Lancôme fragances inspired shortbread cookies

Apart from loving cookies, I love fragrances and smelling things, nice things of course. Thus, I am ecstatic because I had the opportunity to make some special cookies for Lancôme. They have a sensorial campaign where they display some of their perfumes with shortbread cookies that follow a recipe that were developed with flavors inspired in those same fragrances, how cool is that?

I am fascinated with the art of perfume making and I love to learn more about the notes that are found in some of my favorite fragrances. 

When I agreed to make the cookies, I was a little nervous because they gave me a recipe to follow. Since I normally sell my cookies using my own recipe, it was interesting for me to see how well I could stick to their creative recipe. So, I took a risk, I made a small batch of the cookies to see how the recipe worked, and the cookies turned out really, really, really well. 

Let me share with you an excerpt by Lancôme behind the perfume “La Vie Est Belle”

"The concept of the fragrance is centered on the idea of natural and simple beauty, freedom from conventions and the choice of once own vision of happiness. The fragrance is a kind of outlook on life, inspired by joy and pleasure in small things.

This gourmand yet elegant composition is developed by perfumers Olivier Polge, Dominique Ropion and Anne Flipo. The final formula is the result achieved after three years of probation and 5000 versions. Iris is the key ingredient of the perfume, surrounded by orange blossoms and jasmine in the heart. The composition’s opening provides fruity flavors of black currant and pear, while the base is warm, gourmand and powdery due to almond-like accords of tonka bean, praline, patchouli and vanilla. "

Wow, I love the description of the perfume! While I was making the cookie dough, adding the cotton candy extract paired with the pink and red food gel color, I was transported to Fauchon in France, sweet and sophisticated at the same time. Oh la la!!

For the Idôle inspired cookies the freshness of the lime juice, the warmth of the vanilla, and the yellow food gel color were in perfect harmony to create a cookie inspired in a modern, fresh and clean fragrance.

“Idôle was created by Shyamala Maisondieu, Adriana Medina-Baez and Nadege le Garlantezec.  Idôle Eau de Parfum grants those who wear it the unwavering strength to dare to dream bigger. 

This fresh and clean fragrance is ever-evolving throughout the day with bursts of inviting florals, energizing citrus and sultry white musks. Top notes are Pear and Bergamot; middle notes are Turkish Rose, Rose de Mai and Indian Jasmine; base notes are White Musk and Vanilla.”

In order to make this kind of recipe you need to be a little more patient. This is because the dough is so soft that sometimes it can give you a hard time while rolling it out and during the baking process. Shortbread cookies are most commonly baked in a baking pan and cut out after baking.

 I just posted a video on YouTube  about the differences in between a shortbread and a sugar cookie, please check it out! 

I was so happy to see my cookies on Lancôme's beauty counter, they look so pretty next to the perfumes! Thank you Lancôme for coming out with such a great campaign and so happy to be part of it! 

 I hope you enjoy my journey with Lancôme, and I encourage you to infuse some of your favorite notes into your cookie creations.