Rose Shortbread Cookies

Rose Petal Shortbread Cookies have the delicate flavor of rosewater and a sprinkling of rose petals on top for a simple but sophisticated cookie. Not only are these cookies pretty, but they also have that wonderful shortbread crumbly cookie texture.

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Shortbread cookies are hands-down one of my favorites. These classic treats are incredibly simple to make with just a handful of ingredients, delivering a lightly sweet, buttery flavor and a crispy, tender texture that practically melts in your mouth. Yes, all that in one cookie!

These rosewater cookies, adorned with edible flowers, are perfect for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day gifts. They stay fresh for weeks, travel beautifully, and always bring a smile as a thoughtful homemade treat.

Rose Shortbread Cookies Ingredients

• Butter: Provides richness and a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture typical of shortbread.
• Egg: Binds the dough, providing structure and moisture.
• Rose water: Infuses the cookies with a floral aroma and flavor. Make sure to use culinary rose water.
• Vanilla: Enhances the overall flavor by adding a warm, sweet undertone. You can even make your own vanilla extract if you like.
• Ground cardamom: Complements rosewater’s sweetness with its earthy, spicy aroma. Look for a good quality cardamom.
• Flour: Forms the structure of the cookies. The high ratio of flour gives the cookies their dense, shortbread texture.
• Baking powder: Provides a slight lift, giving the cookies a light crumb without making them airy.
• Glaze: Powdered sugar adds sweetness and forms the base, rose water imparts floral flavor, light corn syrup gives a shiny finish, and water adjusts the consistency for smooth application.
• Rose Petals: Garnish the cookies and provide a floral flavor. Use culinary-grade rose petals, crushed into small pieces.

How To Make Rose Shortbread Cookies

Step 1. Whisk flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt.

Step 2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar at low speed, then increase to medium speed to thoroughly cream. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix to combine.

Step 3. Slowly mix the flour mixture into the cookie dough until just combined. The dough will be a little loose but will come together when you press it together.

Step 4. On a surface dusted with flour, empty the cookie dough and knead it until it forms a cohesive mixture. Roll out the dough until it reaches a thickness of approximately ¼ inch. Use heart cookie cutters to cut out shapes and arrange them on the cookie sheets with 1-2 inches spacing between each.

Step 5. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Then bake at 350°F for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges have just started to turn a light golden brown.

Step 6. While the cookies cool, whisk powdered sugar, rosewater, and corn syrup to create the glaze. Add water until the glaze is thick, easily spreadable, and not runny.

Step 7. Spoon a small amount of glaze over the cookie and spread to the edges. Sprinkle them with rose petals or sprinkles, or leave them plain and let the glaze harden on the cookies for a few hours.

Top Tips

• Butter temperature: Ensure your butter is at room temperature before starting. Cold butter won’t mix well with the other ingredients, resulting in a lumpy dough.
• Rosewater quality: Opt for a high-quality rosewater for the best flavor. Cheap versions may have a synthetic taste.
• Dough consistency: The dough should be slightly crumbly but still able to hold its shape when formed. If it’s too dry, add a bit more rose water; if it’s too wet, add more flour.
• Chill time: Don’t skip the dough chilling process. This step helps the cookies maintain their shape while baking.
• Bake time: Keep a close eye on the cookies while baking. You want them to be slightly golden but not brown.
• Flower press: If you want to add an extra touch of elegance, consider using a flower-shaped cookie cutter to create a beautiful design on your cookies before baking. 

Recipe FAQ’s

Try Our Other Shortbread Cookie Recipes

• Chai Shortbread
• Dark Chocolate Shortbreads
• Easy Lemon Shortbread Cookies
• Chocolate and Cacao Nib Shortbreads

More Cookie Recipes

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Rose Petal Shortbread

Jere’ Cassidy

Rose Petal Shortbread Cookies have the delicate flavor of rosewater and a sprinkling of rose petals on top for a simple but sophisticated cookie. Not only are these cookies pretty, but they also have that wonderful shortbread crumbly cookie texture.

4.84 from 18 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Chill Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 42 minutes mins

Course Cookie

Cuisine American

Servings 22

Calories 134 kcal

Equipment

Cookie Sheets

Bench Scraper

Heart Cookie Cutter

Rolling Pin

Kitchen Aid Mixer

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter 2 sticks
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 3 cups flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Glaze

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons rose water
• 1 ½ teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1 ½ teaspoon water
• ⅓ cup Rose petals for garnish

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Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar, on low speed, then increase to medium speed to thoroughly cream. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, ground cardamom, baking powder, and salt. Slowly mix flour mixture into the cookie dough until just combined. Dough will be a little loose but will come together when you press it together.
• On a surface dusted with flour, empty the cookie dough and knead it until it forms a cohesive mixture. Roll out the dough until it reaches a thickness of approximately ¼ inch. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and arrange them on the cookie sheets with a spacing of 1-2 inches between each.
• Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 5-10 minutes and then bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges have just started to turn a light golden brown. Let cookies cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
• Once cookies are completely cool, prepare the glaze. In a medium sized bowl, sift or whisk out any chunks from the powdered sugar. Add in the rosewater and corn syrup, whisking mixture together. Add the water until you reach your desired glaze consistency. I used about 1 teaspoon to get my glaze to be thick but also easily spreadable and not runny.
• Glaze cookies. Sprinkle them with rose petals or sprinkles, or leave them plain and let the glaze harden on the cookies for a few hours.

Notes

If you’d like a little more rose flavor, add up to 2 teaspoons rose water to the cookie dough, depending on your preference.

If you do not have room in the freezer to chill the dough, put them in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Note on rose petals – if the rose petals are large they are hard to eat, it may be helpful to crush them with your fingers to make the petals smaller.  Then, you can lightly sprinkle them on top of the glaze.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 134kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 2gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 86mgPotassium: 22mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 11IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

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First published July 26, 2018, last updated: Jan 01, 2025, for better readability and new images.

Thank you for stopping by the One Hot Oven blog.  Please leave a comment to say hello or tell me what you are baking; I always love hearing from fellow bakers. Do you have any questions or want to chat about the recipe? Please visit my About page for information, and I’ll be happy to help!

Hello there, I’m Jere’

From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending.  Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.

About Jere’ →