Description
Delight in the aromatic charm of London Fog Cookies, featuring fragrant Earl Grey tea infused into buttery cookies rolled in lavender sugar, topped with a smooth and fluffy lavender cream cheese frosting. Perfectly balanced with floral notes and a hint of vanilla, these cookies offer a sophisticated twist on a classic treat.
Ingredients
Lavender Sugar
- 1/2 tbsp culinary lavender
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
Earl Grey Cookies
- 3 tbsp (12 g) Earl Grey tea
- 2 3/4 cups (344 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tbsp culinary lavender (finely ground, reserved from lavender sugar preparation)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Purple food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Lavender Sugar: Add the lavender to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Pass through a sieve to remove any large bits. Set aside half of this finely ground lavender for frosting later. Mix the remaining ground lavender with granulated sugar in a medium bowl and set aside for rolling the cookies.
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Grind Earl Grey Tea: Add Earl Grey tea leaves to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Sift through a sieve to remove any larger bits ensuring a smooth dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground Earl Grey tea. Set aside for incorporation later.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer on high speed, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar in a bowl until the mixture is very light and fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes, ensuring a tender cookie texture.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla bean paste to the creamed mixture and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes, to incorporate air into the dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined, avoiding overmixing which can toughen the cookies.
- Shape Dough Balls: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out the dough and roll each scoop into balls. Roll each dough ball in the prepared lavender sugar to coat evenly.
- Arrange Cookies on Baking Sheets: Place the lavender sugar-coated dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Slightly flatten each ball and gently shape them into circles for even baking and appearance.
- Bake Cookies: Bake 6-8 cookies at a time in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes. Once baked, let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. While still warm, use a large circular cookie cutter to perfect the round shape if desired.
- Cool Cookies: Transfer the shaped cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- Make Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting: While the cookies are baking and cooling, combine softened butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add powdered sugar, reserved finely ground lavender, and vanilla bean paste. Mix again until very fluffy. Add purple food coloring if you want a lavender tint to the frosting.
- Frost Cookies: Once the cookies are completely cooled, top each with about 1 tablespoon of frosting. Use a mini offset spatula to spread evenly and smoothly. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Spoon and level flour when measuring to ensure accuracy and a tender crumb.
- Grinding the Earl Grey tea and lavender finely ensures even distribution and a pleasant texture.
- If you do not have vanilla bean paste, pure vanilla extract can be used as a substitute but may slightly alter the flavor intensity.
- Cookies can be baked in batches to maintain spacing and even cooking.
- Optional purple food coloring adds a beautiful aesthetic but does not affect flavor.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
