Elevate Your Dishes: A Guide on How to Use Culinary Lavender in the Kitchen (Bonus: Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe)
We love learning new uses for using culinary lavender in the kitchen. Culinary lavender is an amazing plant with a great taste and packed full of health benefits, too. Lavender is a great addition to your morning routine or to enjoy anytime throughout your day. Go ahead and grab a cup of herbal tea, get cozy, and let’s dive into several ways that you can use culinary lavender in the kitchen!
This article may contain affiliate links where we earn a small percent for you visiting our site with no cost to you.
How to Use Culinary Lavender In The Kitchen
1. Infusions and Syrups
We have found that one of the easiest ways to incorporate culinary lavender into our kitchen was through a basic simple syrup. Simple syrups are made from equal parts sugar and water and are flavored with any herb or natural ingredient of your choice. Want to shake things up a little more? Try infusing honey with lavender to make a lavender honey that can be drizzled over pancakes, waffles, or yogurt for a great breakfast treat. Add a tablespoon (or 2, or 3) of lavender syrup to your morning cup of coffee and you will be amazed at its smooth taste.
2. Baked Goods
Lavender is so awesome in baked goods. Our friend, Jaime makes a lavender-lemon cookie and a lavender-lemon scone that is to die for! Whether it is lavender chocolate chip cookies, lavender whipped cream, or fresh sourdough bread with lavender jam you can’t go wrong. We are particularly fond of using lavender sugar in chocolate chip cookies.
3. Grilled Meats
While lavender is often associated with sweets, it can also enhance smoked or grilled meats. Use a lavender salt in meat rubs, sprinkle culinary lavender over roasted vegetables, or mix it into sauces.
4. Frozen Treats
Lavender vanilla ice cream is an awesome treat any time of the year! Use a lavender simple syrup over your vanilla ice cream or make a homemade ice cream with a lavender syrup blended right in. Another favorite is a lavender and lemon popsicle!
What is Culinary Lavender?
Culinary lavender (Lavandula angustifolia, or any English lavender varities) is a specific variety of lavender that’s safe to eat and is commonly used in cooking and baking. Unlike the more common ornamental and hybrid varieties like Phenomenal Lavender, culinary lavender is specifically grown for its flavor. Hybrid varieties (like Phenomenal Lavender) will often taste like soap (yuck!). The delicate purple flowers of culinary lavender add a floral note to both sweet and savory dishes, making it a versatile ingredient in the kitchen. All English lavender varieties are considered to be culinary lavender whereas Spanish lavenders, intermedia lavenders, and hybrid lavenders are not for culinary uses. Make sure that you know what type of lavender you are using. Check out this option for a culinary lavender.
Choosing the Right Lavender
When shopping for culinary lavender, it’s essential to choose the right type. Look for labels that indicate “culinary” or “edible” lavender to ensure you’re getting the appropriate variety. Dried lavender buds are the most common, however, you can still use fresh culinary varieties.
A Brief History of Culinary Lavender
Lavender has been cherished for thousands of years, with roots tracing back to ancient Egypt. It was used in mummification and as a fragrance. The purple color was often a symbol of wealth and position. Lavender varieties are often loved because of their amazing purple color!
The Romans were keen on using it, too. They would add lavender flowers in their baths (because who wouldn’t want to soak in a heavenly lavender-infused bath tub?). Even Shakespeare sang its praises, mentioning it in Romeo and Juliet. With such a rich history, it’s no wonder lavender has found its way into modern wellness practices and into the delicacies of some famous kitchens.
The Aromatic Advantage of Culinary Lavender
Lavender has so many health benefits and it is no surprise that so many people love it, too. As always, please discuss any changes in your health care routine with your medical provider. Please review our disclaimer.
1. Stress Relief and Anxiety Reduction
One of the most well-known benefits of lavender is its calming properties. The International Clinical Journal of Pediatric Dentistry found that inhaling lavender essential oil or the topical application of lavender essential oil can significantly reduce anxiety levels for people of all ages before a dental procedure. We are always looking for healthier options for our family and will keep this in mind for the future!
Just a few drops in a diffuser or a quick whiff from the bottle can help to put you at ease. Hint: we love creating a stress relieving drink as a “lavender latte.”
2. Better Sleep
Because who wouldn’t love to have some dreamy nights? Yes, sign me up! We know that toddlers (or any children) running around can certainly add to sleep challenges. Guess what? Lavender might be your new best friend.
Research shows that lavender may improve sleep quality and increase the duration of deep REM sleep. The same research indicates lavender is a great natural remedy for insomnia. Sprinkling a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow or using a lavender-infused sleep spray (from Abundantly Blessed Farm, of course) can help you drift off to dreamland more easily.
