Print

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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Find it online: https://kitchenwithkai.com/hibiscus-and-lemon-shortbread-recipe/