Flower Shortbread Cookies

(Discloser: This is a sponsored post, and I received free product from Nature’s Flavors; However, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Inspiration Apron running!)

Flower shaped shortbread cookies would make a lovely gift or dessert for Mother’s Day or a tea party.

These “melt-in-your-mouth” soft and delicious Flower Shortbread Cookies are easier to make than you think. With just a few simple ingredients you can have an impressive and beautiful cookie perfect for tea parties, Mother’s Day or gift giving. You can make them as plain shortbread cookies or add any flavor to the dough to enhance the flavor. I choose to add Nature’s Flavors Organic Strawberry Flavor Concentrate for a delicious springtime taste since I was making for Mother’s Day. Makes one dozen flower cookies, with a little scrap dough left for some extra cutout cookies.

Visit Nature’s Flavors to find the Organic Strawberry Flavor Concentrate. Their products are all-natural and made in the USA by a family owned and operated business of over 40 years.

Let’s begin!

Ingredients:

Pink Pitaya Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup plant butter, softened (Country Crock Plant Butter with Olive Oil recommended)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp plant milk (unsweetened vanilla almond milk recommended)
• 1 1/2 tsp Suncore Pink Pitaya Supercolor Powder
• 1/4 tsp Nature’s Flavors Organic Strawberry Flavor Concentrate (Optional—if using a flavor extract instead, increase to 1 tsp)

As you can see if the photo, I choose to create two different versions of the cookie. If you want to forgo the flower shaped design, you can use a simple cookie cutter to create your own desired shape.

Also, you can just have regular shortbread cookies or add a flavored glaze to enhance the sweetness and add some flare and design. For the flower shaped cookies, I just dipped the outer edges in glaze to add dimension and a hint of sweet flavor. For the other shape, I covered half of the cookie in glaze and added chopped freeze-dried strawberries.

Optional glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp plant milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• 1/2 tsp Suncore Pink Pitaya Supercolor Powder
• 1/8 tsp Nature’s Flavors Organic Strawberry Flavor Concentrate or flavor of choice.
• (Note that flavor concentrates are stronger, so if using a flavor extract increase amount to 1/2 teaspoon.
• Optional garnish: freeze-dried strawberries

How to make flower shaped shortbread cookies

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325℉ / 162℃ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. (You can also wait till you are rolling out your dough to preheat oven.)

Next, combine the softened butter and powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl until well mixed and smooth.

Add the flour, plant milk, and flavor concentrate, then mix until a soft dough is formed.

Divide dough in half and wrap up one half in plastic wrap.

To the other half, press down middle of dough, then add colorfood powder and incorporate in by kneading and folding until evenly distributed. Wrap pink dough in plastic wrap and place both dough balls into the freezer for 5 minutes.

Working with one color at a time, on a lightly floured surface roll out dough to about 1/4-inch thickness, then cut into a rectangle shape, roughly 6×8.

TIP: You will probably have to refresh your other color dough in the freezer for 5 minutes while working on the first color dough.

Using a large knife or pizza cutter, cut 1-inch sized squares but using long cuts in each direction. (See photo)

Roll each one-inch square into a ball and place on wax or parchment paper.

On the prepared baking sheet, form a circle with one color of five balls, then put one ball of the opposite color in the middle of circle.Repeat, spacing them at least 2 1/2 inches apart.

Using a small square of parchment paper, lay down on flower formation, then gently press down slightly with a cup or glass.As you can see, I used a measuring cup. You want to make sure whatever you use has a completely flat surface on the bottom.

To add a little extra detail to the flowers, use a toothpick to create three small indentions on each flower pedal. (You could also use a small three prong dessert fork if you have one.)

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until just a hint of browning appears on bottom of edges.

Remove from oven, let cool on baking sheet for one minute, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, add all ingredients to a medium bowl and stir vigorously with a fork until smooth.

Hint: for a thicker glaze, use less plant milk, or for a thinner glaze add a little more at a time until desired thickness is achieved.

Place a sheet of waxed paper under a cooling rack, then dip or use spoon to glaze cookies. Add chopped freeze-dried strawberries for a garnish, if desired.Let glaze set for at least 20-30 minutes before transferring to a serving platter or plate.

I used the scrap dough for extra cut out cookies for a little assortment and added the glaze and freeze-dried strawberries on one half of each cookie.

How long will dairy-free shortbread cookies last?

Dairy-free shortbread cookies will stay fresh in an air-tight container for 2-3 days at room temperature, 1 week if refrigerated and 4-6 months if frozen.

Enjoy!

💜Julie