London Fog Lavender Shortbread Cookies
When The Daly Bagel invited me to make a tea inspired cookie for their “tea week”, I was beyond excited because I absolutely love tea, particularly Earl Grey. It’s no surprise that this blend, infused with bergamot oil, is an international best seller. Its citrusy floral aroma makes the tea bright, refreshing and bold. I decided to pair it with my signature shortbread cookie with a lovely icing decorated with some dried lavender for good measure.
The Daly Bagel Tea Week Event
I hope you can make it into the Daly Bagel from December 7 - 12th. In the event you can’t, I am sharing the recipe because I don’t want you to miss out on this special cookie.
Yield: Makes 2 dozen
Mary DiSomma’s London Fog Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon Mary DiSomma’s Vanilla Extract
- 1 tablespoon (about 1 to 2 tea bags) Earl Grey tea, ground
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
Icing:
- 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk, as needed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste or scraped seeds from ½ of a vanilla bean
- Culinary lavender or food grade lavender for decorating the final cookies
- Crystal sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and confectioners’ sugar for approximately 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl side as needed. Add the ground Earl Grey tea leaves and the vanilla. Mix until combined.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. The dough will resemble small pebbles. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough comes together. Using your hands, form the dough into a flattened ball. Wrap in plastic food wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough to about ½-inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter, cut the cookies and transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet pans. Continue cutting cookies, rerolling the scraps of dough until all the dough is used.
- Place the baking sheet pans with the cookies in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the cookies are slightly golden on the edges but still pale in color. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the icing. In a bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and the vanilla seeds. If the frosting isn’t thin enough, add the additional 1 tablespoon of milk. Dip the cookies, face down, in the icing. Place the cookies, icing side up, on a cooling rack with parchment paper underneath to catch any drips. While still wet, sprinkle top of cookies with dried lavender and, if desired, crystal sanding sugar.