💗Rosewater Cookies with Painted Fondant

These Rose Sugar Cookies are a fun floral twist on the standard sugar cookie recipe.

They’re flavored with rose water and have bits of real rose petals baked right into them. The pink petal-flecked dough and delicate rose flavor gives these cookies a touch of romance, and makes them perfect for Valentine’s Day, or any special occasion.

🧾What You’ll Need

Equipment

• Parchment paper: You’ll need parchment paper to line your baking sheets and for rolling out the cookie dough. It’s also a good idea to cover your work surface with parchment or waxed paper to protect it while decorating.
• Cookie sheets: For even baking and perfect cookies, use light-colored, heavy baking sheets that are not insulated.
• Mixer: You’ll need a stand mixer or hand mixer to combining the ingredients.
• Plastic wrap: It’s helpful to wrap the cookie dough discs in plastic wrap while they chill in the refrigerator so that they don’t dry out.
• Food-safe gloves: Mixing fondant by hand can get very sticky. I like to wear food-safe gloves to make the process easier.
• Rolling pin: Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough and fondant evenly.
• Heart cookie cutter: I used a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, and I thought it was the perfect size.
• Pastry brush: To adhere the fondant to the top of the cookies, you’ll brush a light layer of corn syrup on top of the cookies. I find it easiest to use a pastry brush to paint the corn syrup on.
• Food-safe paint brushes: To create the watercolor effect on the fondant you’ll want to have a variety of different food-dedicated paint brushes. Make sure you only use these brushes for food preparation, never with paint or non-edible materials.
• Clear alcohol: To achieve more vibrant colors, use vodka, another clear alcohol, or clear extract to paint on the gel food coloring. The alcohol evaporates and won’t leave an unpleasant taste, so they’re safe to eat, even for kids. You can use water if you prefer to avoid alcohol.

📸 Photo Tutorial: How to Make WAtercolor rose sugar cookies

Don’t let a new recipe intimidate you – I’m here to walk you through every step with this photo tutorial! Full instructions are included in the recipe card above.

6. Chill: Divide dough in half and press each into a thin disc. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firmer but not hard, about 30 minutes.
7. Heat oven, roll dough: When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a disc of dough between two sheets of parchment or waxed paper, and roll out until it is 1/4-inch thick. 

🍪 Storing Fondant-Topped Sugar Cookies

• Store at room temperature: Once the cookies are completely dry, stack and store them in an airtight container between sheets of waxed paper or parchment. Store the cookies at room temperature for up to a week – do not refrigerate them, as the humidity can cause the fondant to soften and bleed. 
• Freeze: You can freeze decorated cookies for up to 3 months. For the best results, I recommend packaging the cookies individually in plastic wrap or bags and then placing them in a plastic container in the freezer. Let them defrost at room temperature while still in the plastic container – this can help cut down on colors bleeding or other moisture issues. 

Equipment

• Loaf pans: You’ll need two 8.5-inch loaf pans to make this recipe. If yours are slightly larger or smaller that’s fine – just keep an eye on them in the oven, as the baking time might be slightly different. If you prefer to make mini lemon loaves, you’ll need 6 mini loaf pans.
• Citrus juicer: Any kind of juicer will work, but I like the speed and convenience of a simple countertop juicer.
• Microplane:A microplane is the easiest way to get very fine citrus zest.

🤫 The Secret to Moist Lemon Bread

The secret to the ultra-moist texture of this lemon bread? The soaking syrup!

Don’t let the name dissuade you – “soaking syrup” is just a fancy name for a combination of fresh lemon juice and sugar. While the bread is baking, combine granulated sugar and juice in a small saucepan, and heat it until the sugar dissolves and it start simmering.

After the bread is baked, poke the tops with a toothpick, and pour the syrup over the loaves in the pan. The lemon syrup soaks into the bread as it cools, infusing it with potent lemon flavor and creating the most delicious, moist, melt-in-your mouth texture that stays soft for days.

