• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Make With Mara logo

  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok

Home » Dessert Bars » Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars

Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars

Published: Jul 7, 2020 · Modified: Sep 3, 2022 by Mara · This post may contain affiliate links - as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

These cookie bars taste like springtime! These Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars have a delicious delicate lavender with tart lemon flavor and sweet honey lemon frosting.

Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars cut into small squares on a wooden board but slightly cut off. Lavender in a small marble bowl is in the top right with a honey dipper and honey in a small bowl in the bottom right. White flowers, mini lavender flowers and crumbled bars are scattered all around the board and on the white marble background

Updated March 2021 with process photos, more detailed notes and steps, etc. Updated April 2021 with more detailed ingredient notes, recipe faq and expert tips. Updated June 2022 with clearer details and information.

These are not your normal cookie bars! These are just as sweet but with hints of floral deliciousness and lemony goodness. Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars are topped with a lemon honey frosting and a drizzle of honey. Lavender can be incredibly overpowering. Almost perfumy tasting if you add too much. My secret to using this difficult ingredient? Infuse the butter with lavender.

The Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars are an ode to my first trip to Colorado. When looking for things to do I stumbled across the cutest Lavender farm on Instagram. We went to Sage Creations Organic Farm in Palisade where we picked the most delicious cherries and saw the prettiest lavender fields. There I picked up Culinary Lavender and thus began my quest to create perfectly balanced lavender baked goods.

Why You'll Love this recipe

  • Delicious for the spring!
  • Delicate floral flavor, well balanced with the lemon and honey
  • Perfect ratio of shortbread to frosting
  • Lovely dessert for picnics, tea parties, etc.

Ingredients

Lemon Lavender Cookie Bar Ingredients in different sized white bowls except for 1 whole lemon, 1 white egg, and 2 sticks of butter in the wrapping paper on a white marble background. Each ingredient is labeled with a red box with white text.

Cookie Base Ingredient Notes

  • Unsalted Butter: we use melted butter in the crust.
  • Lavender: use dried lavender intended for culinary use aka culinary bulbs or culinary lavender.
  • Lemons: We use fresh lemons to be juiced and zested for a delicious refreshing lemon flavor.
  • Granulated Sugar: Aside from giving your bars a touch of sweetness so they’re not too tart, the sugar will add moisture so the bars won’t crack when you bake them!
  • Egg: An egg adds structure to our cookie base. Make sure its brought to room temperature.
  • All-purpose flour : I always use all-purpose flour. Just make sure to measure the flour correctly.
  • Salt: I prefer to use kosher or fine sea salt in my recipes.

Lemon Honey Frosting Ingredient Notes

Lemon Honey Frosting ingredients in white bowls except for 1 whole lemon and 1 stick of butter in the originally wrapping. Each ingredient is labeled in a red box with white text.
  • Unsalted Butter: Use unsalted butter so we can control the amount of salt in our frosting. Make sure to bring it room temperature.
  • Lemon: Fresh squeezed lemon juice and zest is best for the most flavorful frosting.
  • Honey: I recommend getting a good quantity honey! You can use normal or wildflower or even clover honey.
  • Heavy Cream: You may substitute whole milk instead. The cream helps this buttercream frosting become silky smooth. The frosting will be dry before you add the liquid.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.
  2. In a saucepan, add butter and lavender.
  3. Set over medium heat on the smallest burner for delicate flavor OR largest burner for more prominent lavender flavor. When all the butter is melted let it steep if on the small burner or slightly bubble on the large burner for 5 minutes.
Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars. Step 1: a square white baking pan lined with parchment paper and 3 small binder clipped on the top, left and bottom. Step 2: 2 sticks of butter in a small sauce pan topped with lavender bulbs. Step 3: melted butter in a small saucepan with lavender bulbs simmering
  1. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl with a fine-mesh strainer. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  2. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine sugar and butter.
  3. Then add in the egg and combine.
Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars Steps 4-6. Step 4: A small bowl is full of lavender butter with a fine mesh sieve holding the lavender. Step 5: In a red stand mixer with a paddle attachment, butter and granulated sugar is mixed. Step 6: an egg is added to the lavender butter and sugar mixture
  1. Finally add in lemon juice, zest, baking powder, salt, and all-purpose flour. Mix until just combined.
  2. Pour dough into the prepared baking pan. Then, flatten out until even with off-set spatula or hands.
  3. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the sides will be a light golden brown and the top will be blonde. Let cool to room temperature.
Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars Steps 4-6. Step 4: A small bowl is full of lavender butter with a fine mesh sieve holding the lavender. Step 5: In a red stand mixer with a paddle attachment, butter and granulated sugar is mixed. Step 6: an egg is added to the lavender butter and sugar mixture
  1. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip butter.
  2. Add in 1 cup of powdered sugar along with heavy cream. Whip until combined.
  3. Add another cup of powdered sugar along with lemon juice and zest. Whip until combined.
Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars Step 10-12. Step 10 has butter whipped in a red stand mixer, Step 11 has powdered sugar and heavy cream added to the stand mixer, step 12 has more powdered sugar added to lemon zest and juice.
  1. Add in last cup of powdered sugar and honey. Whip until combined. Remove bowl from stand mixer, and use spatula to mix any leftover
  2. Fill frosting in a disposable frosting bag with tip of your choice. I used an Ateco 126.
  3. Frost as you desire. Drizzle more honey if you desire. Then, cut into 12 pieces.
Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars Step 13-15. Step 13: honey is added to the frosting along with the powdered sugar. Step 14: a lemon lavender cookie bars is removed from the baking pan and on a cooling rack and the frosting is a frosting bag with Ateco 126. Step 15: the lemon lavender cookie bar is decorated with the honey lemon frosting on a wooden board and a bit of honey in a small oval bowl and a honey stick off to the side

