Lavender Stars and Moons

Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 batch of sugar cookie dough or your favorite sugar cookie dough recipe, refrigerated
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp dried lavender (dried culinary lavender is available in health food or specialty stores - DO NOT use dried lavender prepared for potpourri)
1 tbsp hot water
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Purple concentrated paste icing coloring

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In medium bowl, work together cookie dough, flour and lavender with wooden spoon until well blended.  Place dough mixture on large sheet of plastic wrap.  Place another sheet of plastic wrap on top and roll dough into an 1/8 inch thick layer, pulling out any wrinkles that develop as you roll.  Refrigerate about 10 minutes, or until firm.

Remove dough from refrigerator and peel off top sheet of plastic wrap.  Flip dough over onto lightly floured work surface.  Remove remaining wrap.  With 3 inch star and moon shaped cookie cutters, cut out cookies.  Place on un-greased cookie sheets about 1/2 inch apart.  Gather scraps and repeat rolling, chilling and cutting.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

In small bowl, whisk hot water into confectioners' sugar.  With purple coloring, tint to desired shade.  As necessary, add more water or sugar to make icing of piping consistency.  Using pastry bag fitted with a #2 tip, decorate cookies as desired.  Store in airtight container at room temperature up to one week or in freezer up to six months.