💜 How to make homemade lavender sugar

This homemade Lavender Sugar adds a little “flower power” to just about any dessert. Adding a pinch of fragrant lavender to simple granulated sugar transforms even the plainest dessert into something more sophisticated and intriguing.

Here are just a few reasons you need to give lavender sugar a try:

• It’s made from real lavender, so the floral flavor is authentic and not overpowering.
• It’s fast, easy, and inexpensive to make: just 2 ingredients and 5 minutes!
• It keeps well, so you can make a big batch and then enjoy lavender desserts for months to come.
• Put it in a pretty jar with a gift tag, and it’s the perfect edible gift for the holiday season.

Give it a try and before you know it, you’ll be adding its subtle lavender flavor to all your favorite cheesecakes, cookies, muffins, cakes, pies, and more! You’ll also want to try Lavender Simple Syrup recipe; it’s is an easy way to add lavender flavor to all of your favorite drinks.

Looking for more ways to lavender your life? You’ll love my all inclusive Guide to Baking with Lavender where I explain everything you need to know about culinary lavender.

🧾 What You’ll Need

Ingredients

The ingredient list is in the recipe name (ha!), but here are a few things to know as you gather your supplies: (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Granulated sugar: I recommend using standard granulated sugar. I have not tested this recipe with any alternative sugars, but I imagine it would work with something like Splenda, which is a cup-to-cup replacement for sugar.
• Culinary lavender: The lavender you use should be dried, “culinary grade” lavender. (Learn more about what culinary lavender is here!) Make sure the label specifies that it is intended for food use, as opposed to fragrance or decoration. You might fine it at specialty herb stores, upscale kitchen shops, and even the spice section of large supermarkets, and it can also be purchased online. If you have fresh lavender, check out the Tips section below for advice on using it in this recipe.

Equipment

• Food processor or spice grinder: you’ll need either a food processor or a coffee and spice grinder to prepare the lavender for this recipe.
• Glass jars: Glass jars are my preferred way to store this sugar. If you are making this for gifts, I’d recommend using mid-sized jars like these 8 oz mason jars.
• Gift tags:This is optional, but if you are making this for gifting, don’t forget the tag! You could use a simple plain white gift tag, or try a colored gift tag.

📋 Instructions

There are actually two ways to make Lavender Sugar. Here’s an overview of both methods, and you can find full printable instructions in the recipe card down below.

Chop the lavender

• Place the dried lavender in the bowl of a food processor and blend it for 10-15 seconds to chop it into smaller pieces.

Blend the sugar

• Add half a cup of granulated sugar to the processor and blend well, for 15-20 seconds, until the lavender is finely ground and mixed into the sugar.

Add remaining sugar

• Add the remaining sugar to the processor and pulse briefly until it’s well-mixed.

Grind and mix

• A coffee/spice grinder is my preferred tool for this recipe, because it does a better job of grinding the lavender buds into small pieces. If you have used your grinder for potent spices or coffee beans in the past, make sure it’s well-washed so the lavender doesn’t take on any other odors.
• Add the dried lavender to the spice grinder and run it until they’re in very fine pieces – it will almost be lavender “dust.”
• Whisk or sift the ground lavender into a bowl of granulated sugar, so that the lavender is evenly distributed. 

💭 Where to use lavender sugar

You can replace regular sugar with Lavender Sugar in most recipes. To get the most out of it, choose recipes with soft, subtle flavors (think vanilla instead of intense chocolate) so the lavender can really shine.

• Some of our favorite uses for lavender sugar are in sugar cookies, shortbread cookies, and pie crusts.
• It also pairs nicely with lemon desserts, like Lemon Madeleines and our Lavender Lemon Bars, a long-time reader favorite.
• Stir a spoonful into your iced tea, lemonade, or coffee.

