Shortbread cookies have a classic, rich, buttery flavor that makes me feel good every time I have one. This recipe takes the classic cookie and infuses calming lavender into the dough.
Then, it's dipped in velvety smooth matcha white chocolate. The flavors together are next-level. I made a HUGE batch of these earlier this year to send out to my community, and they were thoroughly enjoyed by all. I'm so excited to finally share the recipe with you!
Why this Recipe Works
Shortbread cookies have a simply sweet flavor base – just sugar, butter and flour. This means you can easily add in other flavors to these cookies without tampering with the base flavors.
Shortbread cookie dough is made with either granulated sugar or powdered sugar. This recipe uses both, achieving the perfect balance of meltiness and chewiness.
Soothing lavender is a great match for sweet cookies. It's gently infused in these cookies without being overwhelming.
The matcha white chocolate dip adds a bite of sweetness and slight earthiness to contrast with the crumbly texture of the cookies. Matcha and lavender also complement each other very well, and I can't get enough of them!
Ingredients & Substitutions
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granulated sugar - this sugar provides the chewiness in the recipe.
powdered sugar - this sugar provides the meltiness in the recipe.
butter - use unsalted butter and add your own salt for consistency. Butter should be at room temperature so it creams well with the sugars.
lavender - this recipe works best with dried lavender that is ground using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
matcha - use culinary grade matcha powder for this recipe. Make sure to find a brand that does not contain any additional ingredients. Here is a matcha I like on Amazon, and here is the brand of Matcha I usually use.
How to Make this Recipe
You can make these cookies with or without the chocolate dip, and they are delicious either way.
Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Start by creaming together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. You can do this with a hand mixer or stand mixer.
Gradually add in the dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoons dried lavender, and ¼ teaspoon salt. You do not need to mix the ingredients in a bowl in advance, but you can if you'd like. Mix them until incorporated well.
Divide the dough in half. Form each half into an 8-inch log. Wrap in parchment paper, wax paper, or plastic. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Slice each lot into ¼-inch discs. Place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets or silicone baking mats.
Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges begin to lightly brown. Cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet. Then transfer to a wire rack.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, in the refrigerator for 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Matcha or Dark Chocolate Dip
Melt the chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil over a bain-marie. You can also melt the chocolate chips with the coconut oil in the microwave by microwaving for 15 seconds at a time, stirring well in between, until melted.
Optional: Once melted, add the matcha powder to the melted white (or dark) chocolate and mix well to incorporate. Use white chocolate if you would like them to be green.
Prepare a sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, or use a wire rack. Dip the cookies up to half-way in the melted chocolate and place them on the sheet pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Shortbread FAQs
Everyone loves their shortbread on the spectrum of melty to chewy. What makes the difference is the type of sugar you use. You can use all powdered sugar for the meltiest cookies, and all granulated for the chewiest. This recipe meets right in the middle.
Butter cookies are less delicate than shorbread because of the higher portion of butter. Both cookies have the same ingredients, but with different ratios.
You can chill the dough up to overnight. This yields a tidier cookie that doesn't spread as much.
More Lavender & Cookie Recipes
If you love infusing lavender into treats, cookies, or tea time, here are some of my favorite recipes for you.
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Lavender Shortbread Cookies Dipped in Matcha
Ingredients
Lavender Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoon dried lavender ground*
Matcha or Dark Chocolate Dip
- 1 cup white or dark chocolate chips use white chocolate if you would like them to be green
- 1 ½ tablespoon matcha powder culinary grade, optional
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
Lavender Shortbread Cookies
- Cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoons dried lavender, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Mix well.
- Divide the dough in half. Form each half into an 8-inch log. Wrap in parchment paper, wax paper, or plastic. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Slice each lot into ¼-inch discs. Place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets or silicone baking mats.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges begin to lightly brown.
- Cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet. Then transfer to a wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, in the refrigerator for 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Matcha or Dark Chocolate Dip
- Melt the chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil over a bain-marie*.
- Optional: Once melted, add the matcha powder to the melted white (or dark) chocolate and mix well to incorporate. Use white chocolate if you would like them to be green.
- Prepare a sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, or use a wire rack. Dip the cookies up to half-way in the melted chocolate and place them on the sheet pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Enjoy!
These are excellent. I'll be making them again and again.
Question: I used white chocolate chips and they stayed kinda thick so I had to frost the cookie rather than dip it. Was it the type of chocolate? Should I have used more coconut oil? What do you use for your white chocolate?
I'm so glad to hear you liked them, Nikki! It is possible the chocolate chips just needed to be heated up a bit longer. Any white chocolate chips should work in this recipe. I usually use Ghiradelli or Guittard because that is what they carry at my grocer.
Are you heating them over a double boiler or in the microwave?
This is such a special recipe! I’m obsessed with the matcha dip 😍
I'm so glad you like it, Salima!