Vibrant in color with a soothing aroma, lavender’s floral and slightly sweet, citrusy and minty taste notes make it a culinary delight that pairs with both sweet and savory dishes. Valued for centuries for its bouquet of benefits, each year we eagerly await lavender’s fragrant bloom into summer.
Enjoy it in sweet and savory starters and main dishes like a Lavender Melon Gazpacho, stuffed dates, roast chicken and grilled lamb skewers. Or in sweet snacks and desserts like Honey Lavender Scones, Lavender Rose Baklava, Corn and Lavender Paletas, as well as cookies, cheesecakes, pies and tarts. Or in essential condiments such as a Blueberry Lavender Jam, Strawberry Lavender Syrup and Edible Flower Compound Butter. Or in elixirs, lemonade (or limeade), cocktails and mocktails. Or in all of the above!
Here we share our favorite lavender recipes to enjoy this summer and beyond.
Cooking with lavender is a joy that fills the kitchen with the light fragrance of this summer bloom but it’s also one of the trickier ingredients to cook with, so whether this is your first time or it’s been a minute, start by checking out our Tips for Cooking with Lavender.
When selecting any fresh or dried lavender for cooking, first make sure that it is labeled for culinary use to ensure that it has not been treated with pesticides and other harmful chemicals.
Most varieties of lavender are high in camphor content and too pungent for use in cooking. Only two varieties should be considered for culinary purposes:
- English lavender is the most commonly used for cooking. It is a sweet variety with low camphor content best for making baked goods, sweet desserts and cocktails, though it is generally suitable for savory dishes as well.
- Provence lavender (not to be confused with any “French” lavender) is a hybrid variety that is mild enough for cooking despite its higher camphor content. While we often use this variety for cooking, we think of it as a savory variety best for use in savory dishes.
Subtlety and moderation are the key to cooking with lavender. A little goes a long way. When too much is used, the scent and flavor of lavender has the potential to overpower any dish, while adding just the appropriate amount can elevate a dish with a distinctly aromatic and sophisticated twist.
Fresh vs. Dried Lavender: Both the flavor and essence of lavender intensify as it dries so pay special attention to whether the recipe calls for fresh or dried lavender. While you can generally substitute either way, you will want to use a lot less dried lavender if the recipe calls for fresh (about a third of the amount).
Pairing Lavender: Lavender pairs best with dairy (such as cheeses, yogurt, butter, milk and cream), lemon (and lime) and honey. It also pairs beautifully with other herbs (especially rosemary), berries, stone fruits, chocolate, nuts, corn and alcoholic spirits.
Ready to get started? Keep scrolling for four dozen aromatic lavender recipes!
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This gazpacho swaps cantaloupe for the raw vegetables that are traditional to the Spanish cold soup and adds some favorite summer flavors such as culinary lavender. This soup is sweet, savory and light—and can be served as an appetizer or side.
Recipe from Edible Michiana
Sweet Medjool dates are pitted and filled with a mixture of blue cheese, dried rosemary and dried lavender and topped with freshly cracked black pepper. These sweet and savory bites can be served on their own or as part of a cheeseboard.
Recipe from Edible Marin & Wine Country
The perfect addition to any cheeseboard, fresh lavender flowers add an interesting floral note and a pop of festive color.
Recipe from Edible Silicon Valley
Whether we’re out camping or hosting a backyard party, this is our go-to simple-to-make but dressed-to-impress recipe. Soft-rind triple crème cheese is fire-melted on top of fig leaves then topped generously with honey and lavender blossoms.
Recipe from Edible Marin & Wine Country
Juicy and tender, the secret to this uniquely flavored roast chicken is a combination of lavender, butter and lemon.
Recipe from Edible Dallas & Fort Worth
A recipe that takes you on a trip to Provence, grilled lamb is brushed with a delicious honey-lavender compound butter that you can use on everything—breads, vegetables and meats.
Recipe from Edible Boston
African blue basil has an earthy, clove-like flavor that is complemented by the subtle floral notes of dried lavender buds in this pesto made with nutrient-rich raw almonds instead of traditional pine nuts.
Recipe from Edible Sarasota
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These hand pies are great for breakfast or a snack any time of day, so pretty we almost hate to bite into them. Edible Michiana’s Lavender, Blueberry and Lime Hand Pies take some time to execute but they are simply delightful. The floral notes of the lavender pair perfectly with the sweet blueberries, sour lime and buttery crust. Try Edible Northeast Florida’s Blueberry-Lavender Pop Tarts for a version that adds the flavor of vanilla to the filling, uses lemon instead of lime and simplifies the glaze.