💡 Tips and FAQs  

💜 Try Lavender Sugar in these recipes

• Lavender Lemon Bars
• Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
• Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
• Lemon Madeleines

🧾 What you’ll need

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Shortbread cookies: I love using shortbread cookies to give the tart shells a rich, buttery flavor. You can substitute other crisp cookies or graham crackers if you’d like. If you use grahams, you will probably need to add additional butter (since shortbread cookies have a lot more butter naturally) – you can look at our Graham Cracker Crust recipe for some guidance.
• Pistachios: Lightly toasted pistachios are ground up along with the cookies and give the tart shells a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. You can swap in toasted hazelnuts, walnuts, or pecans if you’d like.
• White chocolate chips: When possible, I recommend using real white chocolate chips, or chopped white chocolate bars. Real white chocolate contains cocoa butter, and it has a deliciously smooth texture that improves the final product. Anything labeled “white chips” or “white baking chips” is not real white chocolate, and although you can use it in this recipe, the end result might be a little stiffer and less creamy. 
• Rose water: Rose water is optional if you’re not able to find it, but I think it really makes the filling special. A big bottle of rose water is usually fairly inexpensive and lasts forever–plus you’ll only use a spoonful or two at a time. But if you’d like, you can omit it and use vanilla extract instead.
• Freeze-dried strawberries: Freeze-dried strawberries are ground into a strawberry powder for this recipe–a super easy and convenient way to pack a LOT of strawberry flavor into desserts without ruining the texture by adding liquid! It also helps stabilize the whipped cream, so it holds up under the strawberries and has a more mousse-like consistency. The recipe card has notes for swapping in strawberry puree if you can’t find freeze-dried berries.
• Pink food coloring: A touch of pink gel food coloring gives the filling the perfect pink hue.
• Fresh strawberries: You’ll need 6-8 fresh strawberries per tart (depending on the size of your berries.) Look to find the ripest, freshest berries you can for the best results.

(Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

Equipment

• Tart pans: This recipe calls for 8 5-inch mini tart pans. If your pans are a different size, your yield will vary. You can also use one large 10-inch tart pan instead.
• Food processor: A food processor makes short work of crumbling cookies and nuts, and grinding the berries into strawberry powder. You can probably do these tasks by hand or with a blender, but your results might not be as smooth.

📋 How to make a strawberry rose design

The strawberry rose decoration isn’t difficult, but I found a little method that saved me some time when assembling the tarts, so I’m going to break it down here with step-by-step photos. Once you get the hang of it, they go pretty quickly, and your roses will be done in no time.

• Start by washing your strawberries well, then gently pat them dry. Slice the tops off of the strawberries.
• With the berry sitting on the sliced end, cut off a sliver from one side so that when you turn it on its side, it can rest flat. 

• With the berry on its side, cut it into paper-thin slices—the thinner, the better! (Using a very sharp knife makes it easier to get thin slices.) As you cut, keep the slices together in a berry shape.
• When it is all sliced, fan out the slices along the knife blade so they’re all touching and can be transferred in a single row.

• Use the knife to transfer the row of berries to the tart, and arrange them along the outside edge.
• Repeat with the remaining berries, overlapping them around each other in a spiral pattern until the tart’s surface is covered.

• Finish off by rolling a slice up into a spiral and placing it in the center of the tart.
• Brush the fresh berries with warmed strawberry jelly to give them a beautiful shine and prevent them from looking wilted.

💭 Variations

Want to play with your food? (Me too!) Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Instead of making 8 smaller tarts, make one larger (10- or 11-inch) tart. Or make several rectangular tarts–rectangular tarts (like this Coconut Macaroon Tart) always look extra-fancy for some reason.
• Use this strawberry rose decoration idea on cakes, cupcakes, or an old-fashioned cheesecake.
• Use other fruit on top. Stone fruit like peaches, nectarines, and plums work well. Mangoes and persimmons are a good choice too – check out our Persimmon Almond Rosette Tarts for some inspiration.
• Make a mixed berry tart – use freeze-dried blueberries or raspberries in the filling, and keep the strawberry rose on top.

