17 Brilliant Ways to Cook with Lavender

Whether you’re using it as a garnish or a main ingredient, lavender lends a subtle floral flavor to sweet or savory dishes. Just remember that a little goes a long way!

Mini Blueberry-Lavender Cornmeal Cream Tarts

Buttery cornmeal crusts, rich lavender-vanilla whipped cream, juicy summer blueberries -- is your mouth watering, too? These elegant tarts are a surefire showstopper.

A sprinkling of fresh lavender is a beautiful and surprisingly delicious final flourish for buttermilk fried chicken.

This four-ingredient icy treat is stunning in both color and flavor, thanks to sweet Concord grapes and fresh lavender leaves.

Take vinaigrette to new heights by adding fresh lavender. It makes a delectable dressing for this colorful salad of beets, Swiss chard, pecans, and goat cheese.

One of our all-time prettiest (and tastiest!) desserts! Moist chocolate cupcakes are topped with lavender-spiked icing and sugared pansies and violas.

Brittle can be a showcase for so much more than peanuts! This version pairs crunchy pepitas (green hulled pumpkin seeds) with delicate lavender.

Sunny lemonade gets a double dose of lavender -- dried lavender flavor the simple syrup, and fresh sprigs are used as a garnish. Bonus: it can be made up to a week in advance. Avoiding sugar? Try our raw honey variation!

Take homemade caramel from good to great by amping it up with dried lavender and fleur de sel (fancy salt!). It’s delicious over ice cream or cake and makes a lovely hostess gift. 

Take the classic combination of strawberries and rhubarb to the next level by flavoring them with homemade lavender sugar. Divide among puff pastry squares for the perfect individual desserts.

You only need three ingredients to make this elegant thirst-quencher: sugar, dried lavender blossoms, and sparkling water.

Team buttery, golden pastry with juicy grapes and aromatic lavender for a spectacular fall dessert.

Orange segments tossed with lavender honey and dried lavender cut the richness of this luxurious cheesecake beautifully. Decorate with fresh lavender blossoms to really wow the crowd.

Our take on this classic Greek dessert calls for infusing the traditional semolina custard filling with lavender and honey before encasing it in delicate phyllo pastry.

Lavender is the perfect partner for rich, eggy ice cream. Serve with your favorite shortbread cookies.

Rub turkey with bacon fat and a mixture of dried lavender and garam masala for a bird unlike any you’ve had before. It’s great for a fall dinner party -- or a non-traditional Thanksgiving.

Don’t let pineapples have all the upside-down fun! Ripe peaches and fresh lavender give this topsy-turvy cornmeal cake tons of flavor.

Everyone will love this chocolaty riff on pecan pie. Make it extra special by garnishing with lavender before your guests dig in.