LAVENDER LEMON shortbread cookie

Makes18 to 24 cookies

1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
Zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
Sugar icing (see following recipe)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Set aside two un-greased baking sheets and a piping bag for icing cookies. Grind lavender flowers in a clean spice grinder or coffee grinder. Sift ground lavender with flour and salt. Cream together butter, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and milk. Add lavender-flour mix and work until just combined (dough should not be sticky).

Refrigerate dough 1 to 2 hours until firm. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Using cookie cutter, cut 2- or 3-inch circles in dough and transfer to baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cookies are slightly brown on the edges. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely before icing them. Fill piping bag with Sugar Icing and decorate cookies, as desired.

Sugar Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoon lavender tea
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Mix the ingredients until well combined.