Shortbread Cookies with Edible Flowers

Last Updated on April 10, 2025 by becky

Made with butter and flour and rolled in crunchy Demerara sugar, these simple slice and bake shortbread cookies with edible flowers make a colorful teatime treat.

Why Make These Shortbread Cookies with Edible Flowers?

Rolled in crunchy Demerara sugar and sprinkled with edible dried flowers, these simple slice and bake shortbread cookies with edible flowers work nicely for Mother’s Day celebrations or afternoon tea parties. They’re equally appropriate for spring celebrations like baby and bridal showers, and a reasonably long shelf life makes these cookies a great option for gifting, too. Elegant-looking but easy to prepare, these shortbread cookies provide both a pretty dessert and a conversation piece.

Ingredients for Making Edible Flower Cookies

To make these shortbread flower cookies, start by gathering the following ingredients:

• All Purpose Flour – Paired with butter and sugar, all purpose flour (or plain flour, in the UK) creates the base for these slice and bake shortbread cookies. In the US, I test most recipes with Pillsbury or Gold Medal flour; in the UK, I prefer McDougalls plain flour in the red-and-white striped bag.
• Butter – Opt for a good-quality, unsalted butter, softened enough to whip easily with a mixer.
• Granulated Sugar – I’ve tested this recipe with granulated sugar because it is more readily available to US readers. However, superfine sugar or caster sugar (easy to find in the UK ,and traditionally used in shortbread recipes) will also work. I recommend measuring the sugar by weight rather than volume.

• Fine Sea Salt – Fine sea salt and kosher salt will both work for this recipe.
• Demerara Sugar – Demerara sugar gives the cookies their crunchy exterior. You can replace the Demerara sugar with Turbinado sugar or Sugar in the Raw, or omit it from the recipe altogether.
• Edible Flowers – You’ll need about 3-5 grams of edible flowers such as dried rose petals, dried calendula, dried butterfly pea flowers, or the spring flower mix shown in my photos. The weight will vary based on the type of flowers you’ve chosen; in volume, you’re aiming for around 1/4 US cup, or 4 heaping tablespoons of dried flowers. For more on baking with edible flowers, read my notes below.

Baking with Edible Flowers

I tested these slice and bake shortbread cookies using this spring flower blend, comprised of edible rose, cornflower, and marigold petals. I also tried it with dried butterfly pea flowers, which you can see in the process photos I’ve included in the recipe card below.

However, you can just as easily use any type of edible dried flowers (or dried flower blend) you’d like—I often enjoy adding dried lavender and dried hibiscus to my bakes. Dried rose petals also work nicely in this recipe.

If you’ve chosen very large dried flowers, I recommend briefly pulsing the petals in a food processor or coffee grinder to create a finer texture.

A Few Notes on Cooking with Flowers

Not all flowers are edible, and not all “edible” flowers are food-grade. When choosing your flower blend, look for a product clearly labeled “edible,” “food grade” or “culinary grade.”

There are numerous food-grade flower blends available online, and you can often find locally grown dried flowers at the greenmarket or farmer’s market. Many teas are made from dried flower leaves and blossoms, so an upscale tea shop can also be a useful resource.

Tips and Tricks for Making Shortbread Cookies

Use a sharp knife. A very sharp chef’s knife works best for slicing the shortbread log. (A dull knife will produce ragged-looking biscuits, or even cause your shortbread dough to crumble.) I find it easier and cleaner to slice in one sharp downward motion, rather than sawing back and forth.

Keep the dough cold. Though tempting, do not skip either of the chilling steps in this recipe! Chilling your dough log for at least 30 minutes will make it much easier to slice, and freezing the slices will prevent the cookies from spreading in the oven. If you’re short on time, I suggest making the dough the night before and refrigerating it overnight.

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

To store: These shortbread cookies with edible flowers taste best on the day they are made, but leftovers will keep well for several days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll soften and lose some of their crispy/crumbly texture as they age, but will still taste good.

To freeze: Layer cookies between sheets of parchment and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Make-ahead option: Prepare the shortbread dough up to 24 hours in advance. Form a log, wrap in clingfilm/plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Other shortbread cookie recipes you might enjoy:

Funfetti Slice and Bake Shortbread
Apricot and Rosemary Shortbread
Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Orange Shortbread

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

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