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Easy Lemon Meltaways – the perfect little bite of lemon!
Lemon Meltaways ~ Light and buttery, these lemon bite-sized cookies are a real treat!
Do you think if I post bright lemony recipes like these Lemon Meltaways, spring will come early? Probably not but it’s nice to dream.
The forecast is calling for -4 degrees tomorrow night, we have about 7 inches of snow on the ground and a cold front coming in. I’m really not complaining because we’ve all wished for a good snow this year.
Now that we’ve had our snow – I’m ready for blooming dogwood trees, tiny tomato plants in the garden, asparagus peaking out from the frozen ground and I can’t wait to go camping and kayaking again!
It seems like it has been a long, long winter. But who wants to talk about the cold when there are delicious, lemony, melt-in-your-mouth cookies to share?!?
Zest only the yellow outer skin of the lemon, and no white pith.
If you get carried away with your zesting, you may end up with a bitter taste instead of the bright lemon sunshine flavor you’re looking for.
I always use organic lemons and oranges when planning to include the zest in a recipe. Call me crazy but I can still taste the pesticides. Organic or not, you should always wash your citrus with a vinegar solution or soap and water. Be sure to rinse and dry the lemons before zesting and only remove the outer layer.
Each lemon is different. Some are thick skinned while other are not. Different growing regions produce varied sizes of lemons, as well. I prefer the smaller, thin skinned lemons for zesting. The flavor seems better to me but I have no scientific proof to back that up.
Lemon Meltaways are easy to make with just a few pantry ingredients.
These truly do melt in your mouth and are similar in texture to a buttery shortbread cookie. The lemon brightens the cookie and gives it an irresistible freshness.
Simple to make with just a few pantry ingredients they come together in no time. Roll the dough into balls or flatten into discs and bake until barely browned around the edges.
These lemon meltaways can be presented several ways.
The warm, baked cookies can be tossed immediately in powdered sugar like a Russian Tea Cake or Mexican Wedding Cookie. If planning to serve this way, there’s no need to flatten the cookie before baking. You can leave them in a ball shape.
My favorite way to serve these cookies is with a lemon drizzle.
The lemon icing really adds a lot of lemon flavor to the meltaway cookies. The icing is easy to make and drizzle or spread on the baked, cooled cookies. The glaze can be spread on thick or drizzled on a little thinner – it’s all up to you! Either way, you’ll have a memorable lemon experience!
Lemon Meltaways are bite-sized treats that freeze beautifully!
Rolling the cookies into a small single-bite size treat makes it super easy to pop them in your mouth. Not overly sweet, these cookies are the perfect light ending to any meal.
Can you substitute other kinds of citrus for the lemon?
Feel free to substitute lime, key lime or orange for the lemon in these cookies. We’ve made Coconut Key Lime Meltaways with great success and enjoy Peppermint Meltaways during the holiday seasons too. I hope you’ll give these cookies a try. Enjoy!
Thanks for PINNING!
Lemon Meltaways
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar (57g)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest packed - about 2 lemons (no white pith)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (196g)
- ¼ cup cornstarch (4 tablespoons)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the lemon glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar (115g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus more if needed for desired consistency
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add ½ cup of powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Gently blend on low until incorporated, scrapping down sides with a spatula as needed.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, cornstarch and salt. Whisk together.
- Add the flour in four batches to the creamed butter and lemon mixture. Blend on medium low until each is incorporated.
- Place the cookie dough in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- To bake the cookies, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop a level spoonful of dough using a 1-inch cookie scoop. Roll each into a tight ball and place two inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet.
- If you want to make cookie discs, press each dough ball to the desired thickness using the bottom of a flat glass covered with a small piece of wax paper.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Slide the parchment paper and baked cookies onto a wire rack to cool.
- Repeat with a new piece of parchment paper placed on a cooled cookie sheet. Cool cookies completely if using a glaze. If covering in confectioners' sugar, allow the hot cookies to cool for a minute then toss in 1 cup of powdered sugar to coat. Cool completely on the wire rack.
- To make the glaze, mix together 1 cup of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice. Add more lemon juice or sugar as needed to reach desired consistency. Spread on each cookie and garnish with lemon zest if desired.
- Allow the glaze to fully set then store cookies in a cool place or refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
- Cookies can be frozen before adding the lemon glaze. They'll keep for up to two months well sealed.
- Recipe adapted from Southern Living
Nutrition
Here are a few more of our favorite Meltaway Cookie recipes you might also enjoy:
Peanut Butter Chocolate Meltaway Cookies – for the chocolate and peanut butter lover in your life! These light little bite-sized cookies are not too sweet and get a nice salty bite from the crushed roasted peanuts. Click HERE for the Peanut Butter Chocolate Meltaway Cookie Recipe.
Coconut Key Lime Meltaways – a light and buttery bite-sized cookie with a big tropical flavor. Click HERE for the Coconut Key Lime Meltaway recipe.
Lyman Zerga
Very crumbly.
Tricia Buice
Sounds like you might have over-measured your flour Lyman. Hope you’ll try again sometime.
