Add some floral flavor to your meal plans with these sweet and savory lavender recipes.
Whether you are growing your own or buying it lavender is a wonderful addition to many recipes.
These simple and delicious recipes are sure to delight the lavender lover in your life.
The Lavender
Obviously, lavender is the star ingredient in this collection of recipes. There are a number of different varieties of lavender and I know, most folks will tell you to use culinary lavender. If you have lavender plants growing in your home herb or flower garden – give it a taste – if it’s not bitter feel free to use and not worry about labeling it ‘culinary grade lavender’.
If you don’t have it growing, look to buy it from a local herb or lavender farm, if at possible.
Your local health food store will likely have dried lavender flowers in bulk if you can’t find a farm.
Fresh versus Dried
If you’ve got fresh lavender growing feel free to cook with it. Most recipes include dry lavender in the ingredient list – simply use 3 times as many fresh lavender buds to dry. For example if a recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon of dried use 3 Tablespoons of fresh.
The conversion works the other direction as well. If a recipe calls for fresh lavender and you only have dry on hand use 1/3 less.
You can always use more or less lavender to increase or decrease the floral note left behind in the recipe. Truly, adjust for your personal preference.
It is important to remember that a little bit of these flowers can go a long way – when in doubt go light the first time and add more later.
Be sure to combine the food with other lavender gift ideas to bless somoene you love!
Lavender Recipes
Use the following collection as inspiration for adding aromatic lavender to every meal of the day!
Pantry Staples
Keep these simple to make staples in your pantry for using lavender in many different ways.
Lavender Sugar
Infuse lavender blossoms with regular granulated white sugar to use in baking and more all year long.
Lavender Honey Recipe
Skip the granulated sugar and use an infused honey for all your baking and cooking needs.
Breakfast
These beautiful recipes can do double duty - use them for breakfast or simple afternoon snacks.
Lavender Bread
Easy to bake lavender bread comes complete with an optional lemon glaze for a treat that is at home at breakfast or brunch as it is in a lunchbox for snacking
Goat Cheese Toast with Honey Walnut and Lavender
This simple to make snack is satisfying and perfect alongside hot or iced tea to keep you going on a busy day.
Drinks
Get your lavender in a cup or glass with these inspiring and refreshing drinks.
Lavender Hot Toddy
Lavender tea combines with a bit of whiskey, lemon, and honey for a soothing and mildly healing nightcap.
Herbal Hot Chocolate
Make warm lavender milk with a simple infusion and then melt in some chocolate for an herbal hot drink perfect for cold evenings.
Lavender Lemonade
Cool off on a hot day by making this homemade lavender lemonade recipe that is sure to be as refreshing as it is tasty.
Iced Lavender London Fog Tea Latte
Earl grey tea combines with lavender simple syrup, blueberries, and cream for a fancy iced tea latte that you can easily make at home.
Homemade Lavender Kombucha
Flavor your homemade kombucha easily by adding lavender for a different and incredible nourishing fizz.
Lavender Gin Cocktail
Make a lavender Tom Collins for a relaxing and delicious libation that is also gorgeous and party ready.
Savory Dishes
Use these savory and lovely lavender recipes as a way to go beyond the normal sweet culinary uses of lavender into things that work well as main dishes and appetizers.
Lavender-Honey-Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Lavender is a traditional part of herbs de provence and that combination is delightfully rubbed onto a pork tenderloin for an impressive herbal main dish.
Crispy Baked Feta
A combination of sweet and savory and also crunchy and creamy this appetizer is a great way to kick off any meal.
Tomato Soup with Lavender
Loaded with herbs this is no ordinary tomato soup, be sure to make a big batch for dinner tonight and have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Desserts
Make amazing floral treats with these sweet dishes are perfect for family night and large gatherings alike.
Lavender Strawberry Cookies
Combine the fresh fruits and herbs of summer together with chocolate chips in these delightful homemade lavender cookies
White Chocolate Lavender Cookies
White chocolate and lavender combine incredibly well in these soft and lightly sweet treats.
Lavender Chocolate Syrup Brownies
Gooey brownies pull togehter quickly by using a premade chocolate syrup for a floral chocolate treat.
Lavender Bundt Cake
Full of buttery flavor, this simple but sweet and delicious cake is perfect for serving alone or with ice cream. While simple the bundt cake design always works for serving at a special occasion too.
Lavender Lemon Curd Cookies
Lemon and lavender are always an amazing combination and these crunchy cookies with their soft and creamy centers are an ideal way to get that combination.
Lavender Ice Cream Recipe
Vanilla Lavender Ice Cream Whether you serve it by itself or on top of some of the other lavender dessert recipes, this simple to make ice cream is sure to be the cold and creamy treat of your dreams.
Sweet Lavender Cupcakes
Simple to bake lavender cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting and edible flowers are sure to be impressive at pot luck or bake sales and yet easy to whip up with the average baker.
Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Sweet and crunchy these cookies are buttery and floral at the same time. They're a great way of including your home herb garden in holiday cookie trays and care packages!
Preserves
Save your lavender in various ways with these preserve recipes ideal for keeping jar of lavender on your pantry shelves.
Lavender Preserved Lemons
Fermented lemon wedges with lavender are a great way to get both tangy lemon and lavender flavors in many savory dishes.
Meyer Lemon Lavender Jelly
Easy to make and oh so delicious this jelly made from the juice of meyer lemons and dried lavender is full of unique flavor. It's a good way to share the herb garden with friends and family as well.
Lavender Dandelion Jelly Recipe
The honey like flavor of dandelion blossoms combines well with lavender in this sunny and easy jelly recipe.
Blackberry Lavender Preserves
Use fresh or frozen blackberries for this fruity and floral jam that will take your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to an entirely new and fantastic level.
Small Batch Pear Jam
Sweet and juicy pears combine with lavender and cardamom in this small batch recipe perfect for keeping just a few jars in your larder.