💡 Tips and FAQs  

❤️ More mini tarts you’ll love

• Chocolate Raspberry Tarts
• Baileys Chocolate Caramel Mini Tarts
• Grapefruit Tarts
• Persimmon Almond Rosette Tarts
• Dulce de Leche Swirled Tarts
• Lemon Ginger Ice Cream Tarts
• Pistachio Rose Tarts

🧾 What You’ll Need

Ingredients

Here are a few important things to note as you gather your doughnut ingredients. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Active dry yeast: Yeast can quite literally make or break this recipe, so it’s very important to make sure the yeast you use is fresh and active. If your yeast is dead, or too old, the dough won’t rise and you will have hockey pucks instead of fluffy doughnuts. I recommend testing your yeast before starting the recipe (see the Yeast Tips section below for instructions!), and purchasing new yeast if you have any doubts about its potency.
• Milk: I recommend using milk with some fat in it — such as 2% or even whole — because it provides better results than skim milk. I have not tested this recipe with non-dairy milk.
• Flour: You’ll want regular, all-purpose flour for this recipe.
• Eggs: Use large eggs, and for the best results, have them at room temperature before beginning. Either let them sit out for 20-30 minutes, or submerge them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to warm them up quickly.
• Sugar: We’re using two kinds of sugar in this recipe: powdered sugar in the glaze, and granulated sugar in the dough, pastry cream, and caramelized topping.
• Corn starch: Corn starch is used to thicken the pastry cream. You can substitute arrowroot starch if you prefer, but don’t skip it altogether — some type of starch should be used to get the proper texture.
• Canola oil: this neutral flavored oil is a good choice for deep-frying. You can swap in another neutral flavored oil, like vegetable oil, instead.
• Vanilla bean paste: I love using vanilla bean paste in my vanilla desserts. It provides both a strong, authentic vanilla flavor and the signature vanilla bean specks you see in many desserts, and it’s much cheaper than using actual vanilla beans. If you have vanilla beans you want to use, you can swap in the seeds of 1 bean instead. You can also substitute with vanilla extract, but will probably want to use more to mimic the vibrant vanilla flavor — I typically use 1.5 to 2x as much extract as vanilla bean paste.

Equipment

There are a few important tools you’ll need for doughnut success: (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Candy/deep-fry thermometer: A kitchen thermometer is a MUST for deep frying! You can pick one up for $10 (I love this inexpensive Taylor thermometer), and it’s also great for making caramel, toffee, and other hard candies. A thermometer helps you monitor the temperature of the frying oil, so you’ll have successful doughnuts every time. If you are new to using a thermometer, check out my guides for how to use a thermometer and how to test and calibrate a thermometer correctly.
• Kitchen torch: A butane kitchen torch is the easiest way to get that crackly caramelized sugar layer on top of the doughnuts. If you don’t have one, you can try using your oven’s broiler, but the results will be less consistent.
• Mixer with dough hook:It’s not impossible to use a hand mixer to make this dough, but a stand mixer will do a faster and easier job of it. You’ll want to use a dough hook with your mixer to knead the dough until it’s smooth and supple.
• Circle cutters: Sharp circle cutters are the best for making doughnuts. I have and recommend this versatile set of round cutters. I use it for doughnuts, cookies, tart dough, and more.

1. Make the doughnut dough

1. Stir together yeast and warm milk in a mixing bowl and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast has “bloomed” and there is a creamy foam on top of the milk.
2. Add flour, sugar, salt, and eggs to the mixer bowl, and mix on low speed with a dough hook.
3. Continue to mix while gradually adding softened butter to the dough.
4. Mix for another 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft, and supple.
5. Refrigerate the dough for at least 6 hours – overnight is fine too.

2. Roll and fry the dough

1. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface.
2. Cut out round circles of dough, and transfer them to a baking sheet.
3. Let the doughnuts rise for 1-2 hours until they’ve doubled in size.
4. Heat oil in a saucepan to 350 F, then fry the doughnuts until they’re golden brown.