Expert Tips

  • Use Room Temperature Ingredients! Make sure that the the egg in the cookie bar base and butter for the frosting are brought to room temperature. Cold butter for frosting can result in a chunky frosting or the frosting will not come together. Forgot to soften your butter? Check on this video on how to quickly soften butter.
  • Measure Flour Correctly! Don't just scoop flour out from the bag. It will usually weight much more than what you need. I have a small digital scale, I like to use when I measure flour. But you can also try using the spoon and level method to more accurately measure flour. Learn how to measure your flour properly here!

Recipe FAQ

Can I used culinary lavender?

Yes! The first time I made these bars, I used culinary lavender. Then, I realized it's not as available as normal lavender bulbs.

Where can I can order lavender?

Try Amazon or a Penzey's.

How do I get more lavender flavor?

Instead of letting the lavender simmer for 5 minutes, bring it to a boil for 5 minutes.

The whole lemon lavender cookie bars on a wooden board, the board has white daisy flowers, small purple dried flowers, 2 halves squeezed lemons, a small oval bowl of honey with a honey dipper in the top right corner and a small marble bowl filled with lavender in the left bottom corner

You Might Also Like

  • Nutella Cookie Butter Oatmeal Bars
  • Chocolate Chunk Cookie Butter Bars
  • Salted Pistachio Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page? I always appreciate feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.

The whole lemon lavender cookie bars on a wooden board, the board has white daisy flowers, small purple dried flowers, 2 halves squeezed lemons, a small oval bowl of honey.

Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars

Mara
These cookie bars taste like springtime! The cookie bar has delicious delicate lavender with tart lemon flavor and sweet honey lemon frosting. The secret to having the perfect amount of lavender flavor is infusing the butter with culinary lavender bulbs.
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Cooling Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 50 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 bars
Calories 528 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons lavender or culinary lavender
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 zest whole lemon
  • 2 & ¼ cups all -purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg

Honey Lemon Frosting

  • 1 & ½ tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 stick butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • honey for topping cookie bars optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.
  • In a saucepan, add butter and lavender.
  • Set over medium heat on the smallest burner for delicate flavor OR largest burner for more prominent lavender flavor. When all the butter is melted let it steep if on the small burner or slightly bubble on the large burner for 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and pour into a bowl with a fine-mesh strainer. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  • In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine sugar and butter.
  • Then, add in the egg and combine.
  • Finally add in lemon juice, zest, baking powder, salt, and all-purpose flour. Mix until just combined.
  • Pour dough into the prepared baking pan. Then, flatten out until even with off-set spatula or hands.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes until the sides will be a light golden brown and the top will be blonde. Let cool to room temperature.
  • In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip butter.
  • Add in 1 cup of powdered sugar along with heavy cream. Whip until combined.
  • Add another cup of powdered sugar along with lemon juice and zest. Whip until combined.
  • Add in last cup of powdered sugar and honey. Whip until combined. Remove bowl from stand mixer, and use spatula to mix any leftover
  • Fill frosting in a disposable frosting bag with tip of your choice. I used an Ateco 126.
  • Frost as you desire. Drizzle more honey if you desire. Then, cut into 12 pieces.

Notes

Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. Please calculate your own nutritional information if you want it exact to what you make and use my calculations as a guide only.

Nutrition

Serving: 9bars | Calories: 528kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 662IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me on Instagram @makewithmara or hashtag #makewithmara
« Nutella Cookie Butter Oatmeal Bars
Bacon Fat Chocolate Fudge »

Reader Interactions

Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Mara! The home baker and cook behind Make With Mara. This is where I share my love of recipe testing, plating, and all things tasty. Let’s crEATe something delicious together! More about me →

Popular Recipes

  • The Cookie
  • Hot Chocolate Milano Cookie "Tiramisu" with Bailey's Irish Cream
  • Funfetti Chip Cookie Cake
  • Salted Caramel Chocolate Frosting

St. Patrick's Day Favorites

  • Lime Popsicles
  • Cabbage Pasta Salad
  • Zucchini Potato Soup
  • Cucumber Feta Mint Salad

Footer

↑ back to top

Privacy Policy • Contact Me

Make With Mara 2022