Mothers Day Floral Shortbread (Printable Version)

Buttery shortbread cookies decorated with edible flowers for a charming celebration gift.

# What You 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
08 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

# How To Make:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They taste like a proper British tea biscuit but photograph like fine art, so everyone thinks you spent hours on them.
  • The edible flowers aren't just pretty—they add a whisper of floral sweetness that butter alone could never achieve.
  • You can make a whole batch in less than an hour and actually have time to arrange them nicely in a box.
02 -
  • Overbaking these cookies is the number one way to ruin them—they go from tender to dry in what feels like 30 seconds, so set a timer and check at 16 minutes.
  • Using non-edible flowers or those treated with pesticides will make people sick, so source your flowers carefully and verify they're food-safe before pressing them on.
  • Cold dough is easier to cut and doesn't stick, so if your kitchen is warm, chill the rolled dough for 15 minutes before using the cutters.
03 -
  • Let your butter come to room temperature naturally rather than microwaving it, which can make it greasy and affect the shortbread's texture.
  • If you don't have edible flowers on hand, you can brush the cookies with egg white and roll the edges in crushed pistachios or finely chopped freeze-dried berries for a completely different look that's equally stunning.
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