Mothers Day Floral Shortbread (Printable Version)

Buttery shortbread adorned with edible flowers, crafted for elegant Mothers Day moments.

# What You'll 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

# Directions:

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. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness.
05 - Cut dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place on prepared baking sheets.
06 - Lightly brush each cookie with egg white. Gently press edible flowers onto cookies. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
07 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until edges are pale golden. Avoid overbaking.
08 - Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Arrange cooled cookies in a decorative box for gifting.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These cookies taste like pure butter with just enough sweetness to let the flowers shine, and somehow they feel fancier than they actually are to make.
  • You can bake them days ahead, which means you can actually enjoy the celebration instead of panicking in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Overbaking is the biggest threat to these cookies—even 2 minutes too long and they go from tender to dry, so stay nearby and watch them like a hawk in those final minutes.
  • Your edible flowers must be food-grade and pesticide-free; florist flowers are treated with chemicals and will genuinely make someone sick if eaten.
03 -
  • Keep your butter and flour cool; if your dough gets warm and sticky, pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes before rolling—cold dough rolls more smoothly and keeps shortbread tender.
  • Buy your edible flowers a few weeks before you bake so you have time to source them from a reliable supplier rather than scrambling at the last minute.
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