Lemon Meltaways - An Easy Lemon Cookie Recipe! (2024)

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Shelly 18 Comments

★★★★4 from 7 reviews

Lemon Meltaways are a soft, buttery, shortbread-style, slice and bake cookie recipe. They are topped with a creamy icing and literally melt in your mouth! The best lemon cookies ever!

Lemon Meltaways - An Easy Lemon Cookie Recipe! (1)

Table of Contents

  • Lemon Meltaways Are An Easy Slice and Bake Cookie Recipe!
  • Here Are Some Of My Favorite Lemon Cookies:
  • How Do You Make Lemon Meltaways?
  • Can You Make These Lemon Cookies Another Flavor?
  • Get the Recipe

Lemon Meltaways Are An Easy Slice and Bake Cookie Recipe!

Lemon Cookies are one of those cookie recipes that I try not to make a lot because I am the only one in my house who eats them!! You see I LOVE lemon cookies, and I can’t be trusted if they’re in the house…and that paired with the fact that no one else will eat them is a recipe for a quick 5 pound weight gain!

Here Are Some Of My Favorite Lemon Cookies:

  • Cream Cheese Lemon Cookies
  • Lemonhead Cookies
  • Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
Lemon Meltaways - An Easy Lemon Cookie Recipe! (2)

How Do You Make Lemon Meltaways?

Like I said before, this is aslice and bake cookie recipe,which is great because not only are slice and bakes easy, but they can be made ahead and baked whenever you’re ready, which makes this recipe great for holiday cookie baking when you are baking a lot in a short period of time!

You can prep with cookie dough the night before and bake them up when you’re ready!

Why Does This Cookie Dough Use Powdered Sugar?

Powdered Sugar in this dough adds to the melty, soft texture. Using powdered (or confectioners) sugar is essential in this recipe to achieve the texture!

Can You Freeze These Lemon Cookies?

Yep! These cookies freeze beautifully. I prefer to freeze then before icing them, as the icing can get sticky as it thaws.

You can even make the dough, wrap it up and freeze the dough in the log shape for later. When you’re ready to bake, allow the cookies to thaw slightly, enough that you can slice them. Then bake them as stated in the recipe!

Lemon Meltaways - An Easy Lemon Cookie Recipe! (3)

Can You Make These Lemon Cookies Another Flavor?

Absolutely! Here are some ideas:

  • Use another form of citrus likeorange, orlime!
  • Leave out the citrus entirely and add aVanilla Bean!
  • Finely chop up somedried cranberriesand add those into the dough!
  • Mini Chocolate Chips! About 1/2 cup will be great!
  • Add 1/2 cup shreddedcoconutand a little coconut extract into the icing!

Looking For More Slice and Bake Cookie Recipes? Try These:

  • Checkerboard Cookies
  • Refrigerator Sprinkle Cookies
  • Chocolate Shortbread
  • Salted Caramel Pinwheels

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    Lemon Meltaways - An Easy Lemon Cookie Recipe! (4)

    Lemon Meltaways

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 3.7 from 7 reviews

    • Author: Shelly
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 minutes
    • Total Time: 10 minutes + chill time
    • Yield: 24 cookies 1x
    • Category: Cookies
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: Dessert

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    Description

    These tender lemon cookies melt in your mouth!

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Cookies

    • 1 cup butter, room temperature
    • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
    • 1/2 cup cornstarch
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

    Icing

    • 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 12 teaspoons lemon zest

    Instructions

    1. For the Cookies: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the butter and powdered sugar together on medium speed until smooth.
    2. Turn the mixer to low and add in the cornstarch, salt, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix for 30 seconds until incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
    3. Add in the flour and mix until just combined.
    4. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a log, 8-9 inches long. Wrap the logs separately in plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours.
    5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Slice the logs into 1/2- inch thick rounds. Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
    7. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
    8. For the Icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until smooth. Spoon or pour the icing on top of each cookie. Allow the icing to set.

    Notes

    Store cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 cookie
    • Calories: 158
    • Sugar: 13 g
    • Sodium: 50.1 mg
    • Fat: 7.8 g
    • Carbohydrates: 21.5 g
    • Protein: 0.9 g
    • Cholesterol: 20.3 mg

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    Lemon Meltaways - An Easy Lemon Cookie Recipe! (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the secret to making cookies soft and chewy? ›

    Cornstarch gives the cookies that ultra soft consistency we all love. Plus, it helps keep the cookies beautifully thick. We use the same trick when making shortbread cookies. Egg yolk: Another way to promise a super chewy chocolate chip cookie is to use an extra egg yolk.

    What are lemon cookies made of? ›

    Beat together sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Whisk together eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small bowl until combined. Beat into butter mixture slowly on low speed. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

    How do I make my cookies chewy instead of crunchy? ›

    What ingredients make for a chewy rather than a crunchy cookie? - Quora. Eggs, brown sugar and a fat mix of 50/50 butter and shortening are some of the ingredients that will help make a cookie chewier. Also, fluff the flour with a whisk before measuring it — too much flour will make a cookie dry.

    Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

    Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

    Can I use lemon juice instead of lemon zest? ›

    Lemon juice carries the same flavor as lemon zest, but it's more acidic, so you might want to add a pinch of sugar to balance out the tartness. That said, the lemon flavor is not as concentrated as lemon zest, so you'll want to keep this formula handy: 1 teaspoon of lemon zest = 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

    Can you use lemon juice instead of lemon extract? ›

    No matter what you're making, plan on using about 2 tablespoons citrus juice for every 1 teaspoon of lemon extract called for in the recipe.

    What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

    If you enjoy your cookies soft and chewy, chances are likely the recipe contains a common ingredient that serves a very specific purpose. No, it's not granulated sugar, nor the butter. It's not the egg, all-purpose flour, or even the vanilla extract. The simple, yet oh-so-necessary component is cornstarch.

    What is the trick to keep baked goods like cookies soft? ›

    This simplest kitchen hack you'll ever love!

    If you bake too many cookies (as if there is such a thing!) and are concerned about them going stale, just add a slice of white bread to the storage container to keep them from hardening.

    What are 3 factors that contribute to a chewy cookie? ›

    The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

    Why are my cookies hard instead of chewy? ›

    Hard cookies: you are over mixing, baking too long, baking at too high a temperature, or some combination of these. Cakey cookies: not enough brown sugar, too much or too little egg, too much flour, maybe you used baking powder instead of baking soda?

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