Delicious Lemon Meltaways Zesty Treats (Printable Version)

Tender, buttery cookies bursting with fresh lemon—perfect light treats for teatime

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
03 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed 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 Steps:

01 - Cream softened butter and powdered sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy using electric mixer.
02 - Blend in lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
03 - Mix salt, flour, and cornstarch into butter mixture until soft dough forms.
04 - Divide dough in half, roll each 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 chilled dough and cut into 1/4-inch rounds. Place 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.
07 - Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are barely golden.
08 - Let cool 5 minutes on sheets, then gently toss in powdered sugar while warm.
09 - Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Dust with extra powdered sugar before serving.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • These cookies literally dissolve on your tongue, leaving behind this perfect whisper of butter and lemon that makes you reach for another one before youve even finished swallowing
  • The dough comes together in minutes but tastes like something from a fancy bakery, the kind of treat that makes people ask whats your secret
02 -
  • The dough must be properly chilled before slicing, or youll end up with misshapen cookies that spread too much in the oven. I learned this the hard way when I tried to rush the process for unexpected guests.
  • These cookies are fragile, especially when warm. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them, or they will crumble in your hands. The powdered sugar coating also needs time to set.
03 -
  • Grate your lemon zest before juicing the lemons, its much harder to zest a squeezed lemon. I learned this after making a mess one too many times.
  • If the logs flatten on one side while chilling, rotate them halfway through the chilling time to keep them perfectly round.

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