Delicious Lemon Meltaways Light Zesty (Printable)

Tender, buttery cookies bursting with fresh lemon flavor that literally melt in your mouth. Light, zesty, and perfect for teatime.

# What You'll 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

# Steps:

01 - Cream softened butter and powdered sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy using electric mixer.
02 - Blend lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract into butter mixture until fully incorporated.
03 - Mix salt, flour, and cornstarch into wet ingredients until soft dough forms.
04 - Divide dough in half, roll each into 1-inch diameter logs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - Unwrap chilled dough and slice into 1/4-inch rounds, placing 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.
07 - Bake 10-12 minutes until edges barely golden.
08 - Let cool 5 minutes on sheets, then gently toss in powdered sugar while warm.
09 - Cool completely on wire rack, dusting with additional powdered sugar before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These cookies practically dissolve on your tongue, leaving behind the most heavenly buttery lemon essence that lingers beautifully
  • The dough comes together in minutes but tastes like you spent hours perfecting something truly special
  • That double coating of powdered sugar makes them look like little snow kissed treasures everyone will reach for
02 -
  • If your dough logs feel too soft to slice cleanly, pop them back in the freezer for ten minutes, then try again with a sharp knife and a gentle sawing motion
  • That barely golden edge is your signal to remove them immediately, as they continue cooking on the hot pan and we want them soft, not crisp
  • The first powdered sugar coating melts slightly into the warm cookies, so do a second light dusting once they're completely cooled for that picture perfect finish
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them, it's infinitely easier to grate the fruit when it still has all its structure intact
  • Room temperature eggs incorporate more evenly into batters, though these particular cookies don't call for any
  • If you're gifting these, layer them between sheets of parchment paper in a decorative tin to maintain that beautiful powdered sugar coating

Return