Lemon Meltaways Light Zesty Treats (Printable)

Buttery, tender lemon cookies that melt in your mouth with fresh citrus zest and a dusting of powdered sugar.

# 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

# How To Make:

01 - Beat softened butter and powdered sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
02 - Blend in lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until thoroughly incorporated.
03 - Add salt, flour, and cornstarch; mix until soft dough forms and no dry pockets remain.
04 - Divide dough in half, roll into 1-inch diameter logs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
05 - Heat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - Unwrap dough and cut into 1/4-inch rounds; arrange on prepared sheets 1 inch apart.
07 - Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are barely golden; do not overbake.
08 - Let cookies cool 5 minutes on sheets, then gently toss in powdered sugar while warm.
09 - Transfer to wire rack to cool completely; dust with additional powdered sugar before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of fresh lemon juice and zest creates this bright, sunny flavor that cuts through the richness in the most perfect way
  • These cookies look elegant dusted with powdered sugar but are secretly one of the easiest recipes in my collection
  • They keep beautifully for days, which is saying something since most baked goods start losing their magic after 24 hours
02 -
  • The chilling step isn't optional—warm dough will spread too thin and you'll lose that delicate texture that makes these special
  • Work quickly when coating the warm cookies in sugar—if they cool completely the powdered sugar won't adhere as beautifully
  • These are meant to be pale and tender—don't wait for deep golden edges or you'll miss the whole point of meltaways
03 -
  • Grate your lemon zest before juicing the lemons—it's so much easier to zest a whole lemon than one that's already been squeezed
  • If your dough logs feel too firm to slice after chilling, let them sit at room temperature for just 5 minutes before cutting
  • The key to uniformly round cookies is rotating the dough log a quarter turn after every few slices

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