3. Make the pastry cream

1. Whisk together an egg, egg yolks, corn starch, and granulated sugar.
2. In a saucepan, combine milk, sugar, and salt. Heat until the milk starts to simmer.
3. Whisk the hot milk and egg yolk mixture together, then continue to heat and whisk until it thickens and starts to bubble.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in butter and vanilla bean paste.

4. Assemble the doughnuts

1. Make a quick glaze from powdered sugar and milk.
2. Dip the doughnuts in the glaze, then let them sit so the glaze dries.
3. Put the pastry cream in a piping bag, and fill the doughnuts with cream.
4. Sprinkle the tops of the doughnuts with granulated sugar.
5. Use a kitchen torch to toast the sugar until it bubbles and turns a deep amber color.
6. Let the doughnuts cool and the caramel layer harden for about 5 minutes, then dig in!

💭 Tips for Working With Yeast

Yeast has a reputation for being finnicky, but there’s no reason to be intimidated! If you’re new to yeast, here are a few best practices to make sure you and your yeast rise to the occasion. (groan-worthy pun intended).

• Always check the expiration date on the yeast package to make sure it hasn’t expired. While you can cook with expired yeast, provided it is still active, fresher yeast is more likely to be very active and produce a good rise.
• It’s a good idea to test some of your yeast before beginning. To test it, mix together 1 tsp sugar with 1/2 cup warm water. Add an envelope (2.25 tsp) of yeast, stir briefly, and let it sit for 10 minutes. If the mixture looks foamy and bubbles up, your yeast is good to go!
• Make sure the milk is warm but not hot when you add it to the yeast. Warm liquids help yeast grow, but if it’s too hot, you will kill the yeast. If you want to get particular about it, shoot for 100-110°F.
• A pinch of sugar during the proofing process can help the yeast activate, while adding salt will slow the activation. (And too much salt will kill the yeast altogether!) This recipe uses milk instead of water to proof the yeast, so the sugars in the milk are enough to encourage the yeast, and additional sugar is not needed.

💡 Tips for Deep Frying

• Keep the burner at medium heat. It’s tempting to speed up the process and crank it to high heat, but soon enough that will cause your oil to overheat.
• Always use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil. Not hot enough? Rather than turning up the burner, let the oil sit and heat up a bit longer before beginning to fry. Too hot? Turn down the heat or remove the pan from the burner briefly until it comes down to the correct temperature.
• Don’t overcrowd the pot by adding too many doughnuts at once.
• Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to lower the food into the oil.
• Make sure any food is completely dry before adding it to the hot oil. (Not as relevant when making doughnuts, but a good safety tip in general!)
• Protect your clothes and surfaces. Deep frying can get messy – oil splatters everywhere. Protect yourself by wearing an apron, and protect any delicate nearby surfaces or equipment by covering them with kitchen towels.
• Allow the food to drain on paper towels before serving.

❤️ More Breakfast Recipes

• Apple Cider Fritters
• Chocolate Blackout Doughnuts
• Nutella Croissant Casserole
• Easter Fruit Pizza
• Mascarpone Rhubarb Stuffed French Toast

 ☕Make Lavender Coffee at Home

I’m a millennial, so according to conventional Twitter wisdom, I must spend all my discretionary money buying avocado toast and overpriced fancy coffees. I can neither confirm nor deny my avocado toast consumption (okay, I eat it a lot) but I can deny spending oodles on fancy coffee — because I like to make my own at home!

Lattes, with their creamy texture and lush milk foam on top, may seem like something best left to the magicians at Starbucks, but they are surprisingly easy to whip up in your own kitchen. And the best part about making your own lattes? Getting to completely customize the flavors! You don’t have to stick to standard vanilla–you can use a variety of simple syrups to flavor your coffee with fruits, herbs, or–as in this case–fresh flowers.

Looking for more ways to lavender your life? You’ll love my all inclusive Guide to Baking with Lavender where I explain everything you need to know about culinary lavender.

❔What’s in a Lavender Latte?

Regular lattes are typically made with shots of espresso and steamed milk. To make this sweetly scented lavender version, we’re also adding lavender simple syrup, which is an easy-to-make sugar syrup infused with real lavender flavor. Like making your own flavored syrups? Don’t forget to try out my Cinnamon Syrup!