Kaye
I haven’t made the recipe yet but have a question. A cup and a half of my flour is 180 grams. Should I go by the metric measurement in the recipe or the 1.5 cups?
Thank you.
Tricia Buice
I would use the weight measurement for sure. My flour came out a little more at 196g but 180g should work perfectly. Enjoy!
Liam L
I did everything by hand lol same results, mostly cause I’m used to whisking stiff peaks by hand XD This recipe is great and it’s also versatile. I used lime and orange, and I plan to try yuzu next. I’m not sure how things will work without the acidity of the citrus, but I want to try blackberries too. I’ll figure it out lol thanks for the recipe, I love anything I can play around with.
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Liam!
Shego
I made this recipe for a bake sale and I couldn’t send the cookies because they were so horrible. The baked cookies were so delicate they crumbled in my hand. The flavor was off and the texture was like dust. Did you bake these cookies before posting this recipe? I followed the posted recipe exactly and the cookies were a complete flop.
Tricia Buice
Sorry you had trouble Shego. Sounds like you must have over-measured the flour. Yes I have made these cookies many, many times and used the base recipe for other cookie recipes too. It’s a solid recipe as you can tell from all the reviews.
Jimmy
Shego, You should not rate this recipe one star. It is a five-star recipe. The one-star rating aptly applies to your baking competency. Actually, one-star for you is being generous, should be a negative digit rating for you, Shego. 🙂
Suzy
Awesome cookies!!! They really do “melt in your mouth”! One of hubby’s favorites… and mine, too. Love that delicious robust lemon flavor. Easy to make for such an impressive looking & tasting cookie! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Suzy! We truly appreciate the feedback.
Paula Timpson
Fun , real lemony
Great taste !
My husband adores these cookies
I’ll make more
Thank You
Love the name too
It fits!! They do melt and are memorable and pretty easy
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Paula!
Yuliya
I’ve lost count how many times I’ve made these cookies – they are so easy to make and absolutely delicious! They have been my “go to” dessert for all kinds of occasions, and the tray gets cleared fast 😂
I’ve learned they keep their shape best if refrigerated for a bit before serving.
Tricia Buice
Thank you Yuliya!
Ana
I absolutely adore this recipe! I had been searching for a delightful lemon dessert recipe when I stumbled upon your website. The appetizing pictures on your site caught my attention, and I couldn’t contain my excitement to give it a try. However, my eagerness got the better of me, and I couldn’t resist devouring the cookies before they had a chance to cool down. Sadly, they turned out crumbly and bitter, leaving me feeling disappointment. However, instead of giving up on them, I decided to refrigerate them overnight. The next day to my delight, they transformed into mouthwatering delight, bursting with amazing flavors. I couldn’t resist the temptation and ended up devouring seven of the in one sitting– I simply couldn’t stop myself! Now I’m looking forward to making another batch soon.
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Ana. Make sure you don’t over measure the flour to prevent dry cookies.
Momostenango
Cookies are yummy, but be aware that if you change the quantity, the measurements don’t always follow through (4TB cornstarch stayed the same for 18 cookies at 36 and the measurements didn’t change in the text of the recipe.
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Maureen. I see what you’re talking about on the measurements. The measurements noted in parentheses is something I add manually for those that want to use a scale or other measurements other thanks cups. This is not something I can fix but appreciate you letting me know.
Holly Potter
Hi, how much is 14tbsp of butter in grams please? I find it such a waste of time and butter to be scooping it out with a spoon 😂.
Thanks so much, looking forward to making these!
Holly
Tricia Buice
Hi Holly. Stick butter is usually marked with the tablespoons noted on the package so I just slice off what I need while it’s cold. However, I calculated it for you and found that 14 tablespoons of butter is 197.75 grams or 7 ounces. Hope that helps!
Lee
These look so delicious. Going to bake the lemon.
Tricia Buice
Hope you enjoy these lovely little cookies Lee.
Gail P
Our family gathers often and I like to bring a container of assorted cookies. I make cookies and freeze some so I don’t have to bake when something comes up. I made these cookies this morning and oh my goodness…they are delicious! So delicate and light and bursting with flavor. I did add about 2 tbsp more powdered sugar to the dough but otherwise followed your recipe. The only thing I would do differently is double the recipe because I’m not sure how many of these are going to make it to the freezer! Thank you for posting this recipe. Going to make the peanut butter chocolate ones next.
Tricia Buice
How sweet Gail! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Bravo!
Laura S
Made these with wheat flour, cuz that’s what I had. They are fantastic!! Melt in your mouth delicious! Oh wait… maybe that’s why they’re called “melt always” :0}
Tricia Buice
How awesome Laura! Good to know. Thanks for making these cookies and for letting us know about the whole wheat flour. Brillant!
Jan
I don’t have a paddle on my mixer is the regular mixer ok?
Tricia Buice
Hi Jan. A regular hand-held mixer works just fine. Enjoy!
