Description

Lemon Meltaways are delicate, buttery cookies infused with bright lemon zest and juice, creating a refreshing citrus flavor that melts in your mouth. Perfect as a light dessert or with tea and coffee, these elegant cookies feature a tender crumb dusted with powdered sugar for an irresistible finish.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Coating:

1/2 cup powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

Prepare the Dough: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract until evenly combined. In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing gently until just combined to form a soft dough.
Shape the Cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of the dough and roll them into smooth balls. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing each ball about 2 inches apart to allow for slight spreading. Lightly flatten each ball using the bottom of a glass or your palm to create a uniform thickness.
Bake the Cookies: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges turn lightly golden but the centers remain pale. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dust with Powdered Sugar: After the cookies have cooled completely, dust them generously with the remaining powdered sugar to create a delicate, sweet coating that enhances their melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Notes

For an extra lemony flavor, increase the lemon zest or add a few drops of lemon extract to the dough.
Instead of powdered sugar dusting, try a lemon glaze by mixing powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice and drizzling it over the cooled cookies.
For a unique twist, add finely chopped fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary to the dough.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Freeze cookies for up to 3 months; layer them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Fresh lemon juice is preferred for best flavor, but bottled lemon juice can be used if necessary.
Cookies firm up as they cool; look for lightly golden edges but pale centers to avoid overbaking.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Lemon Meltaways, lemon cookies, buttery cookies, lemon dessert, tea cookies, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, powdered sugar cookies