Lavender Cookies Recipe

For my Grandma's birthday I decided to bake her some lavender cookies with dried lavender from my garden.

Our house came with this planter bed that is overflowing with lavender.

I take the lavender and dry it in a dark closet for a few weeks then I knock the flower buds off the ends and save them in a jar.

If you don't have lavender growing in your backyard you can always buy it at a health food store or online for example here.

To make the cookies I chose to finely chopped up the lavender so that it wouldn't be chunky, but you don't have to do it this way you can leave it whole or in larger chunks.

The rest is easy just follow the directions like regular cookies and bake.

I let the lavender be the tin's decoration, simple and sweet.

Recipe: (From: Taste of Home)

Yield: about 7 dozen.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons dried lavender flowers

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.  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.

2.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto baking sheets lightly coated with cooking spray.

3.  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.

I hope you get the chance to try baking these wonderful cookies!  Enjoy!