Christine
I absolutely loved these cookies and everyone I shared them with did too. I like that the cookie itself isn’t overly sweet and the tangy sweetness of the glaze is perfect. I’m not a huge sweet eater so these are the right size for me to just have one or two to take the edge off needing to have something sweet, without feeling guilty for eating a lot of some thing I shouldn’t. As an FYI I am typically a terrible baker, yet these turned out beautifully, which means the recipe a solid if you follow it. I do think it’s important to add slightly more powdered sugar to the glaze because I did find the recipe makes The glaze a little on the thin side for me. I literally make this recipe once a week, and they are gone in less than four hours every time. Everybody loves them!
Tricia Buice
Thank you for the wonderful comment Christine! You made my day 🙂
Cindy
really melty when i put in the oven and i added extra lemon and it still tasted like vanilla
Cindy
Was kind of melty in the oven and made only 15 cookies.
Cindy
Also I added even a little bit more of lemon juice and zest but it tasted to much like vanilla
Venya
Can I make these bigger with the same ingredients? How big were they in the video? I want to take these to school for a class party.
Tricia Buice
You can make them any size you want Venya and just adjust the baking time. The cookies in the video are about 2-inches wide. Hope this helps!
Peter W.
We couldn’t pick them up by hand. Had to use a spatula or they would just crumble apart.
And they were very dry!
Tricia Buice
Sorry you had trouble Peter. Perhaps you added too much flour?
Ellen Radomski
These cookies are delicious but the next time I make them there will not be 3 dozen cookies. The cookies are way too small and they crumble with two bits. Yours in the photo were a larger cookie. How many cookies in your batch?
Tricia Buice
Hi Ellen. This recipe makes 32 to 36 cookies for me when using a 1-inch level cookie scoop. I make them small, about 2 bites total. In the video the cookies are a little larger.
Cindi
My lemon melt away cookies just bubbled and melted away to almost nothing. I couldn’t even lift them in one piece off the parchment paper. Maybe I needed more flour?
Tricia Buice
I don’t know what happened Cindi but I think something must have been left out or mis-measured. Hope you’ll try again and maybe use a different brand of butter? Good luck
Don
I agree with Cindi. They are tiny. One bite. Crumbly. Not worth the effort
Tricia Buice
Sorry you didn’t enjoy these cookies Don. Perhaps you added too much flour?
Sara
I’m curious if you can substitute arrowroot powder for cornstarch?
Tricia Buice
Yes Sara – arrowroot should work fine! Thanks for the great question.
Candice Peracchio
If you have a blender you can blend 1C white sugar with 1T cornstarch and that will work.
Dametrious Damarcus Bartholomew James |||
Looks delicious, but I ran out of powdered sugar. I wish you could make these without powdered sugar or somthing. 🙂
Tricia Buice
Powdered sugar is a pretty important ingredient in these cookies. Try sifting your regular granulated sugar about 10 times and see if that works. Good luck!
Christine
I’ve actually made this recipe using Splenda instead of the icing sugar for the cookie recipe and they still turned out great. I still use icing sugar for the glaze because it needs it but was happy to see I could substitute for less sugar with Splenda without any issues!
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Christine!
Teresa Williams
Thanks for sharing these cookies, pies, cakes and other lemony desserts sound amazing. Thanks for sharing
Tricia Buice
Thank you Teresa. Hope you get to try a few!
Christi Kline
Can i substitute unsalted butter?
Tricia Buice
Hi Christi – yes you can! Enjoy!
Addison Skaggs
lemon cookies my parents loved them but they leave bitter after taste. other wise gg.
Tricia Buice
Hi Addison. If these cookies taste a little bitter, that means you zested too much of the lemons. Never include the white pith when zesting lemons as it will ruin the flavor. Hope you’ll try again!
Dani
I’m not a huge fan of lemon but was looking for a light cookie to offset a heavy chocolate dessert option. Initially I was not a fan. I followed the recipe to a T but it just didn’t have a wow factor. Well…. since I didn’t need them for a few days I put them in a container with a piece of bread like I usually do to keep my cookies fresh. I tried one before serving just to see if I was gonna toss them or put them out and was amazed. They ended up tasting exactly how they are probably supposed to and very “melty”. So my recommendation would be to make a few days ahead of time, stick some bread in with them and try not to eat all of them the day you want to serve them.
Tricia Buice
Hi Dani. Thanks for the feedback. I’ve never had to put bread in the container with these cookies. The flavors meld after a few hours and the glaze/icing seems to have the same affect as the bread. Glad you enjoyed them even though you’re not a huge fan of lemon!
Lyndi
They looked beautiful, unfortunately the taste was bland and the texture dry. The lemon glaze was nice.
Tricia Buice
Make sure you’re measuring your flour correctly. These cookies should not be dry. Perhaps you over-baked them a little? The lemon flavor is subtle but not bland. Sorry you had trouble with them Lyndi.
Raquel Fernandez
Made these cookies today for my family, and they are sooo good. Seriously the best lemon cookie I’ve ever had. I will definitely make these again and again. Also glad I found another way to put all these lemons from our tree to good use. Thank you!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Raquel! So jealous you have a lemon tree. How awesome!
