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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.
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!