Skeptics, don’t worry–this drink recipe doesn’t taste like a flower garden, or your grandma’s soap. The lavender flavor isn’t overwhelming. It’s just a light floral undertone that gives this coffee a sophisticated, complex depth of flavor. A little extra sumthin’ sumthin’, if you will.

I think you’ll love this cozy, comforting drink. And if you’re looking for more hot drinks to warm you up, don’t miss our Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate, and –of course!!– Lavender Hot Chocolate!

🧾 What You’ll Need

Ingredients

Here’s the ingredients and equipment you’ll need to gather to make this lavender latte. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Espresso or coffee: Espresso is traditionally used in lattes, so if you have the ability to make espresso, that’s definitely preferred. Failing that, strong coffee is a great substitute.
• Milk: If you drink dairy, milk with some fat in it (like 2% or whole) works best and froths beautifully. For non-dairy milk options, oat milk is a great substitute. Almond milk also works well!
• Lavender simple syrup: To flavor and sweeten the latte, you’ll want a small amount of lavender simple syrup. Having this prepped requires a little advanced planning, but once you’ve made a batch, it keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks, so you can enjoy a daily latte with minimal work!

Equipment

• Espresso or coffee maker: You have a lot of options for making the espresso in this recipe! If you’re looking to get started on a budget, this countertop espresso machine is a great, affordable choice. You can also make delicious espresso in a French press!
• Milk frother: If you have a fancy espresso or coffee machine, you might already have a milk frothing attachment. But if you don’t, no worries – milk frothers can be very inexpensive. I’ve been using this type of milk frother for several years and it’s still going strong!

Here’s a breakdown of how to make each latte component, and instructions for putting it all together. Printable instructions are included in the recipe card down below.

1. Make the Lavender Simple Syrup

Lavender syrup is the key to turning a regular latte into a lavender latte. You’ll want to make the syrup first, since it takes time to infuse the sugar syrup with lavender flavor. It can be made in advance–even on a different day!–and stored in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks, and one batch will provide enough for two dozen lattes.

Here’s the quick and dirty lavender syrup procedure, but you can find much more information and full instructions in our lavender syrup recipe here.

• Combine lavender buds, water, and sugar in a saucepan.
• Heat on medium-low heat, stirring regularly, until it comes to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 6-8 minutes to thicken the syrup.
• Take it off the heat and let it sit for an hour to really absorb the flavor.
• Strain the lavender buds out of the syrup and transfer to a storage container.

Lavender syrup shortcut:

Not up for making your own lavender syrup? This Monin Lavender Syrup is a delicious, high-quality substitute.

2. Make the Espresso (or Coffee)

You have several options for making the espresso in this recipe:

• Use a home espresso maker
• Make espresso with a French press and espresso beans
• Use powdered espresso
• Brew double-strength coffee
• Failing all that, you can buy a few shots of espresso from your favorite local coffee shop!

3. Steam & Froth the Milk

• Heat the milk until hot but not boiling.
• Use a frother (I like this $10 version), insert it in the milk, not too close to the surface, and froth the milk until it doubles in size.
• If you don’t have a frother, you can heat the milk in a saucepan and whisk vigorously while it heats up, and this will produce a similar effect.

4. Put it All Together!

• Make the espresso and pour it into a latte cup.
• Add the lavender syrup and stir.
• Steam the milk and froth the milk.
• Slowly pour the milk in the center of the espresso – the foam will come out last.
• Garnish with a sprinkling of lavender buds, and enjoy!

💜 More Lavender Recipes

Love Lavender? Try one of these lavender desserts!

• Lavender Lemon Bars
• Chocolate-Lavender Pie
• Earl Grey Lavender Cupcakes
• Lavender Hot Chocolate
• Lavender Rose Ice Cream

🔥 More Drink Recipes

Baby, when it’s cold outside, try one of these hot drinks to keep you warm.