Sam
Can’t wait to make these
Tricia Buice
Thanks Sam! Enjoy 🙂
Jackie
Love these cookies. I love lemon and these were light and refreshing. My husband has told me twice in 5 minutes that I can make these cookies again any time!!
Tricia Buice
Wonderful feedback Jackie. Thanks so much for making the cookies and for taking the time to comment. Bravo!
Diane
Light and delicious!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Diane! Glad you enjoyed the cookies
christine
delicious and easy! i cut this recipe in half on my first try and will probably use a little less lemon juice for the glaze so that it’s less runny (that, or more powdered sugar). but otherwise great!!!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Christine! I adore these cookies, too. Thanks for taking the time to comment and for trying the recipe!
Teisha
So did I; everything you said… these are a great summer cookie- anything citrus
Pat
Can these be frozen? If yes, freeze before or after frosting? Thank you
Tricia Buice
Hi Pat – yes you can freeze these cookies. I would freeze before frosting. Enjoy!
Rodney Stone
These are delicious
Tricia Buice
Thanks Rodney! Glad you enjoyed these cookies.
Erica
Can I make these without the lemon zest? Would I just add more lemon juice?
Tricia Buice
Hi Erica. Yes you can make them without the lemon zest but do not increase the lemon juice. The dough will be too watery and may not hold together well. Also, the lemon flavor won’t be as strong without the zest, but they’ll still be good to eat.
jenny
This recipe was amazing. Followed instructions and turned out perfect. Husband said top 3 cookies he’s ever had. Perfect spring-summer bright treat. I did add some lime zested cream cheese icing which really enhanced that bright citrus flavor. Thank-you!
Tricia Buice
Wow Jenny – thank you so very much for commenting! I love that you added zest and cream cheese – brilliant idea and something I have to try next time.
claire m
hi jenny, do you have a preferred recipe for your icing that you wouldn’t mind sharing?
Hillary
Very easy instructions, very easy to make, and were a hit with my kids!
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Hillary. We love these meltaways too!
Bob
Too much effort for a so-so cookie. I only got 2 dozen with the correct size disher. They we’re very dry and crumbly. A lemon sugar cookie is much easier to work with. I gave it a try, but won’t be trying again.
Tricia Buice
Sorry you didn’t care for the cookies Bob. Have a wonderful holiday
Teisha Chung-Smith
I added more better when I took them out of the fridge because I was concerned about their dryness- came out great!
Lucia Vineyard
I followed the directions put the cookies in the oven, waited for the timer to go off in exactly 13 minutes and the balls of cookie dough turned into one sheet of cookies mush!
Tricia Buice
Hi Lucia. Not sure what happened to your cookies but I’ve never had anything like that go wrong. Hope you will try again, perhaps with a different brand of butter.
Rebecca
Funny coincidence, I baked mine the same day and the same thing happened. I read all the reviews and it didn’t seem that anyone had the same problem, so I tried the recipe again, thinking I had mis-measured the butter or let the dough get too warm, but actually I had put in only half of the flour. My second batch turned out perfectly.
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Rebecca. Glad they turned out for you the second time! Happy holidays 🙂
Meagan McDermott
Oh my gosh. The same thing. I m immediately came to the reviews to see if I was alone. So much for my cookie exchange. Haha
Tricia Buice
This is a well tested and perfected recipe Meagan. Not sure why yours did not turn out. I’ve used this base recipe for 4 other cookies, all turn out great. Sorry about your cookie exchange. I always recommend testing a new recipe before you need it, just in case.
Terina Ditto
Can your lemon melt away cookies be frozen?
Terina
Tricia Buice
Hi Terina – yes they can! Enjoy 🙂
Julie
Can I refrigerate the dough for a couple of days? I want to make them for an event next week but I’m traveling up until the day of and thought it would be faster to make the dough ahead of time and then bake the cookies the evening I get back.
Tricia Buice
Hi Julie – I think that will be fine. You can even roll them into balls, flatten them out as shown, then layer them between wax or parchment paper in a container and refrigerate. All you would have to do is bake! If they’re cold cookie dough balls, they may require a minute or two longer in the oven. Good luck and happy baking!
Michelle Ferro
delicious….literally melted in my mouth. Iced some and tossed some in powdered sugar. Great recipe. Easy. Must try!!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Michelle! Fresh lemons make a big difference – so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Jacy
My cookies had a bitter aftertaste :(.
Honestly though, that could be the result of a weird lemon or something. So I’m not sure it’s the recipe that has a problem. Hmm
Tricia Buice
Lemons can taste off sometimes. Hope you’ll try again soon with fresh lemons 🙂
Ella
I’m wondering if maybe you got some of the white part of the lemon into your mix when zesting the lemon. The yellow part is wonderfully tangy, but if you accidentally get some of the white in there, that part is quite bitter. Just a thought…
Rophe
Is it ok to use bleached flour instead of unbleached flour? And is ok if the cookie dough stayed in the refrigerator for such a long time unbaked?
