roll the dough into balls…rolling makes the texture of the cookie turn out to be dense and not as wonderful as unrolled mounds of dough.

Bake in the oven for 11 to 12 minutes (or up to 14 minutes if you prefer crispier cookies) SEE NOTE

Repeat until all of the Best Ever Dough is all baked up and you can taste the smell in your house. Unless you’re a dough eater like me, in which case, grab a spoon!

Lavender & Honey Cookies