Lemon Meltaway Cookies
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Indulge your senses with these irresistible Lemon Meltaway Cookies! Each bite melts in your mouth, delivering a burst of bright, zesty lemon flavor that’s simply divine. These delightful cookies are topped with a luscious lemon glaze and finished with a sprinkle of fresh lemon zest for that perfect finishing touch. Perfect for sharing (or keeping all to yourself)!
Indulge in the magic of simplicity with this easy shortbread recipe! With just seven ingredients and a zesty icing, these lemon meltaway cookies are a burst of sunshine in every bite. Don’t let their straightforward prep fool you; the flavor is anything but simple!
Fresh lemons are the star of the show, bringing a bright, vibrant taste that shines through in the cookies and truly sings in the two-ingredient icing.
Get ready to elevate your dessert game with these irresistible lemon cookies!
Ingredients
For the ingredient measurements and the entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Cake flour: I prefer to use a low-protein flour for meltaway cookies. This ensures the cookies remain soft and melt in your mouth.
- Cornstarch: This helps keep the cookies tender.
- Confectioners’ sugar: Sweetens the cookies without making them gritty.
- Lemon zest and juice: Lemon zest flavors the cookies while fresh lemon juice flavors the icing.
- Lemon extract: Use lemon extract or lemon oil in the cookie to avoid adding excess moisture.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances the flavors.
- Butter: Cold, unsalted butter works best.
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card.
- Pulse the flour, cornstarch, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and zest in a food processor until combined.
- Add the extract and butter then pulse until a smooth dough forms.
- Roll the dough into a log and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours.
- Slice the dough into rounds and bake until barely golden around the edges.
- Stir confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice and spoon over the cooled cookies. Sprinkle with lemon zest if desired.
Tips For Success
- Use cake flour for the best results. It’s lower in protein than all-purpose flour and will develop less gluten when the dough is mixed. This is the secret to a cookie that melts in your mouth.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. The will help keep the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- I spoon my glaze on, but you can also pipe it on.
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Lemon Meltaway Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- ⅔ cup (80 g) cake flour
- ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch
- ¼ cup (30 g) confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
For the glaze
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) confectioners' sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, optional
Instructions
Make the cookies
- Add the flour, cornstarch, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Cover with the lid and pulse just a few times to combine the ingredients.
- Add the lemon extract and butter and pulse to form a smooth dough.
- Roll dough into a 10-inch log about 1 inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 1 week.
- Preheat to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice chilled dough log into ¼-inch rounds and arrange on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1 inch between each cookie.
- Bake until firm and just barely golden around the edges, about 10-12 minutes.
- Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice together until smooth.
- Spoon a small amount of glaze onto the completely cooled cookies, and use the back of the spoon to spread evenly over the top. Sprinkle with lemon zest, if desired.
- Let cookies sit until the glaze hardens.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.