Tricia Buice
Yes and yes! The cookie dough may need to sit out for a little while to soften before rolling into balls. Good luck!
Rophe
Thank you, for responding
Sue Bawarski
How many does this recipe make? Thanks!
Tricia Buice
Hi Sue – about 36 cookies, or 3 dozen. Enjoy
Julie petersen
I have made these lemon meltaways twice, and they are fabulous! Anything that can get me to turn on my oven when it’s 100+ degrees outside has to be great. They’re easy to make and even easier to eat. They don’t last longer than a day at my house. 🙂
Tricia Buice
Wish you could see me doing a happy dance Julie! Thanks for the feedback, and the 5-star rating! These cookies have a way of disappearing fast – LOVE them! Just pop one in your mouth, then another, and another :0
Susan
I would love to make the lemon melt away cookies but would like the nutritional value please calories
Tricia Buice
I don’t have that option on my site Susan.
Deb
Susan, according to my calculations they have about 85 calories per cookie.
Linda
My nephew loves desserts with lemon, so I’m going to try baking these this year for Christmas. I make a lot of different cookies – scooping them into balls and freezing; I like bringing fresh-baked cookies to parties.
Can I freeze this dough, or do you suggest I cook the cookies first?
Thanks for the recipe…and your input! 🙂
Tricia Buice
Hi Linda. You are welcome to freeze these before they are baked. I would press them with the glass then flash freeze until needed. Good luck and thanks for trying this delicious cookie recipe. Happy holidays!
Carol VanScoter
I’d like to make the Lemon meltaways for a wedding reception. How far in advance can I make them and how can I store them if I don’t ice them? Do they freeze well so that I can frost them the day before the wedding?
Tricia Buice
Hi Carol. These cookies will keep well at room temperature for up to 3 days. I would refrigerate or freeze them for better, longer storage. Frosting / glazing the day before sounds perfect! Hope you enjoy these delicious cookies and good luck on the wedding prep!
Sarah Little
Just made these. They are cooling now. This makes a beautiful cookie. They will get a dressing up with lemon glaze once cooled. I just had to try one right out of the oven and they are very good. The go together easily. The dough is so clean and white that any significant browning, in my opinion, spoils the pureness of them.
Next time I will kick up the lemon just a tad.
Tricia Buice
Thank you Sarah! I love feedback, and appreciate you taking the time to let us know. More lemon zest may do the trick – in the icing too 🙂 Thanks so much!
Sarah Little
My husband is IN LOVE with these cookies. He would eat them all in one sitting if I allowed it. The third batch of dough is chilling in the fridge now. The recipe has entered into the hallowed ground of my handwritten recipe book. Thanks again Tricia!
Tricia Buice
Haha! Thanks for the feedback Sarah – we LOVE them too! I once had a hand written recipe book and it somehow made it’s way into a recycling pile and was gone forever. I was so upset! Many of my mom’s recipes were in there and were never recovered. My husband can put the hurt on these too. Enjoy and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and for trying our recipe.
Sahar
These look so good! Can the dough be rolled out and cut out with cookie cutters?
Tricia Buice
I can’t answer that question for certain Sahar. I’ve never tried rolling it out. It seems like it would be okay – just not sure. Good luck!
holly
i have an allergy to corn so i substituted corn starch for arrowroot and they came out great! i also added lemon zest to the topping. great recipe!
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Holly! So glad you used arrowroot successfully. I’m sure this will help others that have a similar allergy. Thanks again!
Sharan
Dang. I find the 14 T butter so difficult. Anyone have other measurement….cups….?
Tricia Buice
Hi Sharan. 14 tablespoons of butter is the same as 7 ounces, or 198 grams. One stick of butter equals 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons. If you need 14 tablespoons you will need 3/4 cup of butter plus 2 tablespoons. Hope this helps
Debbie Kline
This is the same recipe that was published in Food and Wine Magazine. I though it looked familiar. They are very tasty cookies. https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/lemony-butter-cookies
Tricia Buice
Hi Debbie – my cookies were made from a Southern Living recipe which I noted in the printable recipe. Guess Food and Wine has one too!
Deborah Aspuria
I make these as teacher gifts… always a hit! My family loves them as well- so light, and the perfect hit of lemon. Thanks for a delicious recipe!
Tricia Buice
We love them too – thank you so much Deborah!
Mountain Annie
Made the lemon cookies. Added a little bit of vanilla and it really made the lemon flavor pop!
Tricia Buice
Thanks so much for trying the recipe Annie. I love the addition of vanilla – sounds great! I really appreciate you taking the time to let us know how they turned out for you. Thanks!
Mary Laffin
just wondering how much vanilla you used in these Lemon Meltaway cookies.
Thanks
Tricia Buice
Hi Mary! I do not add vanilla extract in these lemon cookies – the recipe is correct as written. Thanks!
Sandra S.
To all that wondered why the cookies turned out a bit bitter:
I made some just now, and they turned out a tad bitter. I decided to taste my powdered sugar, which was from a plastic bag, that was used before, and I had tied the top with a clip. It was a tad bitter, I thought.
