Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Lemon Lavender Sugar Cookies


Lemon Lavender Cookies
makes 24 cookies


3 tbsp soy milk
juice of one small lemon
zest of one small lemon
1 c sugar
1/2 c earth balance (or other vegan margarine)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp lavender
1 1/3 c flour
For rolling
1/4 c sugar
2 tsp lavender
Mix together the soy milk, lemon juice and lemon zest and set aside to let thicken.  
Meanwhile, cream together the sugar and margarine with a fork or an electric mixer if you have one. Once the mixture is even, add the vanilla extract and soy milk concoction and continue to mix. 
In a large bowl sift the flour, baking soda, lavender and salt. Grind the whole lavender before adding to he mixture. I do this with a coffee grinder. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and work until the dough is even and slightly firm. Place the dough in the the refrigerator for a few minutes before rolling into balls and whenever the dough is not being used.
Grind the whole lavender before mixing with the remaining sugar.  Mix the ground lavender and sugar on a large plate for rolling the cookies in.
Spoon small, even amounts of the dough into your hands and roll into a ball, then roll evenly in the lavender sugar and place on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Repeat for 6 cookies per pan, then press the dough flat with your hand, the bottom of a glass, or the back of a fork.
Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should no longer look fluffy but make sure to get them out before they brown too much around the edges. Let the cookies rest for a minute on the pan before placing on a cooling rack.