Lavender Sugar

Years ago, when our kids were young, I did a lot of baking and I enjoyed it, I found it to be soothing in a way. My family liked it, too. There was usually some treat around – cookies, brownies, or a freshly baked loaf of bread out of the bread machine. The smell of something good baking in the kitchen would lure them in, “What are you making?” followed by, “When will it be ready?” Then I got busy with school, then a career, and had less and less time to bake. I think the kids and Mark missed it because on the rare occasions I did get around to baking they would come in the kitchen with piqued enthusiasm, “Oh wow! What is this?” and, again, “When will it be ready?” Even checking back too soon with, “Is it ready, yet?” and “How much longer?”

Nothing says home like the smell of baking.

Baking for friends and family is associated with expressing warmth and care. We don’t need cookies or brownies, but the love behind it. When the family is all home or comes home to something sweet just out of the oven there’s a felt sense of love, of home, of family. So, while I don’t bake as often as I once did, when I do bake it brings joy and connection in our home.

These days I am trying to slow down and make space for creativity – something that recharges me. One of the ways I’m doing this is experimenting with culinary lavender, and finding ways to use lavender sugar, in particular. It is SO simple and quick to make!

Lavender Sugar

Lavender sugar, a sweet symphony infused with the delicate essence of lavender blossoms.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of Methow Valley Lavender Culinary Bud

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine sugar and bud. 
2. I use a chopping blade and pulse or blend until lavender looks like little flecks of color, and sugar is fine, but not dust. A clean coffee grinder will work, too. 
3. Store in a mason jar.

Makes for a pretty sweet gift, too!

We gave them to our neighbors for Christmas, and they sent us texts about how they were using their Lavender Sugar.

Here are a few of the ways –

Mix a tablespoonful (or more) in milk (think, Nesquick). Yum! We tried it, it’s so good.

Mix in a teaspoonful in a cup of hot tea – so relaxing!

Whipped cream with lavender sugar – oh my goodness!

Sprinkle on top of sugar cookies with white frosting – the little flecks of purple look pretty.

Add it to your gin and tonic with lime, or sans gin for an excellent mocktail.

Mix it with plain yogurt for a little sweetness – delicious!

With Love & Lavender,

P.S. With Galentine’s and Valentine’s Day around the corner, keep this little recipe in mind when making your sweet treats, or looking for a simple, yet elegant gift to give.