Description
Lemon Meltaways are soft, buttery cookies bursting with fresh lemon flavor and a delicate crumb. These easy-to-make treats combine simple pantry ingredients to create a melt-in-your-mouth texture with bright citrus notes, perfect for gifting, parties, or satisfying any sweet craving in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 2 1/2 cups (312g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Variations (Optional Add-ins)
- Gluten-free option: Substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend
- Almond twist: Add 1/4 cup finely chopped almonds or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Lemon poppy seed: Stir in 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Vegan option: Replace butter with vegan margarine and use a flax or chia egg substitute
- Sugar-free: Replace powdered sugar with powdered erythritol
Instructions
- Prepare Your Ingredients: Let butter soften at room temperature. Zest and juice fresh lemons to gather the lemon zest and juice. Measure all dry ingredients and have them ready.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with powdered sugar until the mixture is fluffy and pale. This ensures your cookies will be light and tender.
- Add Lemon and Vanilla: Mix in fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar to infuse the dough with vibrant lemon flavor.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Sift flour and salt together, then gently fold them into the wet mixture, careful not to overmix, to maintain a tender dough.
- Shape the Cookies: Roll dough into small 1-inch diameter balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Slightly flatten each ball for uniform baking.
- Bake and Cool: Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F (165°C) for about 15 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn golden. Let cookies cool completely before optionally dusting with extra powdered sugar.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for a smooth dough and tender cookies.
- Fresh lemon zest and juice give the best bright citrus flavor—avoid bottled lemon juice for authenticity.
- Fold in flour gently to prevent tough cookies.
- Roll dough balls uniformly sized to ensure even baking and attractive presentation.
- Let cookies cool fully on the tray to set shape and texture properly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 40mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: lemon cookies, meltaway cookies, buttery cookies, lemon meltaways, citrus cookies, soft cookies, easy dessert