3. Mood Booster
Let lavender lift your spirits! The scent of lavender has been linked to increased serotonin levels, which may enhance mood and promote feelings of happiness. You don’t have to take it from us, but we tend to have better moods when we are enjoying some lavender lemon cookies made with culinary lavender!
Physical Health Benefits of Culinary Lavender
1. Skin Healing
Lavender is an amazing herb with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties making it a great choice for treating minor burns, insect bites, and even acne. A few drops of diluted lavender essential oil, or infused as a lavender oil can soothe irritation and promote healing. Plus, it smells divine—who knew skincare could be so luxurious?
2. Digestive Aid
Feeling a little bloated after that big meal? A lavender tea made with culinary lavender might be the remedy you need. The calming effects of lavender help to relieve symptoms of indigestion and bloating. We have found that sipping on a warm cup of lavender chamomile tea can soothe the tummy of our little ones, too. This brings comfort to me as we are always looking for more natural options in our home.
3. Pain Relief
Have a headache? What about sore muscles? Lavender to the rescue! Studies have shown that lavender oil can help alleviate pain and reduce tension. We have found some headache and tension relief when adding a few drops of lavender essential oil to our bathwater. We love creating a soothing massage oil by mixing lavender essential oil with a carrier oil like coconut or almond oil. We began crafting our Tallow Balm and Tallow Butter to provide pain relief for those stubborn period cramps.
Culinary Creativity and Lavender
As we mentioned earlier, lavender isn’t just for your aromatherapy sessions. It is a fantastic herb in the kitchen! From lavender-infused lemonade to lavender shortbread cookies, this versatile herb can add a unique twist to in your kitchen. Just remember to use culinary-grade lavender to ensure it’s safe for eating as your taste buds will thank you!
Flavor Profile of Culinary Lavender
The flavor of lavender may vary from one region or variety to another. You may find that there are notes of mint, rosemary, or even a hint of citrus. The subtle sweetness makes it a perfect companion herb for desserts (like lavender lemon cookies), while its herbaceous qualities can enhance other dishes like grilled meats, sauces, and marinades. Just remember that a little goes a long way! It can easily overpower your dish if you use too much.
Pairing Culinary Lavender with Other Flavors
Culinary lavender is a robust and flexible herb. It pairs wonderfully with a variety of ingredients.
Honey: Perfect for sweetening dishes, making marinades, or drizzling over desserts. Lavender honey is to die for!
Lemon: The bright, zesty flavor balances culinary lavender’s sweetness beautifully. Drink a lemon lavender tea.
Vanilla: It goes great in custards, popsicles, and ice creams. Lavender vanilla ice cream is our fave!
Other Herbs: Combine with rosemary, thyme, or mint for flavorful, roasted dishes.
Storage and Shelf Life for Culinary Lavender
As with any herb, it is vital to keep your culinary lavender in an airtight container away from light and heat. Dried lavender can last a year or more, but should be used within six months for the best flavor. We choose to harvest our culinary lavender flowers when they’re in full bloom and dry them for later use.
Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe
We love making this simple syrup recipe for use in freshly squeezed lavender lemonades. Our kiddos also love adding this to magic milk — a frothed milk flavored with the syrup of your choice and topped with whipped cream and sprinkles (because who doesn’t love sprinkles!). This simple syrup is easy to make and will keep for up to 2 weeks in a glass jar in your refrigerator. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender
Instructions:
Combine the water, sugar, and culinary lavender in a saucepan over medium heat.
Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Simmer for 5 minutes
Remove from heat and let it steep for about 20 minutes.
Strain out the lavender buds and store the syrup in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Use this syrup to sweeten cocktails, lemonade, or iced tea!
Conclusion
Cooking with culinary lavender is a great way to try a different herb in your kitchen dishes. It adds a touch of elegance and a unique flavor profile. Whether you’re whipping up lavender simple syrups, baking lavender chocolate chip cookies, or roasting a lavender braised chicken, this herb will be sure to leave you with a desire to try something more.
Tell us below how you use culinary lavender in your kitchen.
Pin It For Later
Lavender Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Culinary Lavender
- 1 cup Organic Cane Sugar
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
- Combine the 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 tbsp of culinary lavender in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Simmer for 5 minutes
- Remove from heat and let it steep for about 20 minutes.
- Strain out the lavender buds and store the syrup in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
Shop This Post
Lavender linen spray (or Monster Spray)
Lavender oil (also great as a massage oil)
