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Lilac Cookies

Make the most of lilac season and bake delicious lilac cookies! The recipe is easy to make and looks so pretty with a simple lilac glaze and a sprinkle of fresh blossoms. It’s the perfect spring treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea!

For more lilac recipes, try my lilac lemonade and lilac jelly!

lilac cookie with a bite take out on top of another lilac cookie on a dark cookie sheet.

Heavenly lilac cookies

If you have looked around this blog, you know how obsessed I am with floral cookies. From lavender shortbread to rose sandwich cookies and sakura cookies, I cannot get enough.

And with a garden currently overflowing with lilacs in full bloom, I was brainstorming what I could do with them, and lilac cookies seemed like a delicious idea!

When I say these lilac cookies are delicious, I mean it! They are perfectly soft and chewy with a delicate floral taste.

Everyone who has tried the cookies loves them, and I have zero doubt you’ll love ‘em too – even if you aren’t familiar with the taste of lilacs yet!

Compared to the strong flavor of lavender and roses, lilacs have a subtle, light aroma that reminds me of honeysuckle.

If you have a backyard full of lilacs and love baking, I hope you give these delightful cookies a try! And please write me a comment if you love lilacs as much as I do!

lilac cookie ingredients.

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 cup lilac sugar – Lilac sugar is simple to make with lilac flowers and granulated sugar. You can find my easy recipe here.
  • 3/4 cup salted butter – Put your butter on the counter for 20 minutes before starting. We want it softened but still cool to the touch, not melty. For unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon lilac syrup – Check out my lilac syrup recipe. You can substitute vanilla extract, but the lilac flavor won’t be as strong.
  • 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour – For accurate results, weigh the flour with a kitchen scale or use the spoon and swipe technique (I explain this in the Recipe Card below).
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda – A combination of baking soda and baking powder leavens the cookies and creates the perfect texture.
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup fresh lilac blossoms – Pick lilac blossoms in the morning when they are fully hydrated and most fragrant. Each blossom needs to be picked from the stem and that takes a while. So get comfy and put on your favorite show or a podcast as you pluck away. Make sure to add only the blossoms and avoid the leaves. I explain how to prepare lilacs for cooking in this article.

Lilac Glaze

For me, the lilac glaze takes the cookies to the next level. It enhances the floral taste and makes the cookies look extra beautiful.

  • 1 cup powdered sugar – Be sure to sift the powdered sugar to remove lumps.
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons lilac syrup – to infuse the icing with a lovely floral note. I tinted my syrup with blueberry juice, which gives the glaze a gorgeous purple color. You could also add a drop of food coloring.
  • A handful of fresh lilac blossoms – I decorated my cookies with lilac blooms for a lovely finish, but this is optional.
lilac cookies with lilac glaze on a cookie sheet surrounded by lilac flowers.

Variations

  • Lemon: Season the cookie dough with 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest. Don’t add too much so as not to overpower the delicate lilac aroma.
  • White chocolate: Stir 1 cup of white chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
  • Nuts: Give the cookies crunch and add 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts or pistachios.

Instructions

Lilac cookies are quick to make because the dough doesn’t require any chilling. All you need is a large bowl to mix up everything!

1. Prepare for baking

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

step 2 cream butter and sugar.

2. Cream butter and sugar

Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and lilac sugar until fluffy and lighter in color, about 2 minutes.

step 3 add liquid ingredients.

3. Add liquid ingredients

Beat in the egg and lilac syrup until just combined.

step 4 incorporate dry ingredients.

4. Incorporate dry ingredients

Add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

step 5 fold in lilac flowers.

5. Fold in lilac blossoms

Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold the lilac blossoms into the dough until they are evenly distributed throughout.

step 6 scoop cookies.

6. Scoop cookies

Using a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon), place heaps of dough evenly spaced on the prepared cookie sheet. The cookies will spread in the oven, so leave 1 inch of space around each dough ball.

step 7 bake lilac cookies.

7. Bake

Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden brown on the bottom and set on top. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Baking time

The cookies need to bake between 14 to 18 minutes. Every oven bakes differently, so start checking on them at the 12-minute mark.

If your oven bakes hotter, they will be ready in 13 to 14 minutes. In case your oven is on the cooler side, they may need up to 18 minutes. It’s okay if the cookies seem soft and slightly underbaked in the center. They will set as they cool and create a perfectly chewy texture.

step 8 cool cookies.

8. Cool cookies

Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

step 9 mix lilac glaze.

9. Mix lilac glaze

 In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lilac syrup until smooth and it reaches a thick, drizzling consistency.

step 10 decorate cookies.