• Orange Hot Chocolate
• Raspberry White Hot Chocolate
• Strawberry Hot Chocolate
• Peppermint Affogato
• Nutella Hot Chocolate

 🌿Lavender Syrup for Coffee, Cocktails, and More

Lavender simple syrup adds a subtle lavender taste to your favorite coffee, tea, cocktail, lemonade, or other beverage. It’s made from real lavender, so the flavor is authentic and not overpowering, and as the name suggests, it’s quite simple to make. If you love lavender desserts, you’ll want to keep a bottle of this on hand in the fridge, and if you’re new to lavender, it’s an easy way to get acquainted with this beautiful, delicate flavor.

Here at SugarHero, we love lavender and all manner of floral desserts! Don’t miss some of our most popular lavender recipes, like Lavender Lemon Bars, Lavender Hot Chocolate, and Lavender Rose Ice Cream.

Still looking for more ways to lavender your life? You’ll love my all inclusive Guide to Baking with Lavender where I explain everything you need to know about culinary lavender.

❔What is simple syrup?

In its most basic form, “simple syrup” is a liquid made by combining equal parts sugar and water, and heating them up until the sugar dissolves. It’s commonly used to sweeten drink recipes like cocktails and lemonade, and can also be brushed on cake layers to keep them moist before assembling layer cakes.

Why use simple syrups?

In drink recipes, simple syrup is used in place of adding granulated sugar. Sugar can take a long time to dissolve, and no one wants a gritty cocktail or sugary sludge at the bottom of their teacup! Additionally, if you use flavored simple syrups, it’s one of the easiest ways to upgrade your coffee, cocktails, lemonade, and more, and give new dimension and complexity to your drinks.

How do you flavor simple syrup?

Standard simple syrup adds sweetness but not any flavor to drinks, but it’s also very easy to flavor simple syrup a variety of ways. The easiest method is to add a flavoring extract, like vanilla, almond, lemon, etc. You can also infuse the simple syrup with citrus peels, fresh herbs, or–as in the case of this lavender syrup–flower buds, to give your syrup a bright, realistic, fresh flavor.

🧾 What You’ll Need

Ingredients & Equipment

Here’s what you need to know as you gather simple syrup supplies: (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Sugar: I recommend using standard granulated sugar. Brown sugar will overwhelm the lavender flavor and add a competing taste. I have not tested this recipe with any alternative sugars.
• Lavender: you can use either fresh or dried lavender in this recipe. If using fresh lavender, make sure you know that it has been grown without pesticides or other harmful chemicals. If using dried lavender, make sure that it is culinary grade and intended for food use, as opposed to fragrance or decoration. I have had good luck finding it at Cost Plus World Market in the spice section. Culinary lavender is also easy to find online.
• Water: We’re using equal parts water + sugar in this recipe.
• Saucepan: A small (2 quart) saucepan is perfect for this standard batch.
• Strainer:You’ll want a wire strainer of some kind to remove the lavender buds from the sugar syrup.

Lavender simple syrup couldn’t be easier! Here’s how to make it at home, and you can find the printable recipe in the recipe card below.

• If you are using fresh lavender, remove the lavender buds from the stems.
• Combine lavender, water, and sugar in a saucepan, and stir to moisten the sugar.
• Heat the pan over low-medium heat, stirring frequently while the sugar dissolves.
• Allow the pan to simmer for 6-8 more minutes, until you have a syrupy consistency.

• Let the pan sit and cool for an hour — this infuses the syrup with a strong but not overwhelming taste. (You can let it sit as little as 15-20 minutes, and as long as 2 hours, depending on how strong you want the lavender flavor to be.)
• Pour the syrup through a fine wire mesh strainer to remove all the lavender buds.
• Transfer the syrup to a glass jar and refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks.

