Description
Lemon Meltaways are delicate, buttery cookies infused with bright lemon zest and extract, rolled in powdered sugar for a melt-in-your-mouth experience. These light and tender treats are perfect for tea time or gifting during the holidays.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Coating
- Additional powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring a smooth texture to start your dough.
- Add Lemon Flavors: Mix in the lemon extract and fresh lemon zest to infuse the dough with bright citrus notes.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt to evenly distribute the dry components.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, stirring until fully combined and forming a cohesive dough.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm it up, making it easier to shape and improving the cookie texture.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Shape Cookies: Roll the chilled dough into 1-inch balls and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just set but not browned, maintaining their tender texture.
- Initial Cooling and Coating: Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet so they firm up slightly, then roll them gently in additional powdered sugar to coat.
- Final Cooling: Transfer the coated cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before serving to set their shape and coating.
Notes
- For best results, ensure the butter is softened but not melted to achieve the right dough consistency.
- Chilling the dough is essential to maintain the cookie shape and texture.
- Do not overbake; cookies should remain pale with just set edges to keep their characteristic meltaway texture.
- The powdered sugar coating adds sweetness and enhances the melt-in-your-mouth effect.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