Image: Lavender, Blueberry and Lime Hand Pies, Edible Michiana
The lavender adds a fragrant and sophisticated note to the sweet and buttery in to Edible Monterey Bay’s Honey Lavender Scones. For those with food allergies or sensitivities, Edible Ojai & Ventura County’s Coconut Lavender Blueberry Scones are gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and low-sugar, making them deliciously healthy and beautiful.
Image: Honey Lavender Scones, Edible Monterey Bay
A recipe shared by Copper Knoll Farms, perennial favorite banana bread is elevated with a subtle floral twist—the delicate, just slightly herby, flavor of lavender in both the banana bread and a lavender syrup to drizzle on top.
Recipe from Edible Jersey
Cornbread and butter belong together. As do lavender, honey and butter. In this recipe, neither the cornbread nor the butter is your average variety. The butter is infused with lavender and sweet honey for a sweetly creamy and slightly floral enhancement. The blue corn masa adds a nutty flavor, fluffy texture and a beautiful hue.
Recipe from Edible Michiana
You don’t need a special occasion to make this beauty, but we can’t help but love the reaction we get when we present it to guests—it deserves a little fanfare. Something we love even more is that you can—and should—make it in advance so the flavors and textures have time to blend together and harmonize.
Recipe from Edible Nutmeg
The butter, lemon and lavender in Edible Sarasota’s Lavender Lemon Shortbread all blend together, not just in delicious flavor but in a captivating aroma that will have you wondering if you can capture it in a candle (or just make it often). For a lighter and more delicate version, try Edible Ojai & Ventura County’s Lemon-Lavender Olive Oil Shortbread with Lavender Honey Glaze, which replaces the butter with extra virgin olive oil.
Image: Lavender Lemon Shortbread, Edible Sarasota
Adapted from Joy of Cooking’s recipe for icebox cookies, a lemon glaze is spread over the buttery lavender vanilla sugar cookies. The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.
Recipe from Edible Vancouver Island
Made with gluten-free flour, Edible Michiana’s Gluten-Free Lemon Lavender Bars are lemon bars delicately infused throughout with lavender so that each tender bite brings a burst of fragrant citrusy flavor with a subtle floral note. If you prefer your cookies like cookies and not bars, try Edible Delmarva’s Lemon Lavender Cookies for similar flavors that are a bit more balanced and not as citrus-forward.
Image: Gluten-Free Lemon Lavender Bars, Edible Michiana
In-season peaches are stovetop pan-roasted with butter so that they are shimmering with caramelized fruit juices then finished with a homemade lavender- and rosemary-infused honey. Perfection on their own, you can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or mascarpone on extra hot days.
Recipe from Edible Ojai & Ventura County
Dairy-free and delicious, these Mexican-style popsicles are made with roasted sweet corn, coconut milk, lavender, vanilla, sugar and a bit of salt to enhance the sweet flavors.
Recipe from Edible New Mexico
Perfectly light, tart, sweet and cold for a hot summer day, this colorful sorbet calls for only five ingredients, and one of them is water.
Recipe from Edible Sea to Sky
Tangy, sweet and fragrant without being overwhelming, Edible Monterey Bay’s Lavender Chèvre Cheesecake is a light yet decadent crustless goat cheese cake that’s beautiful adorned with summer berries. Raw and gluten-free, Edible Ojai & Ventura County’s Lavender Blueberry No-Bake Cheesecake shares the magic of a richly flavored cheesecake without the hot kitchen.
Image: Lavender Chèvre Cheesecake, Edible Monterey Bay
Adapted for high-altitude baking (with instructions for lower elevations) from the Lemon Lavender Mail-a-Cake from Baking for All Occasions, this everyday cake is also the perfect fit for any situation.
Recipe from Edible Bozeman
Blueberry, lavender and a nutty hazelnut crust achieve a harmonious balance of sweet, aromatic and earthy flavors in this elevated blueberry pie.
Recipe from The Pie Project
This recipe from Field & Flock Lavender Farm is as simple to make as it is delicious—and it’s really delicious. Ready in just 15 minutes using premade mini phyllo cups, all you need to do is bake the cups and whip up the lavender-infused whipped cream and mascarpone mixture (letting a stand mixer do the work).
Recipe from Edible Jersey
We love desserts in a jar for their easy presentation and portability. But of course, they have to taste good and this one strikes the perfect balance between the buttery and fragrant lavender shortbread crust, tart lemon filling and rich whipped cream topping.
Recipe from Edible Rhody
Fruit crisps are a delicious way to enjoy the season’s fruit bounty and famously easy to make. This version elevates the crisp with the sophistication of lavender without a heavier lift—you just need to get your hands on some lavender vinegar (to toss the apples in) and lavender sugar (for the crumbles).
Recipe from Edible Phoenix
Another ingredient that lavender pairs with brilliantly is chocolate—and this simple mousse pairing ripe pears and floral lavender with chocolate is dark indulgence.
