Not Just for the Birds and Bees
Eye candy comes in many forms and seeing a sprawling, green field with yellow dandelions scattered all over it is one of them. I know that many people find dandelions as an intrusive, unsightly weed but they are so much more than that. For starters, they are one of the first food sources for bees and other pollinators. Without the pollination process, we would not have flowers or even our own food sources. Contrary to belief, dandelions are actually good for your lawn because their long taproots pull nutrients from deep in the ground and make them available to other plants. As an herb, dandelions have a long list of uses that help support our body systems, which I will entertain in another blog. For now, bear in mind that the entire plant is edible so nothing will go to waste if you’re looking for diamond in the rough.
Harvest Those Beauties
When we hear the word harvest, we tend to think gathering up the fruits of our labor late in the growing season. However, dandelions are most plentiful in the early months of spring, so you don’t have a lot of time to waste if you want these cookies. Dandelions and violets both arrive at the same time and offer up another dose of eye candy good enough to eat. Yellow and purple are complimentary colors, so this makes for a perfect combination if you are trying to “wow” your guests with some tea and cookies. I think they would present well if served at a spring wedding or celebration especially if you are into the “earthy, crunchy” vibe. They are simple but elegant in their own way.
The first rule of harvesting your dandelions and violets is to make sure the location is not near a road and the area has not been treated with any pesticides. Once you know the flowers you will be picking are safe to consume, you are ready to gather your goodies. Keep the dandelions and violets in separate containers. I typically pick my dandelions first and then go back and pick the violets. Harvest just the flowers of each plant making sure you don’t have any stems or leaves. It is easier to remove the unwanted parts as you pick than it is to do it later. Watch out for bees or bugs as you are picking. I make every attempt to leave flowers if they are occupied by little critters. There is plenty for all of us to enjoy. This also saves time later if adding a bit of protein isn’t part of your desired outcome! Fill a large container of dandelions because you will end up with about half of what you need once you pull the petals off. You want to gather about one and a half cups of petals for the recipe. Unless you are harvesting violets for something else, you won’t need as many violets as you will dandelions. About a half cup of violets should be fine. The violets are more for a pop of color than for a main ingredient of the cookie, so you can adjust your ratios according to your accessibility or liking. There is a lot of wiggle room in my recipe, which I tweak each year just to see how many variations I can create. The cookies have been great each time, so I think the possibilities are almost endless.
Once you are done harvesting, check for bugs. If you spread them out on a cookie tray for a few minutes, the bugs will more noticeable and/or crawl out on their own. Remove the petals from the dandelions. It’s okay if a bit of green remains. I prefer mine that way and it make the process faster. What you don’t want is the whole blossom or big chunks. The violets just need to be torn into smaller pieces at this point if you collected only the flower. Now you are ready to make your cookies!
Dandelion and Violet Cookies Recipe
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2-4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (almond or lemon)
2 ½ cups flour
2 cups combined dandelion and violet petals
½ teaspoon lemon peel
½ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
½ cup finely chopped dried fruit (cranberry, apricot, cherry)
¾ cup flaked coconut
In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk and extract. Stir in flour, flower petals, nuts, and fruit. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time if too dry. Batter will be very heavy. Mix together until fully incorporated. Form into 2 balls. Take each ball and roll into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Roll each log in coconut. Wrap and chill several hours or overnight. *Batter will keep up to a month like this.
Slice ¼ inch thick and place on ungreased cookie sheet or on parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. When slightly cooled, drizzle with confectionary sugar glaze made with desired flavoring. I prefer lemon, so I use lemon juice.
If serving to guests, decorate with fresh flower petals for an added touch of elegance.
This recipe is very forgiving and can be altered to suit your taste. I have found that measurements don’t need to be exact as long as the dough will form and can be rolled out into a form that will hold its shape. You can add or eliminate extras as you wish. Originally, this recipe didn’t include any violets, nuts, fruit, or lemon peel. I have added that over time as this recipe seems to be ever evolving. Have fun with it!