Mothers Day Floral Shortbread (Printer-friendly)

Buttery shortbread adorned with edible flowers, ideal for a floral-themed celebration.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Shortbread Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 2/3 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
04 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Decoration

06 - 1 egg white, lightly beaten
07 - 1/4 cup edible dried flowers such as rose petals, lavender, violets, or calendula
08 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla extract.
03 - Sift in flour and salt. Stir until just combined into a soft dough.
04 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness.
05 - Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place on prepared baking sheets.
06 - Lightly brush each cookie with egg white. Gently press edible flowers onto cookies. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
07 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until edges are pale golden. Do not overbake.
08 - Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Arrange cooled cookies in a decorative box for presentation.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Shortbread has this magical quality where four simple ingredients transform into pure buttery bliss that tastes far fancier than the effort required.
  • Edible flowers do the decorating work for you, turning humble cookies into gallery-worthy gifts that feel deeply personal.
  • The whole process takes less than an hour, which means you can actually pull this off even if inspiration strikes at the last minute.
02 -
  • The difference between tender shortbread and tough shortbread happens during that stirring step—stop as soon as the dough comes together, even if it looks like it could use a few more stirs.
  • Shortbread is forgiving with timing in the oven because it doesn't brown quickly, but it's also easy to miss the window where it's perfectly set but still soft—pale golden edges are your target, not golden centers.
  • Edible flowers must be sourced carefully from food suppliers or specialty bakers' shops; never assume that any flower, even a pretty one from a garden, is safe to eat.
03 -
  • Cold butter is your enemy when creaming; let it sit on the counter until it's soft enough that your finger leaves a shallow indent without pressure.
  • Weigh your flour if possible, as volume measurements vary wildly based on how tightly it's packed—this single change will transform your shortbread consistency.
  • The egg white should be barely beaten, just until it's lost its viscosity; overbeaten egg white will make your cookies slide around on the pan.
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