Delicious Lemon Meltaways (Printable)

Buttery, tender cookies with bright lemon flavor that literally melt in your mouth

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest
05 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/4 cup cornstarch

→ Coating

09 - 1 cup powdered sugar for dusting

# How To Make It:

01 - Beat softened butter and powdered sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
02 - Mix in lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
03 - Add salt, flour, and cornstarch, mixing until soft dough forms.
04 - Divide dough in half, roll each half into 1-inch diameter logs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - Unwrap chilled dough, slice into 1/4-inch rounds, and place on prepared baking sheets 1 inch apart.
07 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are just barely golden.
08 - Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then gently toss warm cookies in powdered sugar.
09 - Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Dust with additional powdered sugar before serving if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly light and tender, like biting into a citrus scented cloud
  • They require zero fancy techniques but taste like something from a European bakery
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is non negotiable, otherwise the cookies will spread into thin, disappointing wafers
  • These are meant to be pale and tender, so do not wait for significant browning before pulling them from the oven
03 -
  • Sift the powdered sugar before coating the cookies to avoid any clumps that might mar the snowy appearance
  • Use a sharp knife and run it under hot water between slices for clean, professional looking rounds

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