Christmas Tea Party-Lavender Shortbread Cookies

When I was looking for Christmas cookie cutters to make my traditional gingerbread and

sugar cookies,

 I found my Eiffel Tower cookie cutter.

I was inspired.

I had seen a recipe for lavender cookies and thought that would be

the perfect cookie for not only the Eiffel Tower cut out cookie,

but also for a tea party.

Just Look!

When you are 2 and 1 years old,

you wear your finest new Christmas party dresses.

Tea for two.

That is too much cuteness for one blog!

I modified a recipe from All Recipes,
 By Maryeileen Corcoran

My Recipe Revision

Ingredients

⦁ 1 cup butter and 1/2 cup margarine, softened 

⦁ 2/3 cup white sugar 

⦁ 1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar 

⦁ 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lavender, (1 for garnish)

⦁ 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 

⦁ 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

⦁ 1/2 cup cornstarch 

⦁ 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter/margarine, white sugar and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the lavender and lemon zest. Combine the flour, cornstarch and salt; mix into the batter until well blended. 

Divide dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap and flatten to about 1-inch thick. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, just until cookies begin to brown at the edges. (These cookies were large so I added a few minutes to the baking time.)  Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Glaze:

Powdered sugar
Lemon juice 
Lemon zest

Use enough lemon juice to make a consistency that I can spoon onto the cookies, and that will harden as it cools.

The glaze should be the consistency of corn syrup. Test the consistency by taking a spoonful from the bowl and drizzle back into the glaze; the drizzled glaze should leave a trail. 

Experiment.

Be sure the cookies have cooled completely before applying the glaze with a thin consistency.

Cream together butter, white sugar, and confectioner's sugar

until light and fluffy.

 Culinary grade lavender.

 Lemon zest.

 Finely grind the lavender.

 Mix in lavender and lemon zest.

 Combine the flour, cornstarch and salt.

 Mix into the batter until well blended. 

Divide dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap 

and flatten to about 1-inch thick. 

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

  On a lightly floured surface, 

roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. 

Cut into shapes with cookie cutters.

Place on cookie sheets.

 Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated 325 degree oven, 

just until cookies begin to brown at the edges.

  Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets.

 Place cooled cookies on a sheet of waxed paper.

 Mix the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice

to the desired consistency.

 Spoon the glaze over the cookies.

 Sprinkle some ground lavender on top of the glaze before it dries.

 Bon Apetito!

Ready to take to a tea party!

Pictures from my 

Tea Party with Ceci.

Merry Christmas!