Hibiscus & Lemon Shortbread Recipe

Introduction

These Hibiscus & Lemon Shortbreads are a delicate treat combining floral notes with zesty brightness. The buttery cookies are dusted with pink sugar and optionally adorned with edible flowers, making them perfect for tea time or special occasions.

Ingredients

• 200g (1 cup) packed brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried hibiscus
• Zest of a full medium lemon
• 230g (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 325g (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• Egg white or milk for brushing on top
• Edible flowers and/or edible dried rose petals (optional)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Leave the butter out to come to room temperature while preparing the sugar mixture.
2. Step 2: Add the brown sugar, dried hibiscus, and lemon zest to a food processor. Blitz for a few seconds until the zest and hibiscus become tiny pieces and stain the sugar pink. Reserve half of this mixture for later.
3. Step 3: In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or in a bowl with a hand mixer or whisk, cream the butter, sugar mixture, and vanilla extract together until light and fluffy.
4. Step 4: Add the sea salt and flour, mixing until the mixture becomes crumbly.
5. Step 5: Pour in the milk and mix again until a rough dough forms.
6. Step 6: Transfer the dough onto parchment paper and press it together to form a ball. Roll out the dough to about 3/4cm to 1cm thickness.
7. Step 7: Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes. Gather scraps, roll out again, and repeat.
8. Step 8: Place the cut shortbread shapes on a flat tray and freeze for around 15 minutes.
9. Step 9: Preheat the oven to 165°C (330°F).
10. Step 10: Once slightly frozen, brush the shortbread with egg white or milk. If using edible flowers, gently press them onto the cookies, then sprinkle with the reserved pink sugar mixture.
11. Step 11: Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until golden around the edges. Avoid opening the oven door during baking to ensure even cooking.
12. Step 12: Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the shortbread to a cooling rack with a spatula. Optionally, dust with powdered or granulated sugar while still warm.
13. Step 13: Let the shortbread rest for ten minutes before serving.

Tips & Variations

• Use a potato peeler to remove the lemon zest in large strips before processing for better flavor release.
• Substitute dried hibiscus with lavender or chamomile for a different floral note.
• For a vegan option, replace butter with plant-based margarine and use plant milk for brushing.
• Chill the dough well before baking to help maintain the shape of the cookies.

Storage

Store the shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. To keep them crisp, avoid storing in humid conditions. Reheat briefly in a low oven if they soften over time.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use fresh hibiscus instead of dried?

Dried hibiscus works best as fresh hibiscus contains more moisture, which may affect the dough texture and baking. If using fresh, reduce moisture in the recipe or dry it before use.

What can I use if I don’t have a food processor?

You can finely chop the lemon zest and hibiscus by hand with a sharp knife, or pulse them in a blender briefly. The goal is to release flavor and mix evenly into the sugar.

Hibiscus & Lemon Shortbread Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 95 reviews

This delightful Hibiscus & Lemon Shortbread recipe combines the floral tang of dried hibiscus and the fresh zest of lemon with buttery, crumbly shortbread. Enhanced with a touch of vanilla and decorated with edible flowers or rose petals, these cookies are perfect for elegant tea times or special occasions. They feature a delicate pink tint from the hibiscus-infused sugar and a subtly sweet, citrusy flavor that melts in your mouth.

• Author: Kai
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 17 minutes
• Total Time: 37 minutes
• Yield: Approximately 24 shortbread cookies depending on cookie cutter size 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Western, European

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dry Ingredients

• 200g (1 cup) packed brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried hibiscus
• Zest of a full medium lemon
• 325g (2 1/2 cup) all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients

• 230g (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Finishing

• Egg white or milk for brushing on top
• Edible flowers and/or edible dried rose petals (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare Butter: Leave the butter out to come to room temperature. This ensures it will cream properly with the sugar.
2. Create Hibiscus Sugar: Add the brown sugar, dried hibiscus, and lemon zest to a food processor. Blitz briefly until the hibiscus and zest are finely ground and the sugar is stained pink. The zest moisture may cause some clumping. Reserve half of this mixture for topping later.
3. Cream Ingredients: Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or by hand with a hand mixer/whisk, cream the softened butter, half of the hibiscus sugar mixture, and vanilla extract together until light and fluffy.
4. Add Dry Ingredients: Mix in the sea salt and flour until the mixture becomes crumbly.
5. Form Dough: Add the milk and mix until a rough dough forms. Transfer the dough to parchment paper and press together into a ball.
6. Roll Dough: Roll the dough to a thickness of about 3/4 cm to 1 cm. Use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes from the dough. Gather scraps, reroll, and repeat cutting.
7. Freeze: Place the cut shortbread on a flat tray and freeze for approximately 15 minutes to firm up before baking.
8. Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 165°C (329°F).
9. Prepare for Baking: After chilling, brush the shortbread tops with egg white or milk. If using, gently press edible flowers or rose petals onto the surface, then sprinkle generously with the reserved hibiscus sugar mixture.
10. Bake: Bake the shortbread in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the edges turn golden. Avoid opening the oven door during baking to prevent temperature fluctuations.
11. Cool: Remove cookies carefully from the baking sheet using a spatula and transfer to a cooling rack. Optionally dust with powdered or granulated sugar while the cookies are still warm for extra decoration.
12. Rest and Store: Let the shortbread rest for 10 minutes before eating to set texture. Store in an airtight container for up to five days for optimum freshness.

Notes

• Using room temperature butter is crucial for proper creaming with sugar.
• Dried hibiscus and lemon zest infused sugar not only flavors but imparts a lovely pink color.
• Freezing the shaped dough before baking helps maintain cookie shape and texture.
• Egg white or milk brushing adds a glossy finish and helps toppings adhere.
• Keep an eye on cookies while baking as ovens vary; look for golden edges as doneness indicator.
• Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Keywords: Hibiscus shortbread, lemon zest cookies, floral shortbread, tea time cookies, edible flower cookies