Elevate your cookies with edible dried flowers! These delicious, buttery Vanilla Rose Shortbread Cookies are glazed and topped with dried edible roses, for an easy, but special and romantic sweet treat.
Today I’m sharing these delicious and pretty cookies to celebrate Galentine’s Day! Thanks to Leslie Knope and Parks and Recreation for imagining such a wonderful day. Celebrated on February 13th, Galentine’s Day is a day especially for ladies to celebrate ladies. So it’s only fitting that I’ve joined with a group of fabulous ladies to share these treats. Scroll down to see all the great food being shared today for the occasion!
I thought these cookies with edible flowers were particularly fitting for the day, since they make a nice number or treats (16 beautiful cookies!), they can be made ahead and they are easily transported and shared. I’m sure there are lots of great ladies in your life that you’d like to gift a delicious cookie to tell them how special they are to you, right? And there’s just something special about biting into a beautiful, buttery shortbread cookie that’s all decked out in roses! Add a cup of tea or a bottle of wine and you’ve got a lovely celebrate the lovely ladies in your life moment :)
Of course, all these treats would be equally at home on Valentine’s Day, as well, to celebrate the other special people in your life, too.
Cook’s Notes for Vanilla Rose Shortbread Cookies
If you have a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, that would be ideal for these cookies. Not only will you be able to remove them from the pan easily, you will get a lovely scalloped edge around the outside of your cookies.
I didn’t have a 9-inch tart pan though, so I used a 9-inch round cake pan lined with a round of parchment on the bottom. It bakes up just as well, but makes it a little trickier to remove the cookies after they’ve cooled. I find that lifting out the first cookie with a fork from the thick, outside edge is the easiest way to go. Once you have the first one out, it’s a breeze after that. If it happens to break, consider it a “baker’s sample” and eat it. You’ll still be able to make a nice circle of cookies even if you’re missing that one ;)
When pressing your dough into your pan, do your best to smooth the top as much as possible, as it doesn’t level itself much as it cooks, so any bumps there now will be there later.
Be sure that you use EDIBLE dried roses. These are roses that have been grown, harvested and preserved with the intention that they would be consumed, so they are free from pesticides and are treated like food. I ordered a small bag online and they showed up in my mailbox in 2 days! If you live in a larger city, you will likely find a source for edible dried flowers locally.
Whenever you incorporate dried flowers in your baking, be sure to add them with the butter (and not the dried ingredients), as I have done here.
As you dip your cookies to glaze, you may start to get some small bits of cookie in your glaze. Simply use a spoon to move those bits to the edges, away from where you are dipping, so you don’t get cookie bits in your glaze.
I’ve increased the amount of glaze here, as I find that it’s much easier to dip when you start with a good amount of glaze. You don’t want to be scraping the bottom of the bowl. That’s not going to make pretty cookies. Having more glaze to start just avoids all that, but it does mean that you will have more than you need to glaze all these cookies. I hate to waste, but it’s only a bit of icing sugar and lemon juice. Or if you happen to have other baking that needs a dollop of something, you can use your extra that way.
More Great #Galentinesday Recipes
Ciao Chow Bambina – Chocolate Panna Cotta with Raspberry Compote
Meg is Well – Horchata Latte Cheesecake
Katherine in Brooklyn – Chocolate Coffee Layer Cake
This Brown Kitchen – Chocolate Topped Seed and Nut Bars
Seek Satiation – Chocolate-Bottomed Strawberry Fool
Madeline Hall – Earl Grey Frosted Brownies
What Should I Make For… – Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
The Sweet Nerd – Chocolate Wine Cake
The Beach House Kitchen – Pink Grapefruit and Thyme Shortbread Hearts
Beyond Mere Sustenance – Blood Orange Margarita Sorbet
Vanilla Rose Shortbread Cookies
Delicious, buttery shortbread cookies that are glazed and topped with edible dried roses.
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 Tbsp edible dried roses
- 3/4 cup icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt less if using salted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste well mixed with 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp water or vanilla
- 1/4 cup edible dried roses
Instructions
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In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or in a bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter for 15-20 seconds, then add the dried roses and mix to combine. Add icing sugar vanilla and salt and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in flour just until combined.
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Press dough into a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom (or alternately, a 9-inch round cake pan, lining the bottom with a round of parchment paper.) Flatten dough with the palm of your hand to make a smooth surface. Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the dough in to 16 wedges. Prick each wedge with a fork twice. Refrigerate pan with dough until firm, about 30 minutes.
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Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300F.
