In The Kitchen: Lavender-Lemon Honey Cookies

I set out to make molasses cookies yesterday evening, only to find I was out of molasses and ginger, oh and ground cloves too...clearly it was time to find a new cookie. This recipe follows the same basic plan as classic molasses cookies, but uses ingredients I happened to have on hand last night. I must say, the cookies were rather good, in fact, this year for Christmas Eve I think I'll be making these rather than those molasses cookies!



Lavender-Lemon Honey Cookies

• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 1 cup lavender sugar*
  
• 1/4 cup good honey
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• the zest of 1 large or 2 small lemons
  
• Extra sugar for rolling

Mix butter, sugar, honey, vanilla, lemon zest and egg together in large mixing bowl. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Add dry ingredients to honey mixture and stir until well combined. Refrigerate until dough has hardened, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375F. Scoop out dough and roll into 1 inch balls, then roll the balls in sugar and press lightly to slightly flatten them. Place cookies on parchment covered baking sheets and bake for 7-8 minutes. Remove cookies from sheet immediately and cool on rack.

Makes approx. 3 dozen cookies.

*I've found lavender sugar at the local Charleston Farmer's Market (from Tiverton Farms), but you can buy it online, or you can make your own by combining 1 cup sugar with 1.5 tbs lavender and half a vanilla bean. Let the sugar mixture sit for 3-4 weeks, shaking the container occasionally, before using.