Gluten Free Lavender Shortbread gift wrapped to perfection

In a recent post I wrote about the uses of Lavender so I thought this post would be dedicated to ‘Gluten Free Lavender shortbread gift wrapped to perfection’
Not only do you get yummy biscuits but they are wrapped beautifully too!

How deliciously, considerately wonderful is to give a gift that is lovingly homemade, perfectly presented and temptingly, aromatically scented?  These recipes for Gluten Free Lavender Shortbread, and Lavender with Lemon Shortbread will provide a delightful house-warming, coffee morning, birthday, Mother’s day, thank you or any-time treat gift wrapped to perfection for someone special.

Purple Stitched and Fern Stripe Ribbons by Jane Means

Dietary Requirements.  With so many nutritional needs to consider, if you are in any doubt, the gluten free, vegan option is another way to show your consideration and ensure that your lavender scented, crumbly, melt in the mouth gift will be most gratefully received.

Not a confident baker?  Worry not, these delights are incredibly quick and easy to make and you will be so proud and inspired by your own talents when you present the finished package.

Image courtesy of The Contented Baker

Ingredients for Gluten Free, Vegan, Lavender with Lemon Shortbread

175g non dairy butter, at room temperature, OR coconut oil

110g caster sugar OR (to exclude refined sugar) use 170g maple syrup

280g gluten free flour blend

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ tsp pure lemon extract

dash of salt

zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp of dried lavender flowers

Method.  Whip the butter together with the lavender flowers to release the maximum flavour from the flowers.  Beat in the sugar.  Mix in the sweetener, vanilla and lemon extracts, lemon zest and salt.  Stir in the flour.  Bring together and knead with your hands ‘for a long time’ until smooth. The dough should neither be too sticky, nor too dry.  Roll out the dough to a thickness of approx. half an inch thick and use a cutter shape of your choice.  Heart shaped cookies can be especially nice for a gift.  Place the cookies on a baking sheet in the oven at Gas 4/160C (fan) for about 15 minutes.  Do not overcook as they will harden as they cool.

Ingredients for Lavender Shortbread

175g softened, unsalted butter

100g caster sugar

225g plain flour

25g demerara sugar

2 tbsp fresh, finely chopped lavender flowers

Method Whip the butter together with the lavender flowers to release the maximum flavor from the flowers.  Beat in the sugar.  Stir in the flour.  Bring together and knead with your hands until smooth.  Divide mixture in half, make two cookie mix sausages and roll each in the demerara sugar before wrapping in clingfilm or foil for 30 minutes.  Slice each unwrapped sausage of firmed mixture into about 10 cookies, place on lightly greased baking tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes on gas 3/140C (fan).  Place on a wire rack to cool.

Next.  Wrap your sweet smelling, delicious looking cookies before you are tempted to eat them yourself.  Well, perhaps you can try one… just to make sure they are yummy

Packaging your gift is the exciting part.  This is when you add the wow factor.

Purple stitched Ribbon by Jane Means
Image courtesy of The Contented Baker

Ribbons
I have a few ribbon designs that are perfect for packaging these very natural, rustic and lilac speckled cookies. Ribbons are very versatile when it comes to tying around jars, boxes, baskets and packages in order to compliment lavender’s colour and to emphasise the homemade nature of your gift.

Image courtesy of Chindeep

Gingham Ribbon by Jane Means

Cookie jar simplicity
We spotted this jar of Lavender sugar on Pinterest but this could easily be adapted for a  house-warming gift of cookies.  Freshly baked and placed in a prettily shaped, airtight, cookie jar, your Lavender shortbread will be irresistible when tied with ribbon and personalized with a hand-written gift tag.

Lavender Ribbon by Jane Means
Gift Bag by The Carrier Bag Shop
Fresh Lavender by Clifton Nurseries

A little bag of shortbread cookies
Try placing 2 or 3 lemon and Lavender shortbread cookies in a decorative gift bags and adding the detail of a stitched purple ribbon bow to secure the folded closure, with a sprig of lavender tied in.  This would be ideal as a take home gift after a coffee morning, for example.

Raspberry ribbons by Jane Means

A box of biscuits
Taking a simple box, lined with greaseproof paper and filled with lavender scented shortbread, try a combination of brown wrapping paper and a contrasting, colourful design, divided by a beautiful bow.

Paper plates by Talking Tables

Ribbon by Jane Means
You could even cut a paper plate and fold it in to a basket…perfect for packaging cookies

A simple but perfectly pink, gorgeously green or beautiful blue paper plate is perfect to place your lemon and lavender biscuits upon.  You could even wrap it in cellophane and secure with purple or green ribbon and a sprig of lavender to finish.

Ribbons by Jane Means

Lavender shortbread & tea.
As the perfect compliment to a biscuit is a cup of tea, what about combining the gift of lavender shortbread with a beautiful, and possibly purple, cup and saucer?  Fill your teacup with shortbread biscuits and either, wrap with cellophane or place in a cellophane bag and secure with a matching (green) ribbon and a (purple) label. You could even double up and add some Peppermint Creams.

Now that I’ve enticed your tastebuds, it’s time to pop the kettle on and reach for a biscuit!

Happy Baking x