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These honey lavender cookies balance gentle floral notes with natural sweetness. The base is a soft, slightly chewy sugar cookie studded with dried culinary lavender and finished with a creamy, honey-sweetened cream cheese frosting. Light and delicate, they make a lovely spring treat for tea time or a special dessert.
How to Make Honey Lavender Cookies
Make the cookie dough
Start by grinding the granulated sugar together with dried culinary lavender in a small food processor. This releases the lavender oils and infuses the sugar. Cream the lavender-infused sugar with room-temperature butter, then add the eggs, yolk and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients—flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt—just until combined. Cover and chill the dough for about 30 minutes to firm it up so the cookies bake up thick and tender.
Portion the dough
Use a cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) to portion the dough. Roll each portion into a ball, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then press each gently with your palm to slightly flatten.
Bake the cookies
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 11–13 minutes, until the centers look set and the edges are just turning golden. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Make the frosting
For the honey cream cheese frosting, beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla, then sift in powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Add honey and beat on medium until the frosting is thick, silky and spreadable. If the frosting feels too soft, chill briefly to firm it before using.
Frost the cookies
Spoon a dollop of frosting onto each cooled cookie using a cookie scoop, then spread to the edges with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Create a small swirl on top and finish with a light sprinkle of dried lavender buds for a pretty, fragrant touch.
Tips for the Best Lavender Cookies
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Bring butter, eggs, and cream cheese to room temperature before mixing. This helps ingredients combine smoothly and gives a consistent texture for both dough and frosting.
- Cool the cookies completely. Frosting a warm cookie will cause it to melt and slide off. If you’re short on time, place cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer for 5–10 minutes to speed cooling.
- Store and rest for better texture. Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator (because the frosting contains cream cheese) for up to five days. Let refrigerated cookies come to room temperature for a couple of hours before serving—many find the flavors and texture improve after resting overnight.
Favorite Tools
USA Pan Half Sheet Pan
Cookie Scoops
Parchment Paper Baking Sheets
Offset Spatula
Honey Lavender Cookie FAQs
What is the best way to store the cookies?
Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. For best flavor and texture, remove them a few hours before serving to let them come closer to room temperature, or serve chilled if preferred.
Can these be made ahead of time?
Yes. Bake and cool the cookies, then freeze them unfrosted in an airtight container or zip-top bag. The frosting can be made and refrigerated for up to a week. Thaw cookies at room temperature before frosting and briefly re-whip the frosting if needed.
What kind of lavender should I use?
Use dried culinary or food-grade lavender buds labeled safe for cooking. Culinary lavender provides the right aroma and flavor without the bitter, medicinal notes that non-culinary varieties can have.
Does the cookie dough need to chill?
Yes. Chilling the dough for about 30 minutes helps control spreading and yields thicker, more tender cookies. Chilled dough is also easier to portion and shape.
What if my frosting is too soft?
If the honey cream cheese frosting is too soft, chill it briefly in the refrigerator until it firms. Make the frosting while the cookies bake, then chill it until the cookies are fully cooled—slightly cold frosting will be much easier to spread.
Baking Tip: Weigh Your Ingredients!
I recommend using a kitchen scale for the most accurate, consistent results. Weighing ingredients reduces variability and often leads to better outcomes than volume measurements alone. Gram measurements are provided in the ingredient list for convenience.
More Spring Recipes You’ll Love
- Lemon Mascarpone Tart
- Coconut Layer Cake
- Mum Cupcakes
- Lemon Brûlée Bars
- Yuzu Strawberry Pound Cake
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment below. Happy baking!
Honey Lavender Cookies
Ingredients
For the Lavender Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender buds
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons (42g) vegetable or canola oil
- 1 large egg + 1 large yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon (10g) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 (8-ounce) block (227g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ⅓ cup (112g) honey
Shop Ingredients
Instructions
- Lavender Sugar Cookies: Pulse sugar and lavender in a small food processor to break up the buds and infuse the sugar.
- Cream the butter and lavender sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until combined, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium-low, slowly stream in the oil.
- Scrape the bowl, add the egg, yolk and vanilla, and mix until combined. Scrape the sides again.
- Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the mixer and mix just until combined.
- Cover the dough and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Portion dough with a #24 cookie scoop (about 3 Tablespoons). Roll into balls, place 2″ apart on prepared sheets, and press each slightly to flatten.
- Bake 11–13 minutes or until centers no longer look wet and edges begin to brown. Cool completely before frosting.
- Honey Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium-low until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl.
- Add powdered sugar and honey, mix on low until incorporated, then on medium until smooth. Chill frosting briefly until cookies are cool; slightly cold frosting spreads more easily.
- Decorating: Use a cookie scoop to add frosting to each cooled cookie, spread to the edges, create a swirl, and garnish with a few lavender buds.
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HI THERE!
I’m Rachel
I develop dessert recipes that combine classic technique with thoughtful flavor. My goal is approachable recipes that deliver beautiful results.
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