10. Decorate cookies

Using a spoon, drizzle a spoonful of glaze on the cooled cookies. If desired, decorate each cookie with fresh lilac flowers and let the glaze firm up. Enjoy!

How long do lilac blossoms stay fresh?

The lilac blossoms on the decorated cookies will remain good-looking for 6 to 8 hours. The exact time depends on the freshness of your flowers and the ambient temperature. The cooler the temperature, the longer they will last.

If you want to make the cookies for a special occasion, pick fresh blossoms on the day of (you can bake the cookies ahead of time) and try to decorate them as close to your event as possible.

I recommend storing the cookie in the fridge until you’re ready to serve to preserve the blossoms.

stack of three lilac sugar cookies.

Storage

  • Store: The glazed cookies taste best the day of or the following day. Still, you can keep them in an airtight container for up to a week.
  • Freeze the dough: Scoop balls of cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Transfer the frozen dough balls into a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, bake the cookies from frozen. You may have to add a minute or two to the baking time.
  • Freeze baked cookies: let the cookies cool completely before placing them in a freezer-friendly container or Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze the cookies with or without the icing, but lilac flowers don’t freeze well. Thaw the cookies in a single layer on the counter for 2 to 3 hours.

More spring cookies

lilac cookies.

Lilac Cookie Recipe

Yield: 32 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 29 minutes

Make the most of lilac season and bake delicious lilac cookies! The recipe is easy to make and looks so pretty with a simple lilac glaze and a sprinkle of fresh blossoms. It’s the perfect spring treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea!

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 cup / 200 g / 7 oz lilac sugar (see note below)
  • 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6.3 oz salted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp lilac syrup (see note below)
  • 2 1/3 cups / 280 g / 10 oz all-purpose flour, spoon and leveled
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup / 30 g / 1 oz lilac blossoms

Lilac Glaze

  • 1 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tbsp lilac syrup
  • lilac blossoms, for decorating (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C / gas mark 4. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Cream butter and sugar. Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and lilac sugar until fluffy and lighter in color, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add liquid ingredients. Beat in the egg and lilac syrup until just combined.
  4. Incorporate dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  5. Fold in lilac blossoms. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold the lilac blossoms into the dough until they are evenly distributed throughout.
  6. Scoop cookies. Using a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon), place heaps of dough evenly spaced on the prepared cookie sheet. The cookies will spread in the oven, so leave 1 inch / 2.5 cm of space around each dough ball.
  7. Bake. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden brown on the bottom and set on top.
  8. Cool. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
  9. Mix glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lilac syrup until smooth and it reaches a thick, drizzling consistency.
  10. Decorate cookies. Using a spoon, drizzle a spoonful of glaze on the cooled cookies. If desired, decorate each cookie with fresh lilac flowers and let the glaze firm up. Enjoy!

Notes

Are lilacs edible? Yes, lilac flowers are safe to eat. They are part of the olive tree family. Make sure to use blossoms from the common lilac, not a Persian lilac or chinaberry bush.

Lilac sugar & lilac syrup: Both ingredients infuse lilac aroma into the cookies. Both are easy to make with lilac blossoms and sugar (+ water for the syrup). You can substitute regular granulated sugar and vanilla extract, but the lilac aroma won’t be as strong.

Measure your flour correctly: Mismeasuring the flour is the biggest mistake I see with many baking recipes. A digital kitchen scale is the best way to weigh flour. It’s easy and reliable. But if you’d rather use measuring cups, be sure to employ the spoon and level method. First, fluff up your flour in the bag. Spoon it into your measuring cup until overflowing. Finally, grab a butter knife and level off the excess flour back into the bag.

Baking time: The cookies need to bake between 14 to 18 minutes. Every oven bakes differently, so start checking on them at the 12-minute mark. If your oven bakes hotter, they will be ready in 13 to 14 minutes. In case your oven is on the cooler side, they may need up to 18 minutes. It’s okay if the cookies seem soft and slightly underbaked in the center. They will set as they cool and create a perfectly chewy texture.

How long do lilac blossoms stay fresh? The lilac blossoms on the decorated cookies will remain good-looking for 6 to 8 hours. The exact time depends on the freshness of your flowers and the ambient temperature. The cooler the temperature, the longer they will last. If you want to make the cookies for a special occasion, pick fresh blossoms on the day of (you can bake the cookies ahead of time) and try to decorate them as close to your event as possible. I recommend storing the cookie in the fridge until you’re ready to serve to preserve the blossoms.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 32 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 125Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 65mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 1g

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