Enamored with Culinary Lavender: From Sips to Sweets

Culinary Cam
Jun 3
8 min read

Updated: Jun 7

This is my twelfth offering in the 2025 Alphabet Challenge, our second year of working our way through the alphabet with recipes. We post every other week for the entire alphabet and this is year two. Thanks for starting this series, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm.

L is for...

Besan Almond Ladoo by Sneha’s Recipe:
Chickpea Salad with Lemony Swiss Chard Pesto by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
Enamored with Culinary Lavender: From Sips to Sweets by Culinary Cam (you're here)
Lemongrass Chicken and Asparagus by A Messy Kitchen
Lemon Pudding Cookies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
Lentil Lasagna Dip by Magical Ingredients
Lobia Paneer Salad by Mayuri’s Jikoni Lobster Butter by Food Lust People Love
Lychee Martini by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Pink Lemonade Rice Krispies by Blogghetti
Preserved Lemons by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Tahdig Lubia Polo by Palatable Pastime

Enamored with Culinary Lavender

When one of my best friends asked if we wanted to go pick lavender with her, I asked my crew and was shocked when they all agreed to go. I immediately bought tickets for the event before they could change their minds. And last weekend, we loaded up early, and drove over an hour to a lavender farm in Greenfield to meet with Pia and Nuala. It was hot, but we had so much fun.

Owners Ryan and Myriah have set up tables, umbrellas, and more for shade and lead their guests in how to harvest the lavender and in how to make a lavender simple syrup. While the focus of their Lavender Creek Company leans toward the health and wellness side, they do grow culinary lavender. So, we learned that while all lavender is edible, different varieties have varying levels of camphor; higher camphor lends to that soapy or even medicinal flavor. The lavender at this farm is English lavender, specifically 'Royal Velvet', which has the lowest camphor levels of all the lavenders.

They are also starting up yoga and sound bathing amidst their plants. But I was solely focused on the culinary aspects of the lavender. I ended up with four bunches of lavender - one from each of us - and so much inspiration. First up was my lavender cocktail bar! Let's start with those sips...

Lavender Libations

These are all based on a lavender simple syrup. Ryan demonstrated this process. I have been making infused simple syrups for years, but I appreciated the reminder to infuse an easy syrup with whatever herbs or flowers I am trying to highlight.

Lavender Simple Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup organic granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon dried, destemmed lavender calyx (those are the flower buds)

Place water and sugar into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. As the mixture heats, swirl the pan to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is steaming around the edges, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lavender. Let stand for 10 minutes, then strain into a clean jar. Let cool completely before using.

Lavender Margarita

Tequila and I are not friends. Chalk that up to a terrible evening in my early thirties. Yep. No more! But two of my three selected that drink for their happy hour.

1.5 ounces tequila (I used a Reposado Tequila)
1.5 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ounce citrus liqueur (most people use Cointreau or Grand Marnier, I used a Pixicello that I had made last year)
0.25 ounce (1 teaspoon) lavender simple syrup, recipe above
sea salt for rimming your glasses
organic lime slices and lavender spices for garnish
Also needed: ice

Rub the rim of your glass with a lime wedge and press it into the salt to create a glittering rim.

Pour the lavender syrup into the bottom of the glass and add in the lime juice. Stir to combine, then add in the citrus liqueur and tequila. Drop in your ice cube(s). Garnish with lime slice and lavender. Serve immediately.

Lavender Haze Cocktail

I had a lavender-hibiscus gin that I made earlier this year, but feel free to use whatever gin you have! This is not quite a gin fizz, but now I have that on my to-do list!

makes 2 cocktails

2 chilled egg whites
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice (we have a Meyer lemon tree, but use whatever lemons you have)
1 ounce lavender syrup (recipe above)
1 ounce elderflower-lemon liqueur (St. Germaine is a commercial brand from France, the Italian version is called acqua santa - my version here)
3 ounces gin
slices of organic lemon for serving
organic lavender sprig for serving
Also needed: cocktail shaker, ice cubes

Place egg whites, lemon juice, lavender syrup, elderflower liqueur, and gin in the cocktail shaker. Cover and shake to combine, approximately 15 seconds. Add in some ice cubes. Cover and shake for another 30 seconds. Strain into serving glasses (I used small coupes). Garnish with a lavender sprig and a slice of lemon.

Lavender Gin & Tonic

Where I am admittedly not a fan of tequila, I am an ardent gin girl!

1/2 ounce lavender simple syrup (recipe above)
2 ounces gin (my favorites are Venus Spirits or St. George's Botanivore, but I had a Swedish gin that had a kiss of rhubarb and rose petals)
4 ounces tonic water (I used Fever Tree's Elderflower tonic water)
slices of organic lime for serving
organic lavender sprig for serving
Also needed: ice cubes

Pour simple syrup into your serving glass. Add in the gin and stir or swirl to combine. Top with tonic water and drop in your ice. Garnish with lime slices and lavender spike. Serve immediately.

I didn't take close-up photos of the lavender old fashioned, but you can see it in the photo with all of our libations. I will certainly be making this again and we all love bourbon.

