#SusanCooksVegan: How To Make Dandelion Vegan Shortbread Cookies

My Dandelion Vegan Shortbread Cookies are buttery with a sweet essence from the dandelion flower petals throughout each cookie. That is correct! I did say dandelion. Did you know that dandelion flowers are indeed edible and are nutritious with vitamins and nutrients needed to boost the immune system?

The Dandelion Is a Herb, Not a Weed

Most of us would never consider cooking up weeds from our lawn or garden, so the idea of eating dandelion flowers may seem strange. Though considered by many to be a weed, technically, dandelion is an herb that has been revered since earlier times for its health benefits.

Almost all the parts of the plant; leaves, flower tops, and roots found use as culinary greens or as a curative remedy for certain medical ailments. In fact, every part of the plant is edible. They are not only safe to eat, but are packed with calcium, vitamin A, and iron, and are a good source of prebiotics and other health-promoting nutrients. After reading this post you will think twice about cooking with this ubiquitous yellow flower and its leaves.

When cooking or baking with dandelion flowers, be sure to wash the petals and you will want to remove the green petals as they are bitter.

How to properly remove the petals: Hold the flowers by the tip with the finger of one hand and pinch the green flower base very hard with the other, releasing the yellow florets from the base. Shake the yellow flowers into a bowl.

Sugar pro tip: If you are concerned that your sugar is not vegan or you are not able to get powdered sugar, make your own from organic sugar. Just blend it in a high-powered blender with some cornstarch! (2 cups sugar + 2 tbsp cornstarch).

Dandelion Vegan Shortbread Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Yields 30-40 cookies | 87 calories/serving

Ingredients

For Dandelion Vegan Shortbread Cookies

2 ½ cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup organic powdered sugar
1 ¼ cup of vegan butter, softened
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
½ cup of dandelion petals (yellow parts only)

Instructions / Dandelion Vegan Shortbread Cookies

Preheat your oven to 325F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl stir the flour, salt and powdered sugar together. Add softened vegan butter, vanilla and dandelion petals. Mix with a handheld mixer, fork or pastry cutter until crumbly and soft. The dough should come together when squeezed in your hands.
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/3-1/2 of an inch thick. If you find your dough is sticking, place a sheet of parchment paper on your countertop and sprinkle it with a little flour. Form the dough into a ball and place it in the middle of the parchment paper. Use another piece of parchment paper for the top, sprinkling a little flour on top of the dough to prevent sticking. Continue to roll the dough to 1/3 – 1/2 of an inch thick.
Cut into desired shapes (I used flower cutters) and place on prepared baking sheets.
Continue re-rolling the dough until it is all used. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the bottom is just slightly golden. Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 days.

For more plant-based recipes from Susan Pratt and SusanCooksVegan recipe collection, click the link in her bio below!

Author Profile

Susan Pratt, SusanCooksVegan

Susan Pratt is an entrepreneur, vegan chef, food photographer and author who enjoys life with her family in beautiful North Vancouver. Susan shares her love of cooking vegan for her family through her SusanCooksVegan brand that eating healthy doesn't need to be daunting or inaccessible. Susan creates approachable, delicious and visually appealing plant-based dishes and shares recipes and video demos on her website. Watch for the exciting upcoming launch of The Susan Cooks Vegan Cooking Show series on UnchainedTV: Vegan News Network.