A Peach of a Cookie

Peach Lavender Cookie

Almost a month has passed since my last post. A month of chaos, distractions and decision making – and not of  the good kind. July is a month I’d rather forget but then there was my daughter’s 3rd birthday and… well, that’s all really!  And somehow August arrived, so onward and onward. August is a very special time of year here in Santa Cruz, for August is the month of no morning fog (fingers crossed). Long warm days, blue skies, clean ocean air… Despite the complex, infuriating, and mundane details of life,  waking in such an environment, and with a fairy demanding picnics and beach outings, can only mean one thing…good energy and smiles are running amok! And in that spirit, here is a cookie to chase away any Summer blues. This cookie is the very essence of Summer – juicy, sweet, light, and very very fragrant.

Peach Lavender Cookies

• 3 large peaches
• 6 sprigs of fresh lavender
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose baking flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup lavender sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Bourbon vanilla
• Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 375º
2. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
3. Wash and finely chop the peaches.
4. In a large bowl gently toss the peaches with 1/4 cup lavender sugar and the fresh lavender, making sure to carefully remove tiny flowers from the stem. Gently toss.
5. In another large bowl, cream the butter and the remaining lavender sugar.
6. Add the egg and vanilla, mix well.
7. Add the salt, baking soda and mix. (I like to use the least number of bowls!)
8. Add the peaches, and gently toss.
9. Start adding the flour, a cup at a time, mixing carefully, until you have added 2 1/4 cups of flour.
10. Using a tablespoon size cookie scoop, scoop batter and place cookies about 2 inches apart.
11. Bake for 13 – 15 minutes.
12. Remove from oven, place on a cooling rack, and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar before serving.
13. Makes 36 yummy cookies

This is a very moist and tender cookie with barely enough batter to hold the peach bits together. And though I am a die hard coffee drinker, this afternoon I chose instead a wonderful cup of White Monkey Paw green tea to accompany this peach of a cookie.