Lavender Old Fashioned

Second to my love of gin would be my adoration of bourbon. Of my four lavender-kissed drinks, this is the one that R picked for the evening.

1 teaspoon lavender simple syrup (recipe above)
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice
2 ounces bourbon
3 to 4 dashes bitters (I had a homemade pink peppercorn bitters)
slices of organic orange
organic lavender sprig for serving
Also needed: ice cubes

Pour simple syrup into your serving glass. Add in the orange juice and bourbon and swirl to combine. Add in the bitters and drop in your ice. Garnish with orange slices and lavender spike. Serve immediately.

That's a wrap for my lavender cocktails. Now on to some of the food...

Roasted Lemon, Herb, & Lavender Spatchcocked Chicken

Click to go to my recipe post for this.

Lamb Lollipops with Spiced Apple-Lavender Chutney

Though this looks impressive on the plate, it's largely hands off. You just need to rub the spices on the lamb the night before you plan to serve. And you can stick it in the oven and do other things. It's the apple-lavender chutney that sends this dish from delicious to sublime.

Ingredients

serves 4 as an entree or 8 as an appetizer

Lamb

2 racks of lamb
2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
2 Tablespoons paprika
1 Tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoon ground sumac
1 teaspoon freshly ground salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
olive oil

Spiced Apple-Lavender Chutney makes about 3 pint jars

6 to 7 peeled, cored organic apples (approximately 6 cups when diced)
1 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
1 large onion (approximately 1 cup when diced)
1 large sweet red pepper (approximately 1 cup when diced)
1 hot red pepper (I used a Jalapeño)
1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons mustard seed
1-inch knob ginger, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground salt
1 teaspoon lavender blooms
2 cloves garlic
2 cups apple cider vinegar

Procedure

Spiced Apple-Lavender Chutney

Place all of ingredients into a large, nonreactive pot. I use a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce to a simmer, stirring about 35 minutes until thickened. Spoon into sterilized jars and place in hot water bath for 10 minutes to process. You can skip processing the chutney you are going to eat immediately!

Lamb

Place the smoked paprika, paprika, coriander, cumin, sumac, salt and pepper together in a small mixing bowl. Divide the spices evenly over the two racks. Massage the spices into the lamb. Drizzle with olive oil. Place in a lidded container, or in a plastic bag, and refrigerate overnight. Before roasting, let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place lamb on a roasting rack with the fat-side up. Roast for 30 minutes, then flip the rack over and return it to the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove the lamb from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into lollipops. Serve with a side of chutney.

And finally a few lavender treats...

Lavender-Salted Meringues

Click here to go to my recipe post for this.

And lastly - lavender + chocolate is a culinary powerhouse. So, I made a lavender-Earl Grey ganache and hand-dipped truffles for a decadent, delicious treat.

Hand-dipped Lavender-Earl Grey Truffles

Ingredients

Truffles

1-1/2 cups 60% cacao chocolate, chopped or chips (a higher percentage of cacao is great, too!)
1 cup organic heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon butter, softened
1-1/2 Tablespoons Earl Grey tea
1 teaspoon lavender buds plus a few sprigs of lavender
Also needed: saucepan, bowl that fits snugly in the saucepan, balloon whisk

Finishing

1-1/2 cups 60% cacao chocolate, chopped or chips (a higher percentage of cacao is great, too!), divided
a few lavender buds for garnish

Procedure

Truffles

Place cream, Earl Grey, and lavender into a sauce pan. Heat cream to steaming. Stir to fold the tea and flowers into the liquid. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes to infuse the cream with the flavors. Strain out the tea and flowers, then pour the cream back into the sauce pan. Heat until the cream is steaming on the edges.

Place chocolate and butter in a large mixing bowl. Pour infused cream over the chocolate. Let sit for three minutes, then whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until firm - at least four hours.

Now all you need to do is scoop the ganache into truffles...and dip them in tempered chocolate.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. With a spoon or scoop, scoop chilled truffle ganache from your bowl and place on the lined tray. Refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes. (I let them chill for about 30 minutes.)

Finishing

You will want to temper your chocolate. Here's how...

Place half of your chipped chocolate in a double-boiler and, over low heat, warm until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the other half of the chocolate. Set aside until the chocolate begins to lose its shine; it's beginning to crystallize. Then, return the chocolate to the double-boiler and warm, over very low heat, until smooth and glossy.

Dip chilled truffles in the melted chocolate, one at a time. You may use a candy dipping tool, but I just use a two-toothpick combo. Dip the truffle quickly into the melted chocolate and shake off the excess. Place on the lined tray and use another toothpick to nudge the truffle off of the toothpick. Dip the toothpick back into the melted chocolate and use a dab of chocolate to cover up any imperfections.

Immediately after chocolate dipping, place a small lavender bloom on the top as garnish. Repeat with remaining truffles. Let the chocolate set. Store the truffles in an airtight container in the fridge. Let come to room temperature for serving.

There you go: so many lavender-inspired treats to tempt your palate! If you have a chance to visit the Lavender Creek Co. in Greenfield, definitely jump on the opportunity. We had so much fun!