Recipe from Edible Boston
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Sweet, tart and fragrant, this jam bursts with summery flavors. But if you have specific plans for this jam, you’ll need to time it right. The recipe calls for a homemade lavender extract that’s simple to make but the lavender flowers will need to soak (in vodka) for at least 2 weeks. This recipe includes instructions for proper canning of your jam so it remains shelf-stable for up to a year.
Recipe from Edible Ojai & Ventura County
If you prefer your spread with a little texture, preserves are the way to go. This simple recipe requires just five ingredients for a delicious preserve that will keep in the refrigerator for 4–6 weeks—if it even lasts that long. Slather it over your favorite bread, as a topping for pound cake, an addition to a cheeseboard, etc.
Recipe from Edible Michiana
Summer brunch or dinner party on the books? You’ll want to put this beautiful yet simple-to-make compound butter on the menu. All you need is butter, honey and an assortment of edible flowers, along with optional ingredients like vanilla and cinnamon.
Recipe from Edible Alaska
Used as a topping for pancakes, waffles, French toast, ice cream or stirred into our favorite drinks like a flavored simple syrup, this syrup is a staple throughout the summer and makes a beautiful hostess gift for any gatherings you may be invited to.
Recipe from Edible Nashville
Level up your favorite dessert, coffee or tea with this sweet and creamy caramel sauce that will wrap you up with the pleasing aromas of vanilla, orange zest and sweet lavender.
Recipe from Edible Michiana
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Refreshing and calming, this gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and low-glycemic elixir can take the place of your morning latte for an energetic start to your day or serve as a nice afternoon treat.
Recipe from Edible Ojai & Ventura County
For a refreshing take on the classic summer citrus drink, add a floral note with lavender. Have lots of lemons? Make Edible Sea to Sky’s Lavender Lemonade, which can be made boozy by adding an ounce of gin to your glass before pouring the lemonade. If you prefer limes over lemons, go for a Mexican-inspired limeade with an additional floral note with Edible Michiana’s Lavender Limonada. Going boozy on this one? Add tequila, of course.
Image: Lavender Lemonade, Edible Sea to Sky
Have a hard time finding just the right tea blend for you? Try making your own! This blend includes dried roses, raspberries and lavender, as well as loose jasmine or green tea. We suggest making a little to start then adjusting the amount of ingredients to taste.
Recipe from Edible Sarasota
Lavender is one of our go-to ingredients for an inspired summer cocktail and this one is meant to impress with 3 parts lavender: a homemade lavender-rosemary syrup, a lavender sugar rim and garnished with candied lavender sprigs.
Recipe from Edible Cocktails, shared by Edible Phoenix
For a refreshing drink with complex floral and citrus notes that is vodka-based, this cocktail mixes vodka with elderflower liqueur, Campari, fresh lime juice and a homemade rosemary-lavender rich simple syrup.
Recipe from Edible Rhody
This cocktail starts at least 24 hours in advance with a home-infused black tea–lavender vodka. Brightened with lemon juice, sweetened with agave syrup and balanced with a froth of egg white, this is a fitting cocktail for any summer gathering.
Recipe from Edible Ojai & Ventura County
A floral riff on the gin sour, Edible Dallas & Fort Worth’s Lovely Linda Cocktail features two homemade ingredients: a lavender-infused gin that you’ll need to start at least one week before you’re planning for the cocktail and a butterfly pea flower simple syrup. Or try a floral riff on another classic, the French 75, with Edible San Luis Obispo’s Just Like Honey with a homemade honey lavender syrup and butterfly pea flower tea.
Image: Lovely Linda Cocktail, Edible Dallas & Fort Worth
A Daisy is a muddled spritzy sour that dates back to the mid-19th century and this version is a bright botanical riff on the classic. Blueberries, lavender blossoms and a homemade honey syrup are muddled together then combined with ice, lemon juice, gin and topped with sparkling water. The honey syrup and fresh lemon juice form a sweet-sour acidity that balance the perfume of the lavender.
Recipe from Edible Rhody
The sweetness of cherries, the aromatic floral taste of lavender and the tang of lime juice with sparkling water over ice adds up to a refreshing drink with some of our favorite flavors of the summer. Just add mezcal to make it a cocktail.
Recipe from Edible San Fernando Valley
Made with a homemade strawberry-lavender simple syrup, fresh lemon juice and aquafaba, this recipe makes a punchbowl full—perfect for your next summer gathering.
Recipe from Edible Dallas & Fort Worth
For a delicately balanced drink that tastes like a cocktail without the alcohol, this recipe calls for a zero-proof gin that’s mixed with fresh lemon juice, a three-ingredient homemade lavender simple syrup, soda water and ice.
Recipe from Edible Orange County
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