Butter<\/strong>. One stick (4 ounces\/ 113 grams) of unsalted butter that has been softened to room temperature for about 30 minutes. The butter should be easy to press into, but not overly melted or soft.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Powdered Sugar<\/strong>. One-quarter cup plus two teaspoons of powdered sugar for the actual cookie dough. We’ll need an additional 1\/2 cup for rolling the cookies in after they’re done baking.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Lemon<\/strong>. In general, I believe any citrus dessert needs zest and juice to be fragrant. There are times when I only call for the zest, because it’s the most flavorful part. For these lemon meltaways, we need the zest of 2 whole lemons plus 4 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Vanilla<\/strong>. Two teaspoons of vanilla sounds like a lot, but the reason my citrus desserts are so good is because of the delicate balance between citrus and vanilla. They compliment each other so well, and if you’ve made my Yogurt Cake<\/a><\/span>, you know exactly what I’m talking about.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Flour<\/strong>. One and a quarter cups of all-purpose flour.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Cornstarch<\/strong>. Four teaspoons of cornstarch (also called cornflour across the pond)<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Salt<\/strong>. Two big pinches of salt.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How to Make Meltaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Brown$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Fluffy$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Evenly sprinkle the flour, cornstarch and salt on top. Beat just to combine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Pale$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Two$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The dough will be a bit clumpy, but if you squeeze it in your hands, it will come together.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Divide the dough in half, and roll it into 12-inch logs. Refrigerate for one hour, minimum.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Skinny$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Twenty$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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After the chill time of one hour, preheat the oven to 350. Slice the dough into 1-inch slices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Evenly space on the baking sheet (these cookies will not spread), and bake for 12-14 minutes, until they appear dry. Let cool for 5 minutes, and then roll each warm cookie in the extra powdered sugar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
$\"Lemon$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Variations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Citrus<\/strong> – You can absolutely vary the type of citrus you use in this recipe. Lime, grapefruit, pomelo, and even regular navel orange are all great here. You need 2 teaspoons of zest, no matter which type of fruit you use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Make-Ahead Options<\/strong> – You can make these lemon meltaways up to 3 days ahead of time and store the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to slice and bake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Freezing<\/strong> – You may freeze the dough log for up to 6 months, if you tightly wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer storage bag. Defrost the dough at room temperature (until it’s easy enough to slice). This dough requires one hour of chill time before slicing anyway, so cold dough is fine!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n