Lavender Chocolate Buttersweets

These chocolate buttersweets are an old family recipe from our wonderful florist extraordinaire Julie Powell. When she brought some to me for the holidays I could not stop eating them. Wow. Of course we had to add a little Sage Creations twist with Lavender Sugar. NOTE: You'll want to make the Lavender Sugar at least one day before making this recipe. See the last steps for instructions

Author: Adapted from Julie Powell

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serves: 36 cookies

Ingredients

For COOKIES:
½ c. butter
¼ teas. vanilla extract
Creamy nut filling (recipe below)
½ lavender confectioner's (powdered) sugar (recipe below)
1 to 1¼ c. flour
For CREAMY NUT FILLING:
3 ounces cream cheese
2 TB flour
½ chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans or almonds)
1 c. lavender confectioner's sugar, sifted (see recipe below)
1 teas. vanilla extract
½ cup flaked coconut
For CHOCOLATE FROSTING
½ semi sweet chocolate chips
2 TB water
2 TB butter
½ c. lavender
For LAVENDER SUGAR
1 teaspoon dried lavender buds to 1 cup sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
COOKIES:Cream butter. Add sugar, salt and vanilla, cream well. Gradually add flour.
Take teaspoonfuls of mix and shape into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
Press hole in the center of each with your thumb.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until delicately browned.
Fill while warm with creamy nut filling.
Pour a teaspoon of frosting over each cookie, letting chocolate run down the sides.
CREAM NUT FILLING:
Blend cream cheese with sugar, flour, and vanilla extract, cream well. Stir in nuts and coconut.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
Melt chocolate, butter, and water over low heat(or use double boiler), stir occasionally. Add sugar, beat until smooth.
LAVENDER SUGAR
You can use granulated or confectionery sugar (for the above recipe use 2 cups of confectionery sugar). Use Folgate, Royal Velvet, Buena Vista or Munstead.
In a clean glass jar, layer the lavender with the sugar.
Close the lid and let the sugar rest for a day before using.
The sugar will keep for six months or longer. Shake the jar up now and then to distribute the lavender oils in the sugar. You can use lavender sugar in teas, sprinkled over fruit, mixed into muffin or cake batter, or pressed into sugar cookies. You can even whip lavender sugar into whipped cream or butter!