💡 Tips and FAQs  

• Lavender syrup in its natural state is pale brown in color. If you would like to make it purple, you can use a small drop of purple food coloring, or a pinch of butterfly pea powder.
• Most varieties of lavender are edible, however, please ensure you are using lavender that is fit to be consumed. It’s important to know where the lavender has come from and that it is culinary grade. Please also note that lavender can be toxic to dogs and cats, so take care if you have pets.
• It is very easy to grow lavender at home in your own garden. You can plant it in pots or use it as a boarder plant and requires little maintenance. It will also attract lots of bees and butterflies to your home!
• Storage: Lavender syrup should be kept in a sealed jar in the refrigerator where it will last for two weeks.

💜 Try These Floral Desserts

• Earl Grey Lavender Cupcakes
• Lavender Hot Chocolate
• Lavender Rose Ice Cream
• Raspberry-Rose Cake Recipe
• Watercolor Rose Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate-Lavender Pie

Ingredients

You can find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below, but here are a few notes to help you assemble your ingredients and other supplies. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Granulated sugar
• Cake flour: The recipe calls for cake flour which is a very fine flour with a low protein content–perfect for creating light, fluffy cakes. It is typically sold in the baking aisle by the other types of flour. If you can’t find it, in a pinch you can make your own–see instructions here for making your own cake flour.  
• Baking soda
• Large egg whites: Between the cake and frosting, this recipe uses a LOT of egg whites! If you don’t have some on hand already from other baking projects, I recommend buying a carton of 100% pasteurized egg whites to use–it is usually found right next to the eggs in the grocery store. This will save you time and ingredient waste.
• Milk: Any percentage is ok to use but I prefer to use a higher fat milk like 2% or whole.
• Vanilla extract: For the best taste, use a flavorful vanilla extract.
• Unsalted butter and salt: You’ll need butter and salt for the cake and frosting. I use unsalted butter and add a specific amount of salt to control the flavor more precisely. If you don’t have unsalted butter, you can use salted — just omit the additional salt. It’s also best to bring the butter to room temperature before getting started.
• Gel food coloring: I always recommend gel colors, as opposed to liquid food coloring, because they are more concentrated, so you need less coloring to get your desired shade. I used Americolor brand colors: Electric Purple, Regal Purple, Sky Blue & Soft Pink.
• Powdered sugar: The buttercream relys on powdered sugar and its added cornstarch for stability. I don’t recommend reducing the amount of sugar the recipe calls for.

Equipment

• 4-inch cake pans: If you want to re-create these cakes the way they look in the post, it’s easiest to use 4-inch cake pans. Your other alternatives are to bake larger cakes and either decorate them that size, or cut out rounds from the cakes to make the minis. But using 4-inch pans is fastest and results in the least amount of waste.
• Piping bags: I always have a pack of these piping bags on hand. Although they are technically “disposable,” I wash them out and reuse them for multiple projects.
• Drop flower tip: You’ll need a drop flower piping tip like the Wilton 2D to decorate these cakes. If possible, grab a few of the same tip, so you can have multiple piping bags with different color schemes going at the same time. Check out our post on making Rosette Cupcakes for more ways to use this versatile and pretty piping tip!
• Plastic wrap: Regular kitchen plastic wrap is the secret for making multi-colored frosting!

📸Photo Tutorial: Decorating Instructions

Here’s a tutorial showing how to decorate these Hydrangea Cakes! Check out the full video in the recipe card to see the process from start to finish.

💭Variations

• Large cake. Instead of six mini cakes, bake the batter in 8″ or 9″ cake pans instead, and make one giant hydrangea cake!
• Cupcakes. Or, use this same technique on cupcakes and make a bouquet of hydrangea blooms.
• As decoration. Frost a cake as you normally would, then add a few hydrangea blossoms growing up the side and on top. This also makes a gorgeous wedding cake decoration!
• Add flavoring. You can swap out the flavoring extract to make different flavors or cake. Try almond, coconut, lemon, or orange. Or to continue the floral theme, try adding some rose water to make a delicate rose-flavored cake!

💡Tips and FAQs for Success

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Layer CakesMini CakesCake DecoratingFrosting RecipesSpring Desserts

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