Let Me Tell You Why I’m (Still!) Obsessed With These
You ever have one of those recipes that just—how do I put this—worms its way into your kitchen year after year? Butter cookies with edible flowers are that for me. First batch I ever made looked like someone let a preschool art class loose in my oven, and I swear half the pans got more flour than flower. (Still tasty though—can't argue with butter and sugar.) My little niece calls these "fairy biscuits" and, honestly, I still think that's a pretty good name. Makes them feel a bit magical, which is maybe why my grown-up friends get grabby when I bring them to a picnic. Oh, and if you have a garden, it gives you an excuse to grow edible violas or nasturtiums. Or, erm, raid your neighbor’s flower bed—kidding! Mostly.
Why Make These? (Other Than Obvious Deliciousness)
I make this when I want to show off but don’t have time (or patience, let’s be honest) for elaborate desserts. My family goes wild for them because, well, they look like you put loads of effort in, but you mostly just smoosh dough and plop some flowers. Plus, if you keep a bag of edible flower petals in the freezer (yes, you can!), you can whip up a batch randomly whenever the mood/stress hits. There was a time I thought I needed fancy stuff from specialty shops—not true. And when my cookies come out a bit lopsided, everyone decides they look rustic, so. Win.
Here’s What You’ll Need (and What to Swap If You’re Out)
- 2 cups (250g-ish) plain flour – I sometimes use cake flour if I’ve got it on hand, can’t honestly tell much difference
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temp – saltier butters work fine, just skip the added pinch of salt later
- ¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar – if you only have regular sugar, give it a blitz in the blender, really
- Pinch of salt – My gran swore by sea salt flakes, so I try to honor that, but regular table salt is also grand
- 1 large egg yolk – don’t worry if it’s a bit on the small side, won’t change much
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – or almond, or orange blossom, or whatever’s rattling round in the pantry
- Edible flowers! – Violas, pansies, rose petals, lavender, nasturtiums. Whatever looks pretty (and, you know, won’t poison anyone). Check this edible flower list if you want inspiration.
If you’re short on edible flowers, sprigs of herbs work in a pinch. Not as Instagrammable but still tasty.
How I (Usually) Put It All Together
- Beat the butter and sugar together in a big mixing bowl (I’ve used a wooden spoon more times than the electric mixer, but your arm will thank you if you plug in the mixer). Cream until it looks pale and a bit fluffy—takes a few mins.
- Toss in the egg yolk and vanilla. Mix it up. The consistency should be like morning porridge but, you know, much tastier. If it’s lumpy, don’t panic.
- Now, gently fold in the flour and salt. This is where it starts to look almost too crumbly, but it’ll come together, promise. Sometimes I add a dribble of milk if it’s just not coming together (tiny dribble—don’t drown it).
- Smoosh the dough into a rough square (or blob, let's be real) on some cling film. Wrap it up and chill for 30 mins. Or stick it in the fridge while you wrangle the flowers.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C, give or take). Line two trays with baking parchment (foil if you’re desperate but parchment is way less grief).
- Roll out your dough to about ¼ inch thick (or a bit thicker if you're feeling generous). Cookie cutters are great; an upturned glass works, too. Circles, hearts, whatever you feel like.
- Lay the cookies on the tray and gently press the edible flowers or petals (I use clean fingers, but there’s always that one petal that won’t cooperate. The tweezers trick from Bright Star Kitchen sometimes helps).
- Bake 10–12 minutes or until just golden at the edges. I promise they seem pale and undercooked at first, but they harden up as they cool. This is when I hover in the kitchen and steal a warm one.
- Cool on a wire rack (or just on the baking sheet, honestly). Try not to eat all of them while they're still warm.
What I’ve Learned (the Broken Biscuit Files)
- If you forget to chill the dough, the cookies do spread more and get crispy—still good, just different.
- Pressing the flowers too hard makes them bleed a bit. Looks tie-dyed though, which is fun.
- I once accidentally put too much salt in because I was chatting, and now I measure with my palm flat, not cupped.
- Used to think only fancy flowers worked, but violets grow wild in the car park near my flat. Free decorations! (Wash, for the love of Pete, wash first.)
Variations I’ve Tried (and One to Maybe Skip)
- Tried lemon zest in place of vanilla; it’s zingy and gives a totally different, almost sunshiney vibe.
- Chilled and dipped the finished cookies in white chocolate—amazing, but more fiddly. Would do again for a party.
- Sprinkled a tiny bit of coarse sugar on top before baking—shiny, crunchy, yum.
- Once blitzed dried lavender right into the dough; tasted like soap to me, but my mum thought it was brilliant. Tastebuds, eh?
What You’ll Need for Gear (Or Not...)
Mixing bowl, wooden spoon (or mixer), rolling pin (though I’ve used a wine bottle plenty), baking trays, parchment paper, and a wire rack if you’re really kitted out. No cookie cutter? Just use a tumbler. I once used a clean jam jar lid, not proud but it worked!
Storing and Keeping Fresh
Supposedly you can keep these in an airtight tin for up to 5 days. But honestly, in my house, it never lasts more than a day! If you actually manage to have leftovers, tuck in a bit of parchment between layers so the flowers don’t stick.
How I Like to Serve Them (You Might Fancy This)
They’re gorgeous with afternoon tea—my aunt insists on Earl Grey and nothing else, but I like mine at midnight with hot chocolate on a rainy Tuesday. Sometimes we just pile them into a bowl and call it cookie salad (don't judge; it was a long week).
Pro Tips (the Hard Way...)
- I once tried rolling out warm dough and ended up scraping bits off the rolling pin for ages—chill is your friend.
- Don’t overbake, even if you’re tempted to get some color—these go from perfection to “slightly smoky” in about a minute. Trust me, your nose will tell you if you’ve gone too far.
- If you use dried flowers, rehydrate them a bit with water first or they burn and go sad looking. Found that out the painful way.
Burning Questions (and My Far From Perfect Answers)
- Are all flowers edible?
Not even close. Use stuff you’re sure about; check weird bits at the back of your garden before you go snipping (ask a plant-y friend if you’re not sure, or double-check this RHS edible flower guide). - Can I make these gluten-free?
Yeah, actually! Swap regular flour for a gluten-free blend (I tried Bob’s Red Mill, worked fine). Texture is a touch more delicate. - Can you freeze the dough?
Absolutely! Roll it into a log, wrap up tight. Slice and bake when you need posh snacks with zero notice. The flowers, well, press on fresh at baking or they look a bit sad if frozen. - What if my cookies look weird or lumpy?
That’s just more proof it’s homemade! Actually, I tend to think the strange-looking ones end up tasting best anyway.
I realize this got a little wordy, but there’s just so much odd joy in making these at home. Besides, the world could always use a few more edible flowers, right?
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for sprinkling)
- ¼ cup assorted edible flowers (such as pansies, violets, rose petals)
Instructions
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1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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2In a large bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
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3Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until well combined.
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4Gradually sift in the flour and salt, mixing just until the dough comes together.
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5Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough onto the baking sheet, flatten slightly, and gently press a few edible flowers onto each cookie. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
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6Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool on the sheet before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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