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Bake cookies in preheated oven until firm and pale golden, about 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then, using a sharp knife, cut through the score lines you made before baking, wiping off the blade between each cut. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
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Meanwhile, prepare glaze by whisking together the vanilla bean paste and water so it is well incorporated. Add to the icing sugar and stir well until smooth. Tip: Be sure to use a bowl that will allow you to dip the cookies in flat from end to end, so it should be at least 5-inches wide. That said, don't use too big a bowl or your glaze will be too thin a layer and you may bottom-out when you dip).
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Prepare your dried roses by taking about half of them and breaking them into smaller bits with your fingers. Keep separate from your larger dried rose pieces and set aside.
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Remove cookies from pan to a rack. Holding a cookie by the sides, dip the top of the cookie into the glaze to coat. Hold point side down and allow the excess to drip off. Gently remove any drip at the point end by running it along the edge of the bowl. Place on to rack. Once you've done about 4 wedges, sprinkle those ones with some of the edible roses before the glaze sets to much that they won't stick. I like to sprinkle a bit of the smaller stuff first, sprinkling over the outer 2/3 of the wedge (leaving the narrow end clear). Then sprinkle some of the larger pieces at the wide end. Repeat until you have glazed and sprinkled all the cookies.
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Allow to stand until the glaze is set, about 1 hour. Store in a flat even layer in an airtight container. These keep well stored at room temperature for about a week. These would also freeze well!
Recipe Notes
Be sure to check out the "Cook's Notes" on this recipe's post, for more great tips on how to make these cookies.
So beautiful! The glaze and edible roses make such a pretty topping!
Thanks Laura :)
These look lovely! When you say “or vanilla” (in place of vanilla bean paste) do you mean vanilla extract?
Hi Marilee, Yes, I did mean vanilla extract here :)
These are beautiful! I love how you made them into a triangle shape – they look perfect for tea!
Thanks so much, Katherine :)
These have my mouth watering! So simply elegant but delicious, i’m sure!
Thanks so much, Kendall!
These cookies are so beautiful!!! They really are perfect for Galentine’s or Valentine’s Day and would make such a pretty gift!
Thanks Meg!
Wow. First of all, I love shortbread, secondly, the icing on it looks soo good, and then the topper is the edible flowers. Amazing.
Thanks so much, Tessa :)
Okay wow these are absolutely gorgeous! They would definitely be so cute for any Galentine’s gathering (:
Thanks so much, Suruchi :)
So pretty! I have never tried rose petals (and that’s sayin’ something because I cook with offal :-) )… Your Vanilla Rose Shortbread Cookies look like a work of art – almost too pretty to eat! I’d have to force myself to take that first bite. Lol. I always say “I eat with my eyes,” and this one is so stunning. Happy Galentine’s Day lovely!
Lol! That is sayin’ something ;) And I’m definitely an eat with my eyes type too. I have to say, I felt very special when I was eating these! Thanks :)
Absolutely gorgeous! I love bringing dry flower petals into my baking and these look beautiful. Delicate crumbly short bread, sweet and tangy glaze and fragrant rose petals. Stunning! Pinned.
Thanks so much, Debs :)
Delicate and gorgeous! What stunning photos to match an awesome recipe. :-)
Thanks so much, Allison :)
Absolutely beautiful Jennifer! You know my love for shortbread, so I’ll be baking a batch shortly!
Thanks so much, Mary Ann :)
Very, very clean and elegant look! Love how classy these are, like you say – perfect for such a variety of occasions. Happy Galentine’s Day! The edible rose petals are such a sweet touch:)
Thanks Milena :)
Can I just say, this takes my breath away, sharing and pinning and going to check out everybody else’s recipes, great work Jennifer!!
Thanks so much, Sue! :)
Forget dessert, this looks like artwork, Jennifer! Love those edible flowers!! So so pretty!!
Thanks Dawn! These were so fun to make (and eat :)
I love shortbread and yours is always so very pretty…so very pleasing! Happy Galentine’s Day, my friend!
Thanks Annie!
Oh my goodness, all of my gals will love these gorgeous cookies. They are stunning and everyone will feel like they were spoiled with beautiful flowers in the process of eating these buttery vanilla cookies. YUM!
Thanks so much, Cindy :)
I never heard of Galentine’s Day but it’s funny, my daughter is flying in to visit on the 13th and we’re going to a concert with a few of my friends and their daughters! I’ll have to tell them all about Galentine’s :) And make a pan of these beautiful shortbread cookies to share!
That’s so perfect! You are all set for Galentine’s Day then :) Enjoy!
What a lovely dessert for the celebration of Valentine’s Day! I have never eaten rose flavored cookies but have always been intrigued. These are absolutely gorgeous Jennifer! Sharing and pinning.
Thanks Tricia :) The Rose flavour is very subtle and pleasant. Just a lovely note!