Description
Delight in these elegant London Fog Cookies with Lavender Frosting, combining the fragrant allure of Earl Grey tea and floral lavender in a soft, buttery cookie. Perfectly balanced with a creamy lavender-infused cream cheese frosting, these cookies offer a sophisticated treat ideal for tea time or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 tbsp (12 g) Earl Grey tea
- 2 3/4 cups (344 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
Lavender Sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tbsp culinary lavender
Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar
- Reserved ground lavender from lavender sugar preparation
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Purple food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Lavender Sugar: Pulse the culinary lavender in a food processor until finely ground. Sift through a sieve to remove large bits. Set aside half of the ground lavender for frosting and mix the remaining half with 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a bowl for coating the cookies.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Grind Earl Grey Tea: Pulse the Earl Grey tea leaves in a food processor until finely ground and sift out any large bits to ensure a smooth texture in the cookies.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the finely ground Earl Grey tea for an even distribution of flavors.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar on high speed for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, which aerates the dough.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the room temperature egg and vanilla bean paste on medium speed until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes, for improved texture.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined, avoiding overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Form Cookie Balls: Scoop the dough with a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, then roll each portion into a ball. Coat each dough ball evenly with the prepared lavender sugar for a fragrant, sweet crust.
- Arrange Cookies: Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading. Slightly flatten each ball and shape into a neat circle to ensure even baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake 6-8 cookies at a time in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Allow cookies to sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after baking. While still warm, use a large circular cookie cutter to perfect their shape.
- Cool Cookies: Transfer the shaped cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- Prepare Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat together the softened cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add powdered sugar, the reserved ground lavender, vanilla bean paste, and optional purple food coloring. Mix until the frosting is very fluffy and well combined.
- Frost Cookies: Once cookies have cooled completely, spread about 1 tablespoon of the lavender cream cheese frosting evenly on each cookie using a mini offset spatula for smooth coverage.
- Serve: Enjoy these refined London Fog Cookies alongside tea or coffee for a delightful treat.
Notes
- To ensure uniform cookies, use a cookie scoop and shape them carefully with a cutter while warm.
- Grinding the Earl Grey tea and lavender finely is key to avoid gritty texture in the cookies and frosting.
- Be careful not to overbake; cookies should be slightly soft to maintain a tender bite.
- Optional purple food coloring in the frosting adds a beautiful lavender hue but can be omitted for a natural look.
- Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days for freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes per batch
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British-inspired
Keywords: London Fog Cookies, Lavender Cookies, Earl Grey Cookies, Cream Cheese Frosting, Tea Time Cookies, Floral Cookies, British Dessert
