If you've ever stood in the baking aisle staring at a wall of little brown bottles and grabbed the vanilla without a second thought — you're not alone. Vanilla extract is the default, the workhorse, the one we all reach for on autopilot. But here's the thing: all those other bottles? They're not decoration. They're flavor power waiting to happen. And nothing proves that faster than a batch of Lavender Earl Grey Shortbread.
What even is a flavoring extract?
Extracts are made by soaking an aromatic ingredient — a flower, a spice, a citrus peel — in alcohol, which pulls out and concentrates the flavor compounds. The result is a small-but-mighty liquid that delivers a punch of flavor with just a fraction of a teaspoon. Unlike fresh herbs or flowers, extracts are stable, consistent, and don't add moisture to your dough. They're one of the simplest upgrades a baker can make.
Why lavender and Earl Grey work so well together
Earl Grey tea is already floral — it gets its signature scent from bergamot, a citrus fruit with a perfumy, slightly herbal edge. Lavender is also floral, but softer and more herbal than bergamot. The two flavors are close relatives that don't compete; they layer. The result in a shortbread — which is buttery and mellow and barely sweet — is a cookie that tastes like a proper British afternoon tea, but elevated.
The key with lavender extract is restraint. More is not better. Half a teaspoon gives you a clear, lovely floral note. A full teaspoon starts to taste like your grandmother's soap dish. Start lower and trust it.
A word on shortbread as a teaching recipe
Shortbread has only four ingredients: flour, butter, sugar, and flavor. That simplicity means your flavoring choice does all the heavy lifting. There's nowhere to hide. This makes it the perfect recipe for experimenting with extracts — you'll taste the difference immediately, and there's no competing chocolate or spice to muddy the message.
It also means shortbread is extremely forgiving of creative experimentation. Swap lavender for rose water and it becomes romantic and Middle Eastern. Use almond extract and you have a French patisserie vibe. Orange extract turns it into something bright and citrusy. One base recipe, a dozen different cookies — just by changing that one bottle.
The recipe: Lavender Earl Grey Shortbread
This version makes bite-size pieces, perfect for sharing. The Earl Grey is ground (from a tea bag or loose leaf tea blitzed briefly) and worked directly into the dough, where it adds a subtle tannin depth and visible flecks of tea leaf. The lavender extract does the rest.
Get the full recipe below — and find lavender extract and our full range of flavoring extracts in store and at littlebittsshop.com.
Try it, then build from it
Once you have a bottle of lavender extract in your kitchen, the door opens. Lavender white chocolate chip cookies. Lavender lemon bundt cake. Lavender honey buttercream. A single ingredient — one small bottle — becomes a signature flavor that your family, your clients, or your customers start asking for by name.
That's the thing about a well-stocked extract collection: it doesn't take up much space, it lasts a long time, and it quietly transforms everything you already know how to bake.
Come see what's in stock at Little Bitts Shop — we carry a rotating selection of specialty extracts and flavorings that you won't find at a regular grocery store. Because your baking deserves better than the vanilla default.
Lavender Earl Grey Shortbread
Yield: Approx. 36 bite-size pieces
Time: Prep 15 min · Chill 30 min · Bake 14 min
Ingredients
• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tsp loose-leaf Earl Grey tea (finely ground or from 2 tea bags)
• 1/2 tsp lavender extract
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• Sanding sugar or powdered sugar for finishing
Instructions
1. Whisk together flour, powdered sugar, salt, and ground Earl Grey tea in a large bowl.
2. Add cold butter cubes and work in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add lavender extract and vanilla extract. Mix just until the dough comes together — do not overwork.
4. Shape dough into a log (about 1.5 inches diameter) or press into a flat slab. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment.
6. Slice chilled log into 1/4-inch rounds (or roll slab to 1/4-inch and cut into small rectangles or squares).
7. Arrange on prepared baking sheets. Dust lightly with powdered sugar or sanding sugar.
8. Bake 12–14 minutes until edges are just barely golden. Do not overbake — centers should look slightly underdone.
9. Cool completely on the pan. They firm up as they cool. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.
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Tip: Lavender extract is potent — 1/2 tsp gives a clear floral note without tipping into 'soap.' If you want it more subtle, start with 1/4 tsp. |