So I made a new batch with a brand new bag of powdered sugar, never been opened before. And Voila! My second batch of cookies were not bitter at all!
So I think it has to do with the freshness of the powdered sugar.
I’m keeping all my unused powdered sugar in a tight sealed jar from now on!!!!
FYI!
Tricia Buice
Thanks so much for the great tip Sandra! I truly appreciate your help and suggestion. And thanks for trying this recipe! Have a wonderful week.
PRIYA
Tricia..i cant seem to find the link forthe lemon meltaway cookies?
Tricia Buice
Hi Priya – If you’re looking for the printable recipe, it’s at the bottom of the post, shaded in beige just above the area where you left a comment. Let me know if you can’t find it there!
PRIYA
Thanks..i found it and made cookies …14 gms each ..baked at 350 F for 12 mins..rolled in powdered sugar…lovely cookies…excellent recipe…
Sonja
Can you tell me how many ml has your cup ? I’m from Austria and we are using here different cup sizes. Thank you
Tricia Buice
Hi Sonja – I’m not an expert on ml but in looking it up online, I found a converter via Google. 1 cup is 236.588ml according to one formula. Hope that helps!
Sonja
I was just yet baking this cooking and i can only say so much delicous. Best cookies ever, it melt in mouth !!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Sonja – so glad you enjoyed the cookies! Love all that lemon flavor 🙂
Lori
I made these tonight for the first time. I thought I followed the recipe correctly. However after letting them cool for one minute then when I went to put them into the powdered sugar they fell apart. Any idea what I could have done wrong?
Tricia Buice
Maybe let them rest for two minutes or three. They only fall apart when not cooled enough. Be careful when placing them in the powdered sugar. I usually just drizzle with icing which has additional lemon flavor. I have another lemon cookie that does well in powdered sugar. Try these LEMON COOLERS sometime – I bet you’ll love them.
Zella Overstreet
I made these cookies and they were delicious, melt in your mouth. I used the glaze. I will keep a batch in the freezer. Thank you for sharing.
Tricia Buice
Thank you Zella! So happy they turned out for you 🙂 Happy baking!
Tammy Tereck
How much is 14 tbsps in cups
Tricia Buice
Hi Tammy. 14 tablespoons is 3/4 cups of butter. Enjoy!
Carol A Keller
sorry but 14 Tablespoons is 3/4 c. plus 2 tabl.
Tricia Buice
Don’t apologize! You’re right – thanks for correcting
Terri
These are wonderful just rolled in powdered sugar! Next time I’ll try them glazed.
Tricia Buice
Tender, buttery cookies are the best! Thanks for trying them Terri and for letting us know how they turned out for you.
Donna
Made these for my Christmas party and they looked fabulous but had a strange after taste… disappointed, as I love lemon!
Tricia Buice
Sorry Donna. When you zest a lemon, be sure you don’t get to much of the white pith. Also, cornstarch gives a little different mouth feel, but not usually an aftertaste. Sorry you didn’t like these – we love them.
Marie
These were so easy to make, and the texture is awesome! I made the dough the day before and let it sit in the fridge till the next day because I ran out of time. The cookies have a great lemon flavor, but they are bitter. Could this be because I let it sit to long? I made sure not to get the white of the lemon while zesting. I’d like to try making these again if they aren’t bitter.
Tricia Buice
Thank you so much for the feedback Marie. I’m not sure why they would be bitter, especially if you made sure you didn’t zest the pith. Perhaps you can try using less zest next time. Fruit and citrus flavors can vary from season to season. Perhaps you got a bad lemon somehow. The lemon flavor in these cookies is usually pretty mild. Hope you’ll try again! I don’t think it has anything to do with the dough being refrigerated for a longer period of time. Good luck and hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Rose
It was most likely the lemon. I just placed my dough in the fridge and I used Meyer lemons. Totally mild lemon taste from scraping the paddle.
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the followup Rose. Glad these are going to turn out better for you. Have a very Happy New Year!
Laura
These were awesome cookies!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Laura – we love them too!
Kath
Your directions are wonderful – easy to follow with explicit directions. Adding these to my Easter cookies list!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Kath! Such a great little cookie – we love them 🙂
Jessica
Have you ever tried them with lime instead of lemon? Thinking of trying that!
Tricia Buice
Hi Jessica – yes I have – check out this post for Key Lime Coconut Meltaways – and here’s another recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Meltaway Cookies – such a great cookie!
Carolyn
Can you refrigerate the dough longer than an hour?
Tricia Buice
Yes Carolyn – even as long as overnight would be fine. It may need to warm up at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before rolling into balls. It’s a very forgiving cookie dough. Enjoy!
Kathleen
They were a little dry, what would you recommend to make them a little more chewy? Delicious taste. And still a very good cookie. I just prefer a chewier cookie.
Tricia Buice
Hi Kathleen – since these cookies are eggless, I don’t think they’ll ever be chewy. If they were dry, I would cut a few minutes off the baking time. Meltaways have a very different texture due to the corn starch. They truly melt in your mouth and are typically not real chewy. Thanks for trying them!
Alane
The looked and sounded lovely. I attempted them yesterday for Motger’s day. They melted down flat, and when I tried to remove them from the parchment paper they crumbled. Where did I go wrong? I was surprised there was no egg for a binder. Thanks for any tips-would love to try again.
Tricia Buice
Hi Alane – so sorry you had trouble with this recipe. I’m not sure what went wrong but here are my thoughts. These cookies should not “melt down” and stay pretty much in the same form as when raw. As you see in the photos, the cookie dough balls are pressed to flatten because they really should not spread. No eggs are needed, as the cornstarch helps act as a binder. It almost sounds like something was omitted by mistake, or too much butter was added. I use Land-O-Lakes unsalted butter for all my baking. I’ve found the moisture content in butter products varies greatly. Again, so sorry you had trouble, especially when baking for an event like Mother’s Day. Good luck!
Antoinette Galindo
They were ok my husband thought it was a keeper I would of put more lemon zest
Tricia Buice
Feel free to add more zest Antoinette 🙂 Thanks for the feedback and for trying our recipe.
Missy
These look delicious! I am wondering if they can be frozen as I have an upcoming wedding I’d like to make them for. Any insight is appreciated?
Tricia Buice
Hi Missy – I think it would be great to freeze the baked cookies but I would wait to ice them until the day before the event. Good luck and I hope they love them!
Kathryn
I only have a hand mixer not a stand mixer with a paddle…how would that change the blending/mixing instructions? Or doesn’t it matter?
Tricia Buice
Great question Kathryn – it really doesn’t matter. Just mix by hand. I have both a hand mixer and a stand mixer and sometimes I just use the hand mixer anyway. It will work fine – no worries. Thanks!
Erica
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I made these today and they were so delicious we loved them.
Tricia Buice
Thanks so much for the feedback Erica! We love them too and I wish I had some right now 🙂 Enjoy and thanks again.
Karen Bass
Delicious! Made these for a holiday party and they were a hit. There is always so much chocolate these were a welcome light edition. Thanks!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Karen – and hope you have a very Happy New Year! All our readers appreciate feedback so thanks for taking the time to comment. We LOVE these cookies!
Randi
I made these this morning after chilling overnight. The texture is chalky. Maybe the dough shouldn’t have been left in the fridge overnight?
Tricia Buice
Hi Randi – I have never chilled the dough that long, so perhaps. But these do have cornstarch in them which adds a little different texture in some cookies. I don’t remember these being chalky, only buttery and tender with a nice bite of lemon. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season and maybe you can try these again without the long chill time.
Ann Meintjes
Hi, I have made this recipe three times and the cookies are everything you said they would be.
However my batter/dough is very soft and sticky, i certainly could not roll it into balls like you have or use a cooking press. Please advise..
with sincere thanks
Ann Meintjes
Tricia Buice
Hi Ann – try refrigerating the dough longer, and maybe add 2 tablespoons of flour when mixing. Humidity levels are different all year, also the moisture in butter varies by brand. I always use Land-o-Lakes unsalted butter. Good luck!
Karly
Seriously, these are like little bites of sunshine on a plate. They look so delicious and are perfection for spring and summer! I must try them ASAP!
Tricia Buice
You are going to love them Karly – nothing better than a lemon dessert, well maybe chocolate 🙂
Nancy Hoffman
This was so easy and so good. Beautiful, tender cookies that melt in your mouth. Now I just have to remind myself I can’t have one EVERY time I pass thru the kitchen. Thank you for a great recipe that turns out as written.
Tricia Buice
Woohooo! Thank you so much for the feedback Nancy – I LOVE these cookies and I truly understand about picking one up each time you pass by. They know my name and call to me! Hope you had a wonderful holiday and thanks so much for stopping by and commenting 🙂
Justyna
Hello!
These were just super yummy! I am just curious what should I add to make them more ‘stif’ and cut shapes from the dough. Should I put more flour only or do you recommend something else? I would love to have them in shape of hearts!
Tricia Buice
Hi Justyna! I am not sure this would be the kind of cookie you want to cut out. It is very light and tender and they really melt in your mouth. I think a regular sugar cookie with lemon zest and juice added may be what you want. But extra flour may be just fine too – I haven’t tried any variations. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Cali @ Cali's Cuisine
These look good and I can imagine how sweet and tart they taste. Would be perfect to savor with a cup of hot tea!
Tricia Buice
They truly melt in your mouth Cali – thanks for stopping by!
2 Sisters Recipes by Anna and Liz
Ahhh any cookie that is lemony, buttery, and melts in your mouth – is pure heaven to me! It’s so cold here in the South and in NY – I think its a perfect day to make some cookies and make the kitchen even warmer! 🙂 PS… I think I will buy a lemon tree also! ( our parents always had one growing outside and one inside) So you can say you have another friend with a citrus tree in her yard too! lol….
Tricia Buice
Lemons make the best desserts! Let’s grow trees!!
Susan
We just spent the past week in California where the trees were heavy with citrus – especially oranges. How tough it was to trade mid to upper 80s and wake up to -7 this morning! These lemon cookies would certainly lift my spirits! Hopefully, March will bring some welcomed changes in the weather 🙂
Tricia Buice
I sure hope so Susan! This cold, wet, dreary weather is starting to get old – scratch that – it is old! Have a wonderful, warmer week and thanks for stopping by!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland
I think if we eat enough of these cookies, and close our eyes and wish real hard, Spring will come early! These look, and sound, soooooo good!
Tricia Buice
I think I’ll go get another one of these cookies and see if that works! Come on spring 🙂
Betty
It’s been snowing off and on most of the day, so a bit of sunshine would be welcome. These lovely lemon gems would be a bright spot in my day! 🙂
Tricia Buice
Now comes the ice – hope you enjoyed your break from school this week. Hope you get to try these cookies sometimes – they are a bite of sunshine Betty!
tanna
LOOOOOVE the thought of these!! Not too sweet. Melt in your mouth. Bright lemon flavor. Oh, yes!!
Stay warm and safe, Tricia!! blessings ~ tanna
Tricia Buice
They have it all Tanna! Just like you – practically perfect in every way! Enjoy your lovely weather there in Texas 🙂
Monica
I think it’s -3 degrees here tonight. We are definitely warming ourselves up with plenty of food and bright citrus helps, especially in the form of cookies. : ) I have heard so much of meltaways but never tasted one! I can just picture that melting texture from the confectioners’ sugar. Great choice of treat, Tricia. Stay warm!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Monica – Sitting here watching it snow right now – with rain in the forecast for tomorrow. Heading into the kitchen to make some soup 🙂
Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine
I would not trust myself with these in the house. They look amazing Tricia and melt aways are some of my very favorite cookies. Add lemon icing and I’m over the moon!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Chris – I am sure Scott would help you with a few!
Sue Bawarski
How many cookies does this recipe make?
Tricia Buice
About 36 cookies Sue.
Becky Green
Tricia! LOOOVE these cookies! I remember my grandmother used to make Orange cookies like this! LOOOVE your pictures of the process too! It is COLD here too; HOPEFULLY, it’ll thaw out soon. But, we have to remember, long cold bouts will kill ofF the bugs & that’s the up-side of the cold! LOL STAY WARM!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😉
Tricia Buice
I was thinking about all this cold weather killing ticks and other pesky bugs. Maybe mosquitoes won’t be as bad this summer – we can hope!
michael
Tricia I can’t wait for Spring either, we also have 7 inches of sleet and snow on the ground. The morning we had a low of 14 and tonight we are suppose to be 4 degrees! Not quite as cold as you!! The lemon meltaways look really delicious. Love the photos with your barn wood table!! 🙂
Tricia Buice
Love my new barn wood table too! Love these cookies – love that spring will soon be here – I am happy 🙂
Wendy
I also have citrus envy! 😉 I would love to have a little meyer lemon tree that could live in a pot on wheels. In the summer it could live outside and it would winter in the garage. If it works, I will send you some midwestern lemons! While I wait on my tree to bear fruit, I am more than willing to go to the store for some lemons to try these sunny cookies!
Tricia Buice
Lemons on wheels – great idea Wendy! Let me know if that works for you 🙂
cheri
Hi Tricia, we have lemons coming out of our ears here, making these next.
Tricia Buice
SO jealous of your lemons – hope you get to make these – they are so easy and delicious!
Beth
These are totally my kind of cookies! And yes, a whole batch could be very dangerous for me, too.
Tricia Buice
Make sure you have someone to share them with – they disappear so quickly 🙂
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
What a great name! You can really imagine their gorgeous texture 😀
Tricia Buice
They are so tasty Lorraine – lemon desserts are the best (well chocolate too)
Pam
We had dogwoods in Louisville, miss them, but definitely none here in Chicagoland. I miss warm weather, but am not complaining either, I love it here, esp. in the other seasons.
Your lemon cookies are perfect for now! I’d take lemon over chocolate any day, and that glaze puts them over the edge. Wish I had one now, thanks for the recipe, Tricia!
Tricia Buice
Dogwoods are one of my favorite trees. They are one of the early bloomers so they announce spring is just around the corner! These lemon cookies are very good – they truly do melt in your mouth!
Dom
I think sunshine food is the best way to beat the winter blues… these look glorious and I bet that sharp citrus icing was a pick me up akin to any Sping morning!
Tricia Buice
You have a wonderful way with words Dom – I could not say it any better! Thanks!~
ines
These look so simple and so delicious! From what I see from the recipe, the texture must be awesome. I may very well give them a try soon, since I have been craving lemony cookie dough for over a week 🙂
Tricia Buice
Thanks Ines – they are super simple and tangy – just what you want in a lemon cookie. Enjoy!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
Actually Spring is almost over here :-)) These lemon meltaways look wonderfully delicious, Tricia.
Tricia Buice
I can’t wait Angie! It’s just around the corner. Hope you’re having great weather!