Mothers Day Floral Shortbread Box (Printer-friendly)

Delicate buttery shortbread adorned with edible flowers, crafted for an elegant Mothers Day treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 such as rose petals, lavender, violets, or calendula
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 and roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters and place on prepared baking sheets.
05 - Lightly brush each cookie with egg white. Gently press edible flowers onto cookies and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
06 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until edges are pale golden. Avoid overbaking.
07 - Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Arrange cooled cookies in a decorative box for gifting.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These cookies are ridiculously simple to make, yet they look like you spent hours fussing over them in a fancy bakery.
  • The buttery shortbread is tender and melts on your tongue while the edible flowers add a surprising touch of elegance that feels celebratory without being overdone.
02 -
  • Overbaking is the enemy—these cookies should be pale and tender, not brown and crunchy, so trust the 16-to-18-minute window and remove them when the edges just barely turn golden.
  • Use only food-grade, pesticide-free edible flowers; check your supplier carefully because ornamental flowers are often treated with chemicals that aren't safe to eat.
03 -
  • Don't skip the sifting step for the flour and salt—it helps distribute the salt evenly and prevents lumps that could create tough spots in your cookies.
  • If your butter isn't soft enough, it'll be impossible to cream properly; leave it on the counter for 30 minutes or so, and it should yield slightly to pressure